completely disappointed. My instincts tell me I should try to find out what happened, why I was being ignored. I wrote again to Jewels brother and his wife, again I was ignored. After three years and three months I decided to tell some one about it. What my father always told me " if you want some one to hear you, talk to the people who make them who they are". So I wrote Ananda Lewis, Carson Daly of MTV. Ophrah Winfrey, Patrick Leonard of Atlantic Recording, Harpers Collins Publishers Inc., and The Jewel Fan Club. Within three days of mailing these letters out, Jewels public relations agent calls me and apologizes for Jewel. He tells me he is putting a package together for me from Jewel. About three months go by , I receive the poetry book signed "Great Art"- Jewel, and a card I sent them ripped in half with the signature "ewel'. It felt so insincere that I sent both of them back and asked them to return my painting. I told ( the Jewel Crew ) I had family in Los Angeles that could pick up the painting for me. My feelings were that Jewel should of apologized herself for taking my painting and using it in her corporate office lobby for over two years. Using my idea of her and an owl in a video, for just completely ignoring me for over three years without even so much as a sincere "thank you" of appreciation.
I gave my family and a friend a contact number in Los Angeles. So my friend calls the agent and the agent tells him he has been P.R.en the painting for the last two years. Witch basically means he had been promoting my artwork, supposedly. This piece of information could of been told to me from the very beginning if it was at all remotely factual. The agent wanted to know through my friend what I wanted
for the painting. My friend told him he would consult with me. My original intent
was a combination of desires. One, I enjoyed Jewels music; I was inspired by her lyrics. Two, my job on this planet is to record history as it passes by; my belief in painting is the same as Rembrandts, following the rules of permancey, to create paintings to last thousands of years without any deterioration. Three, my subject, The study of Hawaiians, I had lived in Hawaii the last twenty three years of my life and I had become attached to there lifestyle, culture. I painted Hawaiians for decades, I couldn't get mainstream art galleries to carry any Hawaiian artwork, I was asked if I could paint something for white people and most of the time they weren't that nice in there choice of words. I felt the suppression of a culture. One of the most beautiful cultures in the world. Besides the fact that I would of probly spent the rest of my life in prison if I hadn't learned to love life from the Hawaiians. An American treasure passed over and neglected, not just neglected but forced to become mainstream and lose there values. To take a Hawaiians values is a fate worse than death. My hopes was that if Jewel would of given me the time of day, I was hoping that in her heart she would of wanted to help remedy this, to help the Hawaiians come to the forefront, loved and respected for who they are. As far as my trip is concerned, I have never been about the money. Painting is my penance; I exist for the next project.
So, they wanted to know what I wanted for the painting ? Witch upon my friend consulted with me. My original thought was just to get the painting back. But, over a period of two weeks my friend convinced me I should be compensated and I agreed to $25,000. My friend thought this was way too much partially because the agent was attempting to P.R. me. I reluctantly lowered the price to $10,000., and I was adamant about this price. However, when my friend talked to the agent he told them I would accept $500. to a $1,000. When he told me this I was furious with him and asked why he did this. He said I should get what I can. In my mind I thought that the agent thought this guy is a fool, a joke. Obviously this painting is worth a small fortune. This painting was displayed in an elite art gallery in Hawaii just for people to enjoy, view. At any rate the agent decides to take it up with Jewels management team. Now Jewels mother who heads the team said, "ABSOLUTELY NOT, F_CK HIM, GIVE HIM THE PAINTING BACK". At this point I'm truly embarrassed; I don't even want to talk to my friend. He made me look desperate and cheap. I mean this painting sat on the wall in Jewels corporate office lobby for more than two years. I got Jewels brothers address from a best friend of her dads. Her dad said this was the best way to get it to her, we called and I was there when her brother Shane Kilcher said to send it to him and he would get it to Jewel. That he would be back in touch with us and that he would talk to Jewel about trying to compensate me for it. The best friend of the dads suggested this to Jewels brother because he knew I was always being taken advantage of for my paintings. To ask for anything like money was not my intention. I put it out there for her to ask me, possibly to show me some kind of kindness, "since kindness only matters". Well it comes to find out, the agent tells me that the brother wanted to get some money from Jewel to invest in a water treatment program in Mexico, so he tells Jewel he had it made for her as a gift.
So, it's like another four months go by, I write another letter telling them to return my painting or I will find a source of remedy in the court system. The agent
has the painting dropped off at my brother's place of business in Long Beach, California within a few days. He tells me I could sue Jewel for a lot of money and damage her career. He asks me if I will be cool and in about three months Jewel will buy the painting from me for $10,000. And they will continue to represent me. Just let it cool down. Jewel and her brother, the mother, are furiously fighting over the incident. He also asks me if I could do a painting of Jimi Hendricks. That he had some people who would be interested in it and he threw out some big names like Staind, Limp Bizkit. I wanted to believe him, so I agreed and did the painting of Jimi; I got it to him 5ive months ago. So, in total it's been eight months since they told me Jewel was going to buy the painting from me of her, and nothing. In the back of my mind I didn't want to trust any of them, My heart wanted to believe.
My thoughts, intuition told me something was up. I knew I was up against a whole team of lawyers, probly some of the best in the world. I thought about it, and realized it has been a long time since Jewel came out with a new C.D. They must be coming out with one soon, their playing me along to get this C.D. out. Three months after they told me to be cool Jewel came out with a new C.D. What I thought was true; they manipulated me, the realization of this cut deep at my heart. When I talk to the agent he passes this off and tells me I'm getting your name out there. That my Jimi painting is going to the Grammy's this year, (music awards). I haven't heard a word since. At this point I'm in so deep I'm not sure what I should do. This total trip with the Jewel Story has been going on for over three years now. I feel these people took my wind as an artist, ruthlessly used me. Completely feelinglessly took advantage. Made me feel as an artist worthless, I feel ashamed, That I don't want to share with the world anymore, that maybe I should just stick my head under a rock. Basically angry, disappointed. I have been in a slump ever since.
I made the Jewel painting with some of the finest materials on the planet with the use of the Rembrandt technique, his theory of permanence, collection of light, illusion of real gold, the use of optical gray's, 3-D modeling. The size, proportions of the panel to project the portrait. In short it's designed to last thousands of years, to mature like good wine. One of my thoughts is that these people think so temporary. That's probly why there so heartless and greedy, selfish. This story is going to be a part of the painting for all to view in the future on a disc in the back of the painting...
Devon H.C. Crutcher
2002
This part of the story is being added January 2003, I have a lot of mixed feelings about "My Jewel Story", I painted this painting with pure appreciation for Jewel, I'm exhausted with the anger I feel. I'm sorry this story is a part of my life; it has been a terrible disappointment. It has been almost five years now. I just got the Jimi painting back yesterday. Theres a lot more of the story to tell but I'm not going to add it. I will say that the poem below is where I went from to now. I'm sorry I had to feel this much anger... |
