People have been asking me how I choose each week’s Rediscovered Art post. It is sheer observation of who the Universe puts magically in front of me, whether in a Facebook message, a chance clue that pops up in James’ archives we are sorting through, or actually being in the right place at the right time.

In the Case of Sara Harrison, I was meeting someone at The Medium – a creative hub in Springdale, Arkansas where a collection of James’ paintings were on exhibition in a group show. It was the first time James’ paintings had been shown in public for over 16 years. I arrived early for my meeting, but the real connection was seeing Sara Harrison walk into the gallery. In that brief delightful exchange, she told me that James created a painting of her, he titled “Due Date” because when she posed for the painting she was about to give birth any moment.

Later she sent me a thumbnail picture of the painting… and it was beautiful. I filed that image away in my brain pan, but it remained frozen in time waiting for the second anniversary of James’ passing when I would begin my Nancy Drewing for these “Rediscovered Art” posts. 

Last Friday, February 27th, Melanie and I traveled to Eureka Springs Arkansas, and interviewed Sara at Mitchell’s Folly Gallery on Spring Street courtesy of Gwen Bennett to record the following conversation about the story behind “Due Date”.

Enjoy!

Charlotte Buchanan Yale