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On Friday morning, Chloe set off bright and early to visit the list of art galleries she had prepared. With her printed resumes in one hand, and a warm smile written on her face, she began her quest.
The first location didn’t feel right. The physical setup of the gallery itself mismatched her style. It resembled an antique house as opposed to a more modern, minimalist style apartment. And the second location showcased sculptures, not particularly Chloe’s favorite form of art. Still, she appreciated everything and with determination asked for a job, but neither galleries were hiring.
“You seem very sweet, child, but I am sorry, we have no vacancy at the moment.” the older man who owned the next gallery replied, as he smiled with care in his cheeks. Chloe only had a few more left on her list, and she stared back at the man with tears in her eyes, uttering a big sigh and turning to walk out the door, having been rejected once more. “Why don’t you try Mrs. Brasley’s gallery across the road there?” he suggested, as though reading Chloe’s dejection.
Chloe looked at her list, and saw that she didn’t have a Mrs. Brasley’s Gallery written down on it.
“Is it new? I don’t have it on my list.” Chloe replied as she peeked across the road.
“Yes, she only opened it a few weeks ago, and she might need some help. She’s an artist herself.”
Chloe thanked the old man, then crossed the street to Mrs. Brasley’s gallery. She felt strange as she looked at the shopfront. It felt familiar somehow. Have I been there before? she wondered. The glass windows were wide and open, revealing a vast empty space with modern drawings on the walls, and small lights hovering above each frame to bring them to life. The style was very modern and Chloe was immediately intrigued.
The door was closed, but there was a small bell in front of it, to which Chloe rang.
“Hello.” A friendly voice came to her through door. It belonged to a woman in her early 40’s with dark red hair and small green glasses. “I don’t open until midday, I’m sorry.” she said, checking the time on her watch. “Oh it’s only in fifteen minutes, do you want to come in and wait?”
“Yes please.” Chloe nodded.
The interior walls were a stony grey, the concrete on the floor extended up high into the ceiling and at the very back of the gallery she saw an open window of pure glass, overlooking a beautiful garden full of lush trees and large plants. Chloe thought the garden was a wonderful contrast to the inside of the gallery, and she eagerly wanted to explore more.
“My name is Chloe, Mrs. Brasley, and I was actually wondering if you needed any help here, I heard you have just opened.”
“Call me Veronica,” the lady said as she smiled and looked at Chloe. “What do you want to do here?”
Chloe smiled back eagerly, showcasing her white teeth, “Anything you need. My passion is drawing and painting, and I’d like to get an understanding of what’s involved on the selling side.”
Veronica smiled, and pushed up her green glasses as she looked Chloe up and down.
“You remind me of myself when I was younger.” she said, smiling warmly. “Tell me about the artwork that you create.”
Chloe looked to the floor as she blushed.
“It’s difficult to explain . . . Umm.” She paused, as she relived the emotion of what she felt as she painted. “It’s like an overload of information wanting to move through my body and stain the canvas in front of me, and I just can’t control the urge, I need to release the energy. And then when I look, there it is, a piece of artwork in front of me. It has the power to take control of me. Does that make sense?”
Veronica laughed, as her eyes squinted behind her glasses. “It does, yes. Okay, well, how do you feel about an internship? You could work with me a couple of hours a day, unpaid, and as time goes on, if you prove your value, I will pay you.”
Chloe wanted to jump up and down she was so excited. This was exactly what she wanted! And the art gallery was by far the most interesting of them all the ones she had visited.
“That would be amazing! I just want to learn as much as possible!” Chloe replied enthusiastically.
“You can start right now if you would like.” Mrs. Brasley replied, opening her palms up and smiling in reply. Her lips smothered across her teeth and they rose up high, almost touching her nose.
“Do . . you want to read my resume?” Chloe asked, pulling out the piece of paper that she had used to define her achievements.
“No it’s okay. I can read the kind of person you are, and I’m willing to take the chance.”
Chloe smiled a heartfelt smile that she had never felt for a complete stranger before. And even though she wasn’t getting paid, the experience was more valuable. It wasn’t just a job in which she would answer calls and wipe down walls, she actually had an artist and an art gallery owner to look up to and learn from. She couldn't have asked for a better situation to have happened to her.
“Are any of these artworks yours?” Chloe asked, as she looked at the beautiful pictures around her.
“Yes, this is my latest work.” Veronica said as she pointed to a charcoal picture that hung just above the office desk and to the left of where they were standing.
The charcoal imagery moved in lines and strong patterns. On one side the weight felt low to the ground, and to the right it lifted up high, as though something had magnetically pulled it to the top.
Chloe felt connected to the image, like it resembled that of her life, the constant waves of emotions that she seemed to ride upon. Sometimes she cruised with the water, skidding along gleefully with an open heart, excited to take on the next adventure. And other times, she felt suffocated beneath the weight of the water, drowning and wondering if she would ever resurface. Today, she realized that she had taught herself how to swim, and to control whatever waters life dealt her.
“It’s really wonderful,” Chloe replied happily, she loved to finally be around the things that inspired her.
“Thanks! Okay, it’s time to change over the front window, I have something peculiar to put on one side. Will you help me please?”
Veronica brought out a newspaper-covered frame from the back room, and handed it to Chloe.
“Of course! Why is it so strange?” Chloe asked as she laid the wrapped picture on the table.
“Well, you see, I don’t know who the artist is! So I want to put a little note beneath it - asking the artist to come forward. Our town’s not that big you know.”
The lady handed Chloe a small printed card that asked the artist to come forward. Chloe placed it on the table and helped Veronica take down the picture in the front window.
“Do you mind hanging it for me?”
“Not at all,” Chloe replied as she carefully unwrapped the picture frame. “Where did you find it?”
“My son found it for me.”
Chloe’s whole body started to shiver as an eruption of heat exploded through her body, and as the last layer of paper was removed, her artwork was revealed. Tears welled deep within her eyes, but didn’t release. They were forming from happiness.
“Um . . this is a weird coincidence.” Chloe began as she blushed feverishly. “It was me who gave this to your son, this is my drawing.”
Veronica’s eyes popped out through her long eyelashes and she opened her mouth in shock. “It’s . . . it’s yours? And here you are. I can’t believe it!”
“Yep, here I am.” Chloe smiled awkwardly, excited but confused as to where the conversation would lead.
“You know, meetings like this don’t just happen.” Veronica said as she shook her head lightly. “I think you were meant to come here. This is too perfectly aligned.”
Veronica moved closer to the image and smiled as she touched the edges of the picture frame lightly. The frame was a thin, gold wooden carving and it suited the image so well and Chloe couldn’t believe how professional it looked.
She looked at Veronica as she stared at her picture. Chloe felt as though Veronica could feel the emotion of brokenness that the painting entailed for Chloe and that maybe Veronica could identify the same brokenness inside of herself.
“This painting sings so loudly in my heart.” Veronica said as she attempted to grasp the right words to express the strong emotions moving through her. “It reminds me of different paths and moments passed by, of missed connections.” She stared intently at the painting as she recalled a small piece inside of her heart that had never healed. It was an empty space of “What if?” What if she went down this path instead of that. What if she said yes. What if she tried again.
“Do you have anymore paintings?” she asked Chloe, smiling at the irony of the situation.
“Some, but, I don’t think they are very good. I would love some help.” Chloe replied nervously as she looked down to play with the rings on her fingers.
“Well, I’m sure they are better than you think. I would love to mentor you if you’d like?”
Chloe’s heart began to beat fast with excitement, not nerves, just excitement. She finally felt like she had found a place where she could belong. A place that would help her be true to herself, and reveal the hidden creativities that lay dormant within her.
“Yes please.” Chloe replied and nodded excitedly. She didn’t feel like she had to hide her emotion with Veronica, nor in the art world. She could be free to be herself and be proud of it.
“Okay, this is the new plan. You can work in the shop for half a day, and the rest you will spend working on your artwork. And I want more, I need to see it now! I see great potential in you.” Veronica replied with equal enthusiasm as her glasses began to slip off her nose.
Chloe felt an eruption of fireworks within her body. She was overloaded with joy and excitement. It was the sign she had been waiting for - something to help encourage her on her journey and push her onto the right path. She couldn’t believe her luck. She couldn’t understand how something so wonderful could happen to her.
“Can you bring them now? How far are you from your house?” Veronica smiled as she admired Chloe’s work once more.
“About twenty minutes by bus.”
“That’s okay, why don’t you catch a taxi, my treat. Go home, tell your parents you found a job and a mentor!” Veronica said as she opened the door for Chloe and handed her some cash.
And as Chloe walked through the door she felt different somehow. It was a distinct feeling of being guided and cared for that came from the universe that her sister used to describe, but that Chloe had never known before. She looked back to the art gallery before getting in the taxi and smiled with admiration for such a blessing to have come her way. As the taxi drove off she noticed a tiny black spider in the top right of the glass window. It was so high up it would normally have been difficult to see. But she saw it there silently spinning its web, carefully, patiently and meticulously creating something incredible. And even though the spider knew the web would take time to complete, it was unaware that its every action was weaving a path to its final destiny.