Art Obsessions

In my memory, I have obsessed about two pieces of art.

The first was a watercolor that Tom’s mother, Polly, painted of Gold Beach.  It’s an ordinary seascape except for the three figures flying a box kite. It took many years of badgering, hinting (“You haven’t sold my painting, have you?”), and she finally gifted it to me for my fortieth birthday.

The second was more recent. My mother lives at SpringRidge at Charbonneau, a lovely retirement community in Wilsonville.  On her floor lives Shirley Benz, a watercolor and acrylic artist, who always has a painting hanging outside her apartment.  I really liked one in particular and toyed with the idea of leaving a note asking if she’d sell it.  When I mentioned it my mom and she said she talk to Shirley about it.  I guess the answer was “yes,” but she sold it to my mom instead, who gave it to me yesterday as a very early birthday present.

UPDATE: Sadly Shirley passed away not long after I received this piece.