The very first piece of art to sell when the prestigious exhibition, 'Through the Window', opened last Sunday was a sculpture by Swift River artist, Kingsley Thomas.
It was snapped up by a German art collector who had driven for more than four hours to get to the show at Kunsthaueschen-Herrliberg in Switzerland.
Called 'Secrets', the small, painted sculpture depicts a girl looking through a window at the heads of a man and a woman. "It's about the fact that young people see and hear more than adults can know," explained Thomas. "We, therefore, have to keep in mind to show them a good example by living right ourselves."
"It's a very unusual piece, so I'm not surprised it was the first artwork to sell," said gallery owner Daniel Kellenberger.
"I'm just a bit upset because I was thinking about buying it for myself! I will be more decisive next time!"
In addition to Thomas' work, the show includes more than 100 paintings, photographs and sculptures by Swiss, French, Dutch, German, and United Kingdom artists. Sunday's private viewing was well attended withguests from many European countries.
Fellow exhibitor, the London-based international artist, Mark Dickens, was particularly enthusiastic about Thomas' work. "You can see his inspiration is directly from the Earth, from his ancestors, from everything around him. It is truly wonderful."
The exhibition continues until January 4, 2015.
