Almost exactly two years ago, the Inland Northwest art scene lost a titan.
Mel McCuddin died on Sept. 26, 2022, at age 89 after a rapid decline in health. Known for his distinct, expressive art style and humorous touch, McCuddin left a permanent mark on the local art world.
For over 20 years, McCuddin showcased and sold his paintings at the Art Spirit Gallery in Coeur d'Alene. His final exhibition was held there in October 2022, but McCuddin was an extremely prolific artist, making at least one painting a week for most of his life. After his death, McCuddin's wife, Gloria, and their three children, Neil, Mason and Colleen, were left with quite a large collection of artwork that had never been seen by the public.
For more than 30 years, Mason McCuddin worked closely with his father as a photographer and collection administrator. He got to know his dad's process and outlook on life very well.
"In one of our later conversations, I said, 'You know Dad, you've got a studio full of work, what do I do with it all?'" Mason says. "And he goes, 'Eh, have a bonfire.' That's when he planted the seed."
Now, two years after McCuddin's death, the family is ready to conclude the business side of his collection. The Art Spirit Gallery has dubbed its final McCuddin inventory a "fire sale," meaning whatever's not sold will most likely meet the fiery fate the artist casually wished for during that late conversation with his son.
"He was never one to look back," Mason says. "He didn't have any emotional attachment to any of his pieces. I don't know how many pieces I saw him paint over because he thought they were clunkers. So this whole kind of 'moving on' thing came from him. It's a way to channel and honor the way he thought, the way he lived and the way he painted. That's how we got here."
The "fire sale" collection features over 80 works ranging from large oil paintings to ink sketches on paper. All work is discounted by 25%. "Chasing Cars," a 12-by-14 inch oil painting of a dog that McCuddin completed in 1989 would typically retail for $500, but the sale brings it down to $375. A larger piece depicting two figures would be marked at $1,700, but is now set at $1,275. As of press time, roughly 25 pieces had already sold. (Separate from the Art Spirit's sale, there are also several of McCuddin's paintings currently for sale at Boulevard Mercantile in Spokane.)
Unlike McCuddin's final 2022 exhibition, most of the sale works are not displayed at Art Spirit, save for a few pieces. Instead, it's presented online via a digital catalog titled "A Warm Farewell to Mel" in what will be the last public sale of McCuddin's artwork.
Art Spirit Gallery owner Blair Williams says McCuddin's family members all agree on the fate of his art and the concept of the fire sale.
"These conversations that Mel and Mason had need to be held with artists and their families before their deaths so that everyone is on the same page. Artists, in and of themselves, are each vastly individual," Williams says. "The approach that artists and their families take to emotionally, financially and physically close out an estate can be as varied as the artists themselves."
Son Mason says knowing his dad, this decision didn't surprise him.
"I would watch the pieces go out [to the gallery], and I would never forget them," Mason says. "But he moved past them. He's been dead for two years at this point, and we thought at some point — and he would be the first to say this — we had to move on"
Chelsea Cordova, Art Spirit's gallery manager, says that in the five years she's worked there she's seen about three or four of its represented artists die. Each had a different plan for their remaining artworks, although she's never seen an artist request a bonfire of their unsold works.
"From a gallery perspective, seeing people come in and look at the pieces on the wall, you want them to be able to buy them," Cordova says. "And there is this thing like 'Oh, this could end up being in someone's house instead of being destroyed.' There's an attachment on the other side. Maybe the artist doesn't have that attachment, but the viewer does."
Mason says Mel wasn't one to fixate on his legacy as an artist. Instead, he was "down to earth with simple goals" and didn't want to make a fuss.
"We've talked a lot about legacy," Mason says. "And his idea of legacy is already on people's walls. It's not pulling out every last practice sketch. At some point, he would've wanted this stuff to go. I'm trying to honor that. It's a tribute to his life and work more than anything." ♦