H.H will see you now, Mr. Jim....

It was a sleepy, feet-up Friday in Dubai (the equivalent of a Sunday in other parts of the world with our Friday / Saturday weekends in the U.A.E) and Sathar called me, the man behind the refurbishment of the inspiring House of Poetry in Heritage village in Al Shindagha....

Birthplace of the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Emir of Dubai. 

Who firmly believes the UAE's cultural heritage is key to its prosperity and the that the country's cultural heritage is an important factor in achieving its unique ambitions, and can inspire innovative and creative approaches to ensuring the happiness of its people. 

With dollarsandart being invited to showcase highlights of the first 4 years of my life as an Artist I was flattered as after 14 years in Dubai. I wrongly assumed these spaces where only for U.A.E Nationals to showcase their poetry and calligraphy.....

Not only was I gifted a couple of rooms to showcase dollarsandart highlights from each collection,  Sathar was only to pleased to invite  my affiliate partners Montegrappa pens, Fragrance Du Bois & Stonemason Martin Dewhurst all now playing a key part in the this unique venue.

Presenting Sathar with a yellow on blue dollarshot 

So back to the thread of this article....

"Boss"  Sathar said stirring me from a sleepy 5pm Friday film...

"Shk will see you now, I pick up you up in 15 minutes "

"What? Sathar what do you mean?' I replied sounded like a croaky, flustered and off guard version of the actor Hugh Grant meets C3P0

"Boss, be ready, I pick you in 15 minutes - oh and bring one of your art books he might like that, let's see" 

One thing I've learned rowing my own boat for the last 4 years is the working week turns to every working hour, if you're truly living your passion.  Granted there's balance but there's honestly no-way I'd have reacted as keenly back in goodship corporate.

Dollarsandart in Abu Dhabi

Some 6 months earlier, in relaxed conversation,  the laid back business executive  / curator, Sathar Al Karan mentioned to me some months back he felt my work should be in Abu Dhabi, the Capital and that he would arrange a meeting with one of the ruling family in due course.

Frankly, there's alot of false flag promises in the world of business - people may tell us what we want to hear, to flatter us and to get what they want and when they do it's either they jog-on and move onto the next one or keep persisting.

So, 5.45 Friday, we arrived at the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel, J.B.R, a property owned by the Royal Diamonds Group, headed up by  H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Khaled Al Hamed from Abu Dhabi Royalty. All I was told on the way to the Hotel was 'Be yourself, address him as your Highness' 

We were due to meet him - there was no time to run through the family tree and what his various businesses did.

The lobby of the Sheraton, JBR

Within 5 minutes the unassuming a relaxed figure joined us slap bang in the middle of the lobby, well, his lobby and immediately he asked me 'So, tell me about your Art, James'....

H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Khalid Al Hamed with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Genuinely listening and interested with some great opportunities on the horizon to help promote Art in the U.A.E Capital. It moved from what I thought would be a fast-paced  elevator pitch to an endearing conversation from the heart in a space of what felt like a couple of minutes that turned out to be 35! It's not everyday you regale the last decade of your life to someone genuinely interested from any walk of life, let alone Royalty.

The questions came one after the other, digging deeper and really getting to the point, something I'm not very good at. Plus as he asked the questions he simultaneously leafed through every single page of my 180 page catalogue of works, page by page by page!  I'd rarely seen that during the 6 months it's been published in our modern day world of 'Ill take a look later' he gave me the impression he had all the time in the world!

He was curious how many pictures I'd painted to date?  

6 Collections / 135 in total and 12 private commissions.

How many I had sold?

In the order of 24 from the collections plus the private commissions and around 50 limited editions prints. In every case I've met the buyers without exception.

How many people do you employ ?

None. It is only me but choose partners wisely and collaborate with brands that light my fire!

Why the $?

Back in 1993 heading to California to study my Masters of Civil Engineering I was told it was good luck to sign a $1 bill for someone close to you so I sign one one for Mum dated 26.8.94 which she still has to this day.

But can you paint less $ - it's central to all your work. What about  making it more subtle carpets, flooring and furniture, for example - why don't you explore this?

At first I honestly couldnt answer this - as he pointed to the luxury carpet in the lobby, taking my chain of thought away from my framed artwork. Then the lightbulb moment of the BASF Artfloors, painting on the floor with a safe, durable resin - something he wasn't aware of as the floor becomes the canvas!

He then proceeded to give me a few pointers and that I must consider his Hilton Grand hotel in Abu Dhabi to show some of my work or even Emirates Palace hotel.

It really got me thinking  - all I could do was to reply I'd be honoured to. I was itching got share my latest work, The Di$ruptive$ - less $ and more icon but restrained myself.

A silent spell with Sathar catching up with his excellency allowing me to unwrap my catalogue of works and as I do in most meetings asking who to sing it for and what his lucky number was - 9!

It took alot not to $ H.H S in the word Shk and when I suggested he laughed like a James Bond baddie so I left it, quite exhausted but inspired at the same time.

He then told me a couple of jokes and proceeded to flick  through photos on his phone of some of the places he's visited recently, along with a few belly laughing jokes...

 My favourite being the legend of the Maiden tower in Baku - you can read it here! That was a further 25 minutes taking us close to an hour in total. Now I really want to visit this tower and paint there.

Then he excused himself, and reminded me not to overlook his Hotel as a place to showcase my work and to keep well as him & Sathar retired elsewhere leaving me to ponder what to write on my social media.

Hilton Capital Grand in Abu Dhabi

Having given me permission to post the image of me handing him the book on my @dollarsandart instagram account and facebook page he has since gone back to Sathar with a what's app of the photo that his friends have seen around so it's a small world and it always pays to ask permission first!

My learning from this have been that if the time is right be ready - it'll never be a picture of perfection even with all the preparation in the world. Turn up as yourself, humour is a great common ground and check each step of the way.

Above all  - something I'm working on - BE IN THE MOMENT! His highness really engaged me, made me think and opened my mind even further.

A surreal, inspirational and  far from sleepy Friday meeting in Dubai and one I won't forget in a hurry!

To be continued as Abu Dhabi develops in the coming months....