New Opening!

Within the last couple of weeks, those on the gallery?s mailing list received elegant glossy cards announcing the showing of two new artists at the gallery, and a special opening party on Saturday, November 7. Advertisements were also placed in local arts and culture magazines as well as in finer establishments in the Marketplace and New Haven districts.

The new collection will feature the work of local artists Elena Rafaelo and Peaches H. Both artists will have an entire side of the gallery dedicated to their work with their names stenciled on the wall in front of their collections. Booklets are also available providing additional information about the artists and their work.

The Party

Saturday, November 7, PUBLIC will be hosting a party in honor of Elena and Peaches and their collections!

The gallery will be open to the public beginning at 6pm in the evening. An open bar will be situated at the back of the space, with a featured autumn-inspired cranberry-champagne cocktail. Catering staff will also be circulating light hors d?oeuvres, and a DJ at the front of the gallery will be spinning music to set the mood (though not so loud as to prevent cocktail conversation).

Lucy will be attendance, mixing and mingling, along with the two artists Elena and Peaches.

OOC

This is a board-only event. Descriptions of the artists? work will soon follow below. All are welcome to post your character's attendance or anything else you like!

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Zofie had little chance of buying anything on her own, but she justified her presence in a few ways, namely the bag of Falafel takeout that she offered to the artists and Lucy during opportune lulls, when finger foods were unavailable. She occasionally chatted up a few attendees to influence sales, but for the most part, she kept her attention to the art itself, asking the artists little professional questions and barking happily over odd details.

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Of course Terry would be there to support Peaches. She'd also be buying one of her works of art under an anonymous name, or at least attempt to!

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This was not the boardwalk.

Her instincts were crammed into the thin pipelines of her circuitry, stifled down with a gaudy color she wore that made her stand out as a magenta daisy set in the middle of an urban jungle. That gut feeling to tear down the sensitive portraits of her personal hobby wasn't fleeting; they were so bold, so raw, the energy of them ranging from bewildering to wild with thick accents of the oil which seemed to spell out its own language. She was openly inviting when seeing familiar faces even if her tongue seemed to be numbed by some unknown substance. It slurred in that typical way, getting beneath the skin, burrowing behind knees to make some weak when catching a quick lyric of a siren song -- but the paintings? She didn't leave too long. Didn't avoid them. Strode back and forth as if first seeing them herself when the lights here were bright enough to catch all the hidden innuendos in the fierce angles.

This was definitely not the boardwalk.

Handfuls of singles, sometimes ranging a little higher, were what she was used to taking for them. Lucy had helped to engulf her in understanding how the actual prices ranged rather than what a junkie girl from the coast of Brixton would snatch away. This was a new era where she didn't need the pennies in her pockets to help supply her with an addictive bread and butter. New experiences were the light of life to most and she was encouraged to sell little bits of her soul in a public venue where they could either cringe at some of the more inelegant pieces, or be beckoned in to stare just a little longer and catch their breath for the emotions it urged to awaken.

It wasn't till King had arrived, and even splurged on a canvas, that the creative genius behind the effervescent paintings felt that it was okay to let people see just what she had seen for years.

It wasn't the boardwalk, but that was okay.

There was no doubt that the only bit of Fashion Week the girl-creature would be attending was at Lucy's own gallery, in full support of her friend and the activity she was stirring up.

Curious to the accessories but she was utterly captivated with the work of Leika Svall and if she was lucky enough to catch Leika then a few compliments were awarded. Surprisingly, Leika commented on Peaches' own works of art that had been presented here before, a few still hanging like pieces of the siren on the walls.

The rest of the time would be dedicated to rubbing elbows with everyone who came, unfamiliar or familiar.



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Fashion Week energized Lucy. She loved the energy of the designers and models and fashionistas. It reminded her of home, almost like New York. So she was alight and alive as hostess of the Dark City event. She flitted about, introducing herself to those she didn't know (hello, Jewell!), and welcoming those she did.

She kissed cheeks and sipped glasses of champagne and just enjoyed the evening!

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Fashion week wasn?t something he was into but for the past week or so he had been trying to get more active in the community. This event, he decided, was better to show up stag then try to find a date. There was no one for him to match or even care what he wore. His thoughts even convinced him that he could go there and not say a thing since they were supposed to be admiring the art instead of making conversation.

A grey suit was chosen for the night?s events. Pinstripe shirt laid under it the strips being a blue color almost giving the shirt a tone blue because of it. Paired with it was a medium blue tie with a clip that was chrome he picked up many suits before. The only thing left was to trim the beard and put the hair into a bun. After he slapped a watch and a chain around his wrists he went to the gallery to see what was happening there.

( Edit: Forgot the picture refrence. )

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Duci smiled and blew air kisses or offered hugs (pending the distance) to all she knew while browsing the collection.

If anyone was near her, she shared her oohs and ahhs for each item between delectable finger food and sips of alcohol infused beverages.

After a sweep of the collection, she received a text message that had her hastily finishing up her last bite and downing her drink.

Hurried hugs and congratulations were offered to Lucy before she dashed out to make it to the Annex to call Fight Night.

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Better late than never! Charlie Darling showed up Saturday afternoon to take in the current exhibits at PUBLIC, standing in front of each photograph for at least three minutes at a time (and sometimes longer) in pensive study, her slim arms crisscrossed in front of her casually.

Eventually, she made her way to the fashion accessories which captured just as much of her attention although she was far more animated in her appreciation of them. Several times over, she almost purchased a piece, but she managed to talk herself out of it.

Before leaving, she tracked down Lucy and as it was around lunchtime, she did everything she could to persuade the other woman to take a break to come grab a bite with her. She knew a local restaurant only a block and a half away, after all, that did cold-pressed organic juices and serious salads. If able to convince Lucy to join her, she spent a fair amount of time gushing over the art gallery and asking Lucy her own thoughts about the current artists while promising to come back.

New Exhibition

On Saturday, November 19th, PUBLIC: an Art Gallery is pleased to present a new exhibition---The Art of the Home.

Continuing in its efforts to feature local Rhy�dinian artists, PUBLIC is pleased to shine a light on traditional works most often seen only in the home. By drawing back the curtain on typically private spaces, the small collection includes works of art and craft that are at once intimate and useful.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3d/29/fb/3d29fb95073de105a5715b1ba7338e63.jpg
Inspiration drawn from the unique work of Joan Baxter, whose piece Winter Skyline is above. You can learn more about her beautiful work here.

The pieces shown in this exhibit highlight the special relationship Rhy�dinians have with the belongings in their homes. Tapestries provide not only color and warmth, but can be used to weave powerful spells of protection, fertility, and good fortune. The hand-thrown clay pottery coming from a utilitarian tradition can also bring unusual beauty to the mundane and the arcane.

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/IMG_4813.jpg
The above is a work by the talented ceramicist, Haejin Lee. You can learn more about her interesting work here.

Rather than featuring individuals, with this collection PUBLIC has opened its doors to the many Rhy�dinian artists whose art and work are hiding in plain sight.

We hope you enjoy these special works.

Open House

To celebrate this new exhibit, PUBLIC has joined with the other small shops on Sullivan Mews to host an open house. Beginning at 11 AM, the small cobblestone side street just steps from the Marketplace will be open to the community for a day of fun and celebration. All of the shops, from the florist to the bookstore and more, will be hosting special events and special sales to kick-off the holiday season.

PUBLIC will be offering refreshments throughout the day including hot cider (with or without the kick) and seasonal champagne cocktails, as well as fresh caramel corn and apple fritters to snack on.

As usual, gallery owner Lucy Mitford will be there to welcome her guests and answer any questions about the art or the artists. We hope to see you there.

https://78.media.tumblr.com/691b27387e794196b420b09c558235aa/tumblr_p6u1nrhQBY1xpr2cyo1_540.jpg

OOC

As usual, this is a board-only event. All are welcome to post your character's attendance or anything else you like right in this thread! If you're interested in having your character's work featured at the gallery, interested in purchasing a piece, or interested in a SL involving the gallery, please feel free to PM me! I am open to your ideas!

It had been difficult for Benjamin to get away from work and socialize, but with winter coming, he found more time. He showed up for the art show sleek and handsome in jeans and a button down shirt, a cable knit cardigan, his hair grown to his shoulders once more.

A warm hug and kiss to Lucy's cheek as he found her, then he stood and chatted with her a bit before wandering off to view the exhibit. And buy things. He'd catch up with Thorn and anyone else he knew, cheerfully talking about his acting and wondering what day it was at any given time.

It was a dirty little secret that Benjamin favored New Century and Kitsch, his home was a monument to the 1950s and even had an aquamarine set of washer-driers. Despite that, his eye for balance and harmony was good, and one might be assured that anything he purchased was probably going to be a gift for others.

It had felt immensely wonderful getting out for the matinee showing of 'The Wizard of Oz,' even if it hadn't involved any socializing on her part. Eregor, Saila and Sabine were all in the play, these were faces she recognized and knew and had no idea they were into performing arts. Duci frowned, saddened to realize how disconnected she had become from Rhy'din and its inhabitants, even her own friends. With that thought, she sought to remedy her sorrowful situation and make more of an effort to attend local events while she was planetside.

Duci arrived just at 11:00 when the party began, waiting patiently behind Thorn to greet her when she was done exchanging pleasantries with Lucy. After promising Thorn more hugs and catching up later, she turned to Lucy and gave her a light squeeze and twin cheek smooches. She came bearing no gifts, but hoped to find a time to meet up with Lucy for lunch or cocktails in the near future. She hadn't had the time to browse yet, but from her vantage point she saw how Lucy's excellent attention to detail gave the best possible viewing. "It looks beautiful, Lucy. You're quite talented. I'm going to browse some pieces, maybe buy one to add to my sparsely decorated place.. Lunch or drinks soon? It's been too long!" Another squeeze before she ducked out of the way for the next person to compliment Lucy and to warm up with a hot cider.

The blonde flitted through the displays, her heart swelling with the amount of thought and dedication that must have gone into these pieces. One of her favorite things about Rhy'din was the diversity, but everyone needed a home. She smiled at the others in attendance, exchanging thoughts or just smiles as they passed. Debating making a purchase, she kept her eye on a tapestry and a utilitarian clay pot, considering throwing caution to the wind and getting both. Deciding to peruse the other shops on the lane before making a decision, she not only ended up taking advantage of some of their sales, but she also turned back around to Public to find Lucy so she could buy the tapestry and clay pot.

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11/19/2016

Layla and Jeremy were a little late getting to the Open House at PUBLIC, but it was a nice day, still, cold but sunny, and the walk over from his apartment was a relatively short one. They arrived hand in hand and laughing, and Layla?s cheeks were painted pink from some combination of the chilly morning air and Jeremy?s humor.

Introducing themselves to the hostess, Layla was soft spoken but polite and friendly nonetheless, and whatever awkwardness there might have been was likely to be quickly smoothed over by Jeremy?s smile. A ceramics and enamel inlay artist herself, Layla was eager to see the exhibit, and she could only hope that she?d relayed as much to Lucy without coming off too strangely.

Together, they took their time, touring each section thoroughly. Although they worked in different media, both of them were artists, and as such they pointed out different details to one another depending on where they were looking. Layla marveled over particularly well executed uses of brilliant color, for instance, and Jeremy seemed especially taken with the tapestries that depicted gorgeous landscapes.

When they weren?t discussing the art in hushed tones, they could usually be found lingering in front of some piece or another, their arms wound tightly around one another or at bare minimum linked by the fingers. They were playful and affectionate, respectful of the museum?s atmosphere while still acting very much like young lovers on a date.

Once they?d sampled a couple of the champagne cocktails and seen everything there was to see, the two helped themselves to some warming cider. Before they left, Layla was sure to find Lucy again, to thank her for putting together such a wonderful collection. Assuming there were a few minutes between other visitors wishing to speak with her, Layla would also mention that she and Jeremy were both local artisans themselves, and invite Lucy to the shop sometime to see their work.

Saying their parting words, the couple left the way they came, hand in hand and laughing, off to explore what some of the other shops had done for the occasion.

Egypt in Exile: Celebrating Sham el-Nessim in Rhydin

Featuring the Pottery and Ceramics of Layla Wasem, contemporary Egyptian in exile

?I write for those women who do not speak,
for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified,
because we are taught to respect fear more than ourselves.
We?ve been taught that silence would save us, but it won?t.?
--Audre Lorde

Unable to withstand the oppressive religious regime in power a moment longer, Layla fled her native homeland under cover of darkness with the help of her mother and some intrepid merchants. Torn between a fierce pride in the rich heritage of her country?s history and a passionate hatred for what it?s become, this constant struggle informs the bulk of her art. Marrying the powerful lines and distinctive shapes inspired by Ancient Egypt to the startlingly elegant functionality of modern Islam, each piece is imbued with her conflicted feelings for the home she can never, ever return to.

https://68.media.tumblr.com/9acd4f9e92455a963495013a6b21840b/tumblr_oohi2uKzcc1vavmj8o1_1280.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/ae8420093a63e91f08c282425aaed4dd/tumblr_oohhd5DBeQ1vavmj8o1_1280.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/335169aee417ae75b74e4175663b78e0/tumblr_oohhbtxXB31vavmj8o1_1280.jpg

https://68.media.tumblr.com/a212704405e3b713661fdc133da49489/tumblr_oohhaq4vK11vavmj8o1_400.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/56d93ff1f2a1b139e589d6f6515e18b5/tumblr_oohh6i0WMe1vavmj8o1_500.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/8acc75ae5d73dc871a83736c8800d997/tumblr_oohh6i0WMe1vavmj8o2_500.jpg

https://68.media.tumblr.com/07f6310e2682c8b0500864026221b0f5/tumblr_oohh6i0WMe1vavmj8o3_500.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/4761521d9bf78f452cfe433a0e2afe07/tumblr_oohgzuGgVA1vavmj8o1_1280.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/403f3c8607d6763acb56e5485fa035b4/tumblr_oohgxuX8BS1vavmj8o1_400.jpg

((Each of the above works was created by contemporary Egyptian ceramicist, Ibrahim Said. His website is here, but it?s admittedly kind of sparse. More information/bio can be found here, but do check out instagram or pinterest to see more of his amazing work))

Since her arrival in Rhydin, Layla?s begun to experiment with more relaxed, free form styles, blending an homage to her homeland - most notably in her work with the color known as Egyptian blue - with a deferential nod to the more permissive, welcoming freedom she has come to know and cherish as she makes her new home here. A small selection of pieces reflects this casual grace.

https://68.media.tumblr.com/60b8dbe9aec26ae650865c80669d4ac6/tumblr_ooema79H0T1vavmj8o1_400.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/9cbf7463a2c45338001346e552e92467/tumblr_ooema79H0T1vavmj8o2_250.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/288a275e6eb2f84cf105b96fd60870e8/tumblr_ooema79H0T1vavmj8o3_250.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/f60fbcf756ac5c2c23420bba77015062/tumblr_ooema79H0T1vavmj8o4_250.jpg
Triumph of the Skies

?A monumental and important vessel, among the very largest that I have made. Hundreds of stars pass in procession through branches gilded by their yellow light. The sky is richest midnight blue and turquoise divided by golden tendrils reaching upward in exultation.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/daa13a3adb104c7dd7ca172ea201b9b4/tumblr_ooem3lSwjX1vavmj8o1_400.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/6354f87ed541df53cfa8677784d5a9c8/tumblr_ooem3lSwjX1vavmj8o2_400.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/8df0bb40637dbce94695108d857fa008/tumblr_ooem3lSwjX1vavmj8o3_400.jpg
Ring of Fire

?The flaming coronas of distant suns dance through deep space. Iridescent mists and golden rings hang in the ether.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/fed5b9014658d48f43a82f9f48a31fb5/tumblr_ooelt7HwmO1vavmj8o1_540.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/094c89b56a92178c9e9079bcb7fe159a/tumblr_ooelt7HwmO1vavmj8o2_400.jpghttps://68.media.tumblr.com/901a2e7bdb433933790578a025cbb349/tumblr_ooelt7HwmO1vavmj8o3_400.jpg

?A golden Persian luster bottle, worthy of the Alhambra. Lapis blue and bright turquoise flow over exotic applied decorations.?

((All three of these works were created by artist Paul Katrich. The descriptions included are his. His website is here.))

Finally, because so few of the people she?d encountered here so far seemed particularly familiar with Egypt, Layla included a very few pieces that were done in the pure, traditional ancient Egyptian style.

https://68.media.tumblr.com/ee000df7948a86c222ad5bdc72bc5091/tumblr_ooeksjUyPu1vavmj8o1_400.jpg
Egyptian cobalt blue vessel
((on display at the Louvre, artist unknown. Found on pinterest))

https://68.media.tumblr.com/4d574f93555ef1b0209b35ac982253ee/tumblr_ooh8t6RztN1vavmj8o1_500.jpg
Eye of Horus ceramic vase, gold and blue
((found here. Artist unknown.))

https://68.media.tumblr.com/ebb01702e1ac3c1fc1c6b7fe705404c7/tumblr_o2plptwcDX1tbghqao1_1280.jpg
((Ancient Egyptian chalice, bearing the name of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Thutmose III (r. 1479-1425 BCE). Now in the Staatliches Museum ?gyptischer Kunst, Munich. Photo credit: captmondo/Wikimedia Commons.))


More information on Egyptian Blue here, here and, for my science geeks, here.

Egypt in Exile: Celebrating Sham el-Nessim in Rhydin

In addition to the art on display, the gallery space is dotted with information placards explaining the meaning and origins of the holiday being celebrated. There are also full color pictures from Egypt, and real painted eggs nestled in baskets here and there, some hanging from the ceiling.

Sham el-Nessim: Inhaling the Breeze

?Celebrated since 2700 BC by all Egyptians regardless of their religion, beliefs, and social status, the name Sham El-Nasim (Inhaling the breeze) is derived from the Coptic language that, in turn, is derived from the ancient Egyptian language. Originally pronounced Tshom Ni Sime, with tshom meaning ?gardens? and ni sime meaning ?meadows.?

Like most ancient Egyptian feasts, Sham El-Nasim was also affiliated with astronomy and nature. It marks the beginning of the spring festival, which is the time they believed day and night are equal, (when the sun is in the Aries zodiac) hence marking the beginning of creation. They confirm the exact date annually by sighting the sun in relation to the great pyramid. Ancient Egyptians named it The Feast of Shmo (the revival of life) and have officially celebrated it since 2700BC.?

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?At the crack of dawn Egyptians usually leave their homes to have a picnic with their families in meadows and gardens to enjoy the breeze. On this national holiday the traditional Sham El-Nasim meal consists of fish, onions and eggs.

Fish was highly respected in ancient Egyptian beliefs. Salted mullet fish (known as fesikh), was offered to the gods in Esna in Upper Egypt to the extent that Esna?s ancient name was Lathpolis, which was the name of the original fish before it is salted.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/42123bad9fad1dad52308d98cdc7c53d/tumblr_ooa7g4IPIY1vavmj8o1_500.jpg
source

?As for colouring eggs, it?s a custom mentioned in the pharaoh?s famous Book of the Dead and in Akhenaton?s chants, ?God is one, he created life from the inanimate and he created chicks from eggs.? Hence, the egg was a symbol of life to ancient Egyptians.

Ancient Egyptians would boil eggs on Sham El-Nasim eve, decorate and colour them in various patterns, then write their wishes on these eggs, tuck them in baskets made of palm fronds and hang them on trees or the roof of their houses in hopes that the gods would answer their wishes by dawn.?

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?The habit of eating onions on that day is equally ancient. According to Egyptian legends, one of the pharaoh?s daughters had an incurable disease. Doctors were clueless until a high priest started giving her a few drops of onion juice. Her condition improved and her father, thrilled, named that day ?the onion coalition day.? That day people would roam the city of Menf and offer onions to their dead.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/1e716c63aeaf103f4b31a1d146b9d3c2/tumblr_om5tvkBIsh1ts8uvqo1_500.jpg
(pinterest)

?As for flowers and plants, ancient Egyptians considered them holy and the lotus flower was actually the symbol of the country in ancient times.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/35fb29393f5983a3f1960cc59578c4ae/tumblr_omuze3JMjm1v7b6coo1_1280.jpg
(pinterest)

?In ancient Egypt, families would combine all of these: they would gather on the eve of Sham El-Nasim to colour the boiled eggs, prepare the fesikh and onion, some hanging the onions on their door steps to ward off evil spirits and putting them under their grandchildren?s pillows that night to summon the god Sukar. Before dawn, people would head to meadows, gardens and the Nile river bank to watch the sunrise while carrying food and flowers. They spend their day out in the open air, joyfully singing away the hours.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/3277b2f077efd484c75422f45b08637e/tumblr_oo9vosbsWr1tt6ru4o2_1280.jpg
Source

?Egypt?s Salafists have released a ?Dawah? (guideline) that has declared celebrating Easter and Sham El-Nessim as prohibited for Muslims.?

https://egyptianstreets.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/shamm.jpg
Source

?Released to members of the Salafist Call, the pamphlet states that going to parks, paintings eggs, eating feseesk (an Egyptian delicacy consumed during Sham El-Nessim) and other holiday-related activities are prohibited, reported independent Arabic newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/cd3c1b2726f9bd37a240364e9441de03/tumblr_ooa7ogGZ1o1vavmj8o1_1280.jpg

?According to AMAY, Salafist Call?s Yasser Borhamy had previously issued a fatwa prohibiting the eating of feseekh (salted fish) on the day as it acknowledges the Ancient Egyptian and Christians? feasts.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/0bc5e7d6c13bdc2127f2a3d0238c9b11/tumblr_ooa7n4GlY71vavmj8o1_250.jpg

?The Salafist Call believes that Muslims should only celebrate Eid and are prohibited from acknowledging the holidays of other faiths.?

https://68.media.tumblr.com/8f0f5cc016e3ee544091e6c28d6bf033/tumblr_ooa7f381U11vavmj8o1_1280.jpg
Source

Finally, as you leave the gallery, there is a parting gift -- a small handmade ceramic necklace. It?s laced to a card for Layla?s shop in the Market Place -- The Egyptian Blue
http://rdi.dragonsmark.com/forums/shop/images/ceramic%20necklace.jpg

---

OOC
Icon will be provided to all who attend the event.
First of all, huge thanks to the player of Lucy Mitford for the opportunity. I had a lot of fun putting this together.
Secondly, Layla?s past is a fictional rendition of modern/recent Egyptian history, notably the events leading up to the Arab Spring that began in 2011.
Any historical inaccuracies are either deliberately reworked or honest mistake - no offense or disrespect is intended.

Text explaining the holiday is taken from here
Images, unless otherwise noted, found here
Info on the banning of Sham El-Nessim here

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Having grown up in Rhydin, the concept of such an oppressive place was almost too hard to even visualize. Though he read every plaque and informational piece description, Trick did not understand a thing about how the art was meant to portray... anything other than what he saw: pretty blue circles and vases. Art was more Spencer's thing, not his; he was here for Ed. Trick was quiet throughout their whole visit, even as he ate his weight in hors d?oeuvres.

He offered a kind, shadow of a smile to Layla when Ed swooped in to congratulate her, and thanked her again for the book she'd given him in the previous week.

When it came time to scribble their wishes on eggs before leaving, Patrick went to great lengths to keep anyone from being able to read any of the four words he jotted down: love, marriage, family, him.

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Duci loved themed outfits, and was always keen to partake in activity that allowed her to do so. It also so happened that she loved art and Lucy, so of course she would be there at the opening of Egypt in Exile to admire the works and congratulate Lucy and the artists while simultaneously eavesdropping on assorted gossip and exchanging hellos with other attendants.

While waiting for an opportune moment to speak with Lucy and Layla, she enjoyed several rose & saffron cream kunafa nests. "Mmm," she declared sensuously, surprised by how delectable she found them. After washing them down with another surprise, the delicious aseer asab drink, she cornered Lucy to offer a hug and congrats. "This is so amazing! I love all of the exhibitions you hold, they're always so grand!" Cheek kisses and another hug amid short pleasantries before she moved on to give Layla her congrats.

"I don't believe we've met, I'm Duci," she introduced herself with a broad smile. "Your artwork is truly magnificent, Layla. Thank you so much for sharing it with us all.. It is an honest privilege to be able to lay my eyes on this." The blonde exchanges several other words with the artist, including her admiration on her plight and determination. The artist has made a lasting impression on Duci and she hopes to see her again in the future.

Before leaving, she writes a word for the gods (though hers may be different, gods were still gods) in Hungarian on a bright pink egg. Hugging the parting gift, a beautiful necklace, to her chest, she blew kisses to Lucy and any other familiar faces before heading out.

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One of the things Lucy enjoyed about having an event at the gallery was having a night to reconnect with people she hadn't seen in too long. It was a pleasure for her to shine a spotlight on art that spoke to her. But it was also nice to see old friends.

Whatever anxiety she had felt about wanting the event to go well disappeared when she saw Benjamin and Lirenel. Exchanging cheek-kisses with the pair of them, she thrilled over the shared photos, and promised to come for a visit to the homestead too. And before Benjamin could slip away, she took hold of his hand, pulling him close so she could whisper to his ear that he should visit Fin when he had a chance.

She was grateful to exchange hugs with Duci, murmuring appreciation for her constant support of the gallery. And of course complimenting her on outfit, admiring her necklace and earrings in particular. And she was thrilled to meet young Sapphire, commenting on how much she and Jewell looked alike.

If and when Fin arrived, she made sure to greet him as soon as she spotted him. While she couldn't stick by his side, she tried to keep an eye on him throughout the event.

She tried to greet everyone who attended, whether she knew them personally or not, while also making herself available to her friends. She offered smiles to Ed and Trick, and made sure the staff circulated hors d'oeuvres especially in their direction.

And whenever anyone started to compliment her on the showing, she deflected offering all credit to Layla.

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He knew the sort of work Layla did. He knew some of the stories and he knew some of the feelings that came with it. Half of them were tears and he wasn't always sure if those tears were nostalgia or pain. Egypt was complicated for her. In some ways he understood it. In some ways, he could grasp feeling at odds with the very culture you grew up in, even though his experience was a shadow compared to hers.

The time leading up to the show he had seen her creating many of the pieces, but it wasn't until they were on neat displays that he understood it better. The presentation of it as a group made the blue so striking that he felt idiotic for not having noticed it before. The flat, powerful color reminded him of his own home. Not because of pottery or paintings, but from the eyes of everyone he had ever known. His cobalt eyes, lacking little if any variability in color had the same hit of blue he saw in her pottery.

He wondered if some small part of that was why she had felt at home with him-- that she had seen a piece of home she was proud of in a stranger when they met. Was it egotistical or stupidly romantic to think that? He wasn't sure he could ask her and risk the embarrassment of holding up one of her beautiful pieces near his face while judging with some hand held mirror if the idea was true. In the end, it didn't matter as much as all the work she'd done. She had practically smoothed her fingerprints into nothing over the spinning wheel of clay.

Weren't fingerprints what people used to identify themselves? He wondered if fingerprints could grow back differently, but... he doubted it. Even so, he liked the idea that hers were no longer the same.

During the show, in a simple black attire, he managed to steal a moment discreet enough to kiss her on the cheek, congratulate her, and whisper a piece of something else into the curl of her ear. It must have been good, the two of them broke into simultaneous smiles before he had finished his sentence.

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She may have abandoned the world she'd been born on a decade ago, but the redneck hadn't been ignorant of the turmoil that had afflicted the plane in the intervening years.

Thorn wandered the gallery, stopping her and there to see, to feel, to listen. To experience.

The blonde offered her congratulations and quiet praise to Layla with a warm smile and expressed her thanks to the woman for sharing her gift, her culture.

Then she tracked Lucy down to spend a few moments catching up. Ben and Lirenel were offered hugs in there too, because it's been a very long time since she'd seen either of them. Flagging chiming waves for Ducii and Jewell and Sapphire, she'd pause now and again to chat with people she knew.

For the most part however her attention was on the art and the stories the pieces told. "Not Yours" had her smiling in a conspiratorial fashion, her chin dipping once in a decisive, agreeing nod.

Friday the 13th. April 2018.

We’re not saying that anybody broke into the gallery that morning, but how it was, precisely, the object came to be among the usual displays nobody is quite certain. The night before it was most decidedly not a part of the collection. But there it was when the gallery opened the very next day, placed intentionally, giving off an air of belonging, as if this is where it was meant to be.

The object in question was nothing more remarkable than your average, yet elegant, empty conch shell. It had been placed on a previously empty pedestal that might once have been used for some other work of art since removed from display. Now it was the home of this unexceptional shell.

Great care had been taken to clean the shell; it was now polished clean of dirt and debris. The pearly pink sheen of its interior glistened in the morning light. And of course, like all conch shells, when held up to the ear the echoing hush and sigh of the distant ocean could be heard as if the sea itself lived inside its glossy belly.

Propped against the shell was a small folded card, the likes of which are more commonly tucked into a tiny envelope and delivered with a bouquet of flowers. Four simple words were printed in a sloppy handwritten script that read as follows:

Lucy - this is yours

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