Art Haul

My Friday started off with a bang - literally. Toby was getting ready for work while I fixed his breakfast and lunch, when I heard a loud bang - like a gunshot. My first thought was, "What has Toby done now?" Not that Toby gets into lots of trouble, but I had instant memory of the time I heard a loud "ka-poof" that rattled the windows of the house. It was a sound similar to when Toby used his striker to light his welding torch only much louder and more powerful. That time, I ran outside to find Toby standing near the propane tank in the backyard. He had been filling his tractor with propane, and a spark ignited the propane, shooting out fire. It stunned Toby and singed the hair on his arm and face. We managed to shut off the gas and fire quickly.  Fortunately, it did not burn him seriously.

This time, it was a different sound, but definitely loud and scary. I jumped and ran into the old part of the house where Toby was getting out of the shower. He ran passed me - probably looking for the source of the bang. We have a tankless hot waterheater in my art closet. For some crazy reason one of the plastic pipes leading into the tank burst. Water went pouring into my art stuff. The good news is that Toby was near the shutoff valve. I hollered and Toby shut the water off very quickly so that very little got wet. I needed to go through and clean that closet anyway.

The burst pipe was reason for Toby to come home early from work to fix the pipe. It was a fairly easy fix. We went back to town later to pick up Jesse's car, which has not been starting like it should. It turned out that the key was dying. We ordered a new one. Another reason to dislike these new electronic devices in cars.

While in town, I went to an estate sale. Back when we  moved to Duncan and I first took watercolor classes, I painted with an older lady, Joyce.  She was a Duncan socialite. Very nice, very pretty, very rich. Apparently Joyce died last fall and her family had an estate sale at Joyce's beautiful plantation style home. I had to go. I wanted one of Joyce's paintings, and I wanted to see her home. Her home was beautiful, but it was the art that drew me. I went out to the pool house where Joyce had a little art studio. I went through piles of watercolors and picked out my favorite Joyce painting
While digging through the pile of watercolors, I found a watercolor by Larry Weston. Years ago I took a watercolor workshop with Weston, and here was one of his paintings - maybe the demo, if I remember correctly.
 Next I found a painting by Naomi Brotherton, who also did a watercolor workshop here in Duncan. I got all three paintings for 15$. I was thrilled.  Back in the house, there were several Hugh Walkinshaw paintings, another artist that had given a workshop here in Duncan. That last link takes you to an article where Hugh is mentioned as a nationally known artist. I bought two of his paintings - both framed - one for $55. and one for $65.  I was just giddy. I found another painting that i liked, but I could not read the signature very well since it was half below the frame. Because it was framed, it was $35, but I was not willing to pay that. So, I waited until Sunday afternoon when things were half off and went back and bought it - just because I liked it so well. The artist seems to be A. Huerto or something like that. I also bought a few good artist brushes for .50 cents each and some watercolor paper and a drawing board. I also bought a field easel on Sunday when things went for half price. I feel like a pirate who made the big haul.