A Surprise Better than a Proposal!

The highest compliment an artist can receive is when someone buys one of your paintings. And sometimes, art captures you in a way that you can’t explain. Recently, Molly White, one of our artists at the Blue Whole Gallery was on the receiving end when a couple bought her painting Golden Fleece.

Molly met the couple at the First Friday Artwalk in June. Leshell loved the painting and said they were buying a new house and that it would be perfect in their living room. Unfortunately, they needed to wait. As she told Molly, “When I saw Molly White at the First Friday Artwalk, I was a bit starstruck. I waited to talk to her and told her that as soon as I had my first paycheck, I was going to buy Golden Fleece if it was still available. It was a hollow promise as I wasn’t even looking for a job. The universe had other plans for me, and at the end of July, I started a dream job here.”

She had to use her first paycheck to buy a work wardrobe. However, when her second paycheck deposited, she told her husband Gary, “I’m going downtown to buy the painting. Do you want to come?” He told her yes, but when they reached the gallery, he told her that he would rather hang out at Wind Rose Cellars. She knew he enjoys wine, so she didn’t think much about his choice.

When Leshell looked around the gallery, she realized that Golden Fleece was gone. She asked Janet Piccola, who was working that day if she knew what happened to the painting. It turned out that the painting was on layaway and was supposed to be claimed on Friday. “I was despondent, but I tried my best to hide it. I mused that if it wasn’t meant for me, that’s fine (it wasn’t), and I looked around the gallery and wondered if, amongst the beautiful pieces, I’d find something that would fill the wall I’d envisioned Golden Fleece hanging on. There were some strong contenders, but nothing felt right. I went to the wine bar and whined as my husband finished his glass,” she explained.

They were across the street at Pacific Books when Gary turned to her and asked if there were any other paintings she might like. “There were a few,” she replied, but I’m not quite sure if they’re right.” He encouraged her to take a second look and they headed back to the Blue Whole Gallery. They looked around together, but they agreed that none of the other pieces were right for the space they were trying to fill.

Then Gary turned back to Janet and said, “Well my wife is sulking, so I better take that painting off layaway and take it home.”

Talk about a surprise! “I was less surprised when he proposed to me,” Leshell said. Gary explained to her that he bought it for them to celebrate the closing of their home in Renton and that he had put it on layaway because he didn’t want to bring it home and hide it from me.

“I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling since Every day, I get to look at Golden Fleece and think of where I came from and where I am now. Thank you, Blue Whole Gallery, Janet Piccola, Melissa Doyel for setting up the layaway, and Molly White, for being part of such a special memory in our relationship and our new life in Sequim. “