The Lady and the Lamp: My Art Find Story

The Lady....

You have read something like this before: A family member discovers a painting  hidden in the attic or basement that turns out to be worth of millions of dollars. Well, I can brag about a similar story, not with the millions though. I spent $100 for a painting that turns out to be worth few thousands of dollars.

The painting on the left is called "Little Egypt" by a known local artist in Sacramento, CA named Esteban Villa. He is a prominent Mexican-American artist who with 3 other known Chicano (Mexican-American) artists founded what is now known as "Barrio Art". He has several murals in public places in Sacramento, San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles. He has exhibited his work in prestigious art museums and galleries in the US.

An art collector and frame shop owner was closing his shop because he lost his lease. I happened to pass by the closing store where this painting was displayed. It was past business hours so I called the number and made an offer. I met the seller eventually when I picked up the painting. An old gentleman (a former banker) in his 80's who collected art and took on a frame shop business for a second career. I was in the right place in the right time. He was downsizing.

The Lamp...

I didn't want to throw away this useful but hideous lamp that came with the light fixtures when we bought this house. I longed for a modern lamp from Design Within Reach but the prices were out of my budget. My sister from the Philippines brought me handmade paper from the Philippines and I experimented covering the lamp with the paper. To my surprise, it worked beautifully! It has a blue hue that echoes the color of the painting. My friend says that the koi symbol is good luck in Chinese lore. Then, it just explains it all!

-Melanie