“I have paint all over myclothes,” I say with as much dignity as I can muster. “And my hands. But not on any of your precious surfaces.”
I mean, probably.
“No plaster, either,” I say.
“Plaster?” Holden groans into his hand.
“Well, yeah. Kinda necessary for this. Come see.” I gesture to the canvas and nod at Kit.
I take his arm and beckon her forward, encouraging them to gather a few feet away from the enormous canvas.
The jewel-bright colors leap out like a window to another world, all warmth under the cool grey sky outside.
“Huh. Looks familiar. Where have I seen that pattern before?” Holden says knowingly from behind me.
I smile, knowing the Hera Egg’s glittering gems, gold, and navy blue inspired me.
“So pretty!” Kit reaches out, then glances back at me. “Can I touch it?”
“You can touch this part.” I tap the corner of the canvas that’s dried. “What do you think?”
She runs her small hand over the mountainous waves at the edge.
“They all feel different. Hard to tell just by looking, but it’s there,” Kit says, stroking the different textures. “The colors are amazing.”
“They turned out pretty. I wasn’t sure it would work until I found my rhythm,” I say with satisfaction, tapping the brush against my teeth as I think. “What else do you see in there?”
I wonder if she’ll notice.
I try not to smile and laugh as she pauses, scanning it in detail.
“…dragons? Noway.” She turns to me.
I laugh.
A good textured art piece should behave like clouds. The viewer imagines whatever they want to in the swirling shapes and colors.
Honestly, I think that’s why they’re so popular, especially with the art deco lovers.
“Maybe a few, flying around like birds,” I say.
“What doyousee? You made it, so you should have the final word,” Holden says gruffly. His knuckles brush gently down my spine.
A tiny gesture, but it nearly brings me to my knees.
God.
“Hmm.” I chew the end of my brush without thinking, and when I glance at Holden, he’s watching me intently. “I think I see cupped hands reaching out of the water.”
“Hands? What’s in them? The ocean? Sand?” Kit’s eyes search the canvas.
“Possibilities.”
“That’s not as fun.” I love her. The girl rolls her eyes at my vague answer and crouches by the colorful fabric I’ve piled in the corner in a box.
“I thought you stuck to 2D art these days?” Holden says over my shoulder.
“That’s my first love, sure, but it doesn’t sell too well beyond the occasional online commission. I bang the drum on socialmedia, but it’s no moneymaker. But these?” I suck my teeth as I consider what it needs next. “These babies make rent money.”
