What is in a name?

Karin Wells · 01-27-2002, 11:53 AM

Is it possible to become a famous portrait painter with only two names? I mean, what important client would want to pay a big fee to an artist with only two names? I think that something as small as the addition of an extra initial could justify a pay increase for an artist.

The biggies in the portrait business all seem to have THREE names: Everett Raymond Kinstler, Daniel E. Greene, John Howard Sanden, Margaret Holland Sargent. Even famous masters of the past had THREE names. Peter Paul Rubens, and John Singer Sargent are the first to come to mind. Michangelo Buonarotti sounds like three names even if spelled as two. Let's face it though, the biggest stars get by with only one name: PICASSO, RAPHAEL, REMBRANDT. It's the little guys that really need those three names in order to start on the road to immortality.

Are those of us with only two paltry names doomed to obscurity until we come up with a classy sounding third name, or at least an extra interesting initial to insert somewhere?

First thing, Monday morning, I'm going shopping for an extra name or initial to add to my collection.

Mary Sparrow · 01-27-2002, 12:44 PM

Mary Smith-DOOMED!

Chris Saper · 01-27-2002, 02:51 PM

Better yet, get a Russian name.

Harley Brown tells the story of painting as a a young man in Canada, unable to sell his portraits until he adopted a Russian pseudnym. As a result he had more business than he could keep up with, and way too much confusion to keep his identity straight. (Harley Brown worked out OK for him in the long run, though.)

Chris
(Christina Sapozhnikoff)

Stanka Kordic · 01-27-2002, 06:11 PM

When I introduce myself as Stanka, not only do I have to articulate clearly and make sure no one calls me Stanka with a long A.. I invariably have to answer the question, "And what's your first name..?"

At least I can weed out the telemarketers when they ask for "Kordic Stanka".

Oh, then, I run into Italians who get a real hoot out of my name because in Italian Stanka means, "very tired." (Yes I am often.)

I opted not to add my married name to the equation. Maybe I should have, just to be even more foreign sounding, interesting and totally confusing to people. (I'm married to a good Lithuanian man.) Yes indeed, a valid reason to up the fees...

Cynthia Daniel · 01-27-2002, 08:33 PM

Okay, as you know, I'm not a painter, however...

I wasn't even given a middle name at all! I got cheated.

Then I got cheated again because, believe it or not, my last name Daniel was from my dear Egyptian husband who passed away. You'd think I would have gotten something more exotic. You would never think "Daniel" to be Egyptian. As I'm told, his family was from the Christian tradition and this was the reason...it came from the Bible.

Some people want to pronounce it Danielle, which I actually don't mind. But, I feel it would be too contrived to start telling people to pronounce it that way.

There's times I've thought of going back to my maiden name of Secunda, which came from Hungarian Szekunda! Do you think I might increase my chances of fame? Or does this just work for artists?

David Dowbyhuz · 01-28-2002, 11:32 AM

You can perhaps imagine the trials I've went through with my name! I actually toyed with the three part name. Mine is David Wayne Dowbyhuz . Quite the syllable-salad. For a time I opted for D.W. Dowbyhuz.

The notion of credibility being attached to a name extends even to first names. I'm really a "Dave", but felt people would take a "David" more seriously. "Dave" is OK to fix your computer or your car, but you'll expect "David" to immortalize your loved one.

01-28-2002, 01:02 PM

Well, my name is Helen Charlotte Hill.
I ALWAYS use my middle name because "Helen Hill" sounds sooo daft!!

And I'm quite miffed that I have to use it here on this board.

Is this the type of community where members can 'gang up' on the administrator and get rules changed?

Hi Cynthia! Heh heh heh...

Helen

Cynthia Daniel · 01-28-2002, 01:06 PM

The reason I made the rule was one or two people had such long names, 1st, middle and last all long...and it completely threw off the page format of the forum. But, fact is, yours is sufficiently short, it would probably be ok if you'd like me to change it. If it doesn't throw off the page format, we can keep it.

Jennifer Geary · 01-28-2002, 01:41 PM

I have to thank my dear mom for my name, or rather, for me taking it from her! Her maiden name is Redstreake, so i took it as my middle name. When I sign my paintings I just sign them 'Redstreake', short and simple. Sounds like an artist name, doncha think? It is actually a Welsh name, the name of a type of Apple. Alot of people think it is Native American. At any rate, we are the only Redstreakes in the U.S., so it works out quite nicely! :-)

Peggy Baumgaertner · 01-28-2002, 04:57 PM

I was set up at an art fair between Candi, who dotted her "i" with a heart, and Bunny who signed her paintings with the Playboy bunny logo when I thought, "...Candi and Bunny and Peggy, there's no hope for me...."

I went home and immediately changed my professional name to Margaret (not my real name...it's Peggy), Carter (my maiden name), Baumgaertner (my husband's last name...note the cool extra "e" in the middle.) Three names, respectable sounding, does the job. I do sign my paintings "Baumgaertner", all three names are too too long for a signature....

Peggy