Artsy Friday

Friday's theme is Artsy Friday where I'll show random art from around our house, graffiti in the neighborhood, drawings by Sage, or stuff from galleries and museums around L.A.

I thought I'd start with this:


The first piece of art I ever bought. It was the summer of 1995 and I had just moved into a house with three of my friends, Kendra, Fred and Eric (but not my Erik), in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. I was working as a waitress at The Bistro during the week and at The Dragonfly (a vintage clothing store) on the weekends. This piece of art caught my eye when it was in the window at Shepherdstown Paint and Art.

Why does that house seem so familiar? Who was that expressionless woman staring out the window? Why are there stars in a sunny sky? Why is the house all blurry? Whatever happened to that lady?

But I walked on, and for weeks when I passed the window I couldn't help but stop and stare at it.

How old was that lady when she died? Where is that house? I swear I've been there. Why the gold stars? Gold stars remind me of elementary school and how I never got enough of them. Who is this R. Reus who signed this picture? What does the R. stand for?

It started to bother me really. I found it both haunting and beautiful. Finally, I walked into the shop and bought it for $35, which was a lot of money for me at the time but seems like a steal now. It's been by my bed in every one of the 8 houses I've lived in ever since. That strange lady in he window watches over me while I sleep.

I've never been able to answer any of the questions I first had about it. If anything, I've just come up with more questions. But now, the best thing this picture makes me think of is a 20 year old me living in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, working at The Bistro and The Dragonfly, living on Main Street with Kendra and Fred and Eric, and one day, in the summer of 1995, buying myself a work of art.