AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I see you’ve covered up the paintings.’
‘Oh yes, it was Suzie’s idea—’
‘Well, actually, it was a joint—’
‘Don’t you think the gallery looks much more inviting without them looming over us like a dark and stormy sky?’ Katerina continued. ‘I want our students’ experience here to be uplifting and joyful, not miserable and depressing.’
‘So you think the paintings are miserable and depressing?’
‘I think—’
‘What about you, Suzie, doyoulike them?’ Christos pressed.
‘I think they’re…’
Suzie scoured her brain for something positive to say about the sombre artwork she and Katerina had been so keen to conceal, but decided at the last minute that it was always better to tell the truth, especially to the person you loved.
‘I think they’re interesting. In the right place, with the right lighting and the right backdrop, they’d certainly appeal to those people who are looking for something more… melancholic. It’s just that today’s watercolour workshop is all about having fun, making new friends, and celebrating the beautiful scenery of Santorini; the blue-domed churches, the whitewashed villas, the maze of cobbled streets, the pink blossom of the bougainvillea, the sparkling caldera playing host to gently undulating boats.’
‘I’m happy you said that because…’
Christos gave Leo a clearly pre-rehearsed nod and together they ripped away the brown paper that encased the two canvasses.
‘Ta da!’
Suzie stared at the paintings. They were colourful, energetic, and reflected the natural and architectural harmony of the landscape she had just described perfectly.
‘What do you think of these?’
‘Absolutely stunning,’ said Katerina, stepping forward to scrutinise them more closely. ‘It’s obvious they’ve been created by a very accomplished artist who knows the island well.’
‘Does that mean you’d be happy to display them in the gallery?’
‘Of course.’
‘Great. Come on, Leo, help me hang them.’
Christos strode into the alcove, yanked away the dust sheets that covered the dark, cheerless paintings and began to remove them from the walls, making no allowance for their preservation.
‘Hey, Christos! You can’t do that.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because the owner of the gallery insists that we…’ Katerina stopped and stared at Christos, who had paused mid-removal, a smile playing around his lips as he waited for her to continue. It took Suzie a few more seconds to catch up, and when she did, she gasped.
‘Are you… are you saying those paintings are yours?’
‘I’m afraid so. In my defence, they were painted when my life was in turmoil. I’d left the band and fallen out with my girlfriend, my sister, and my family. This was how I saw the world then – dark, dismal, and depressing. It’s safe to say that things have changed recently. I’ve never been happier, and I hope that’s reflected in my new work.’
Suzie held Christos’ gaze. ‘So does that mean the gallery….?’
Christos lowered the canvas he was holding onto the floor and perched against the table in the window. ‘My grandparents bought this building over sixty years ago and during that time it’s been everything from a fruit shop to a bakery, but when my grandfather died and my grandmother went to live with my parents in Athens, she decided it was best to close it down. She rented out the studio occasionally, but the shop remained empty until five years ago when you, Katerina, expressed an interest in acquiring a lease to open a gallery, not only to sell your own work, but that of local artists, too.’
‘What changed her mind?’
‘Yia-yiaused to love dabbling with a paintbrush, creating scenes from her childhood on Santorini before the island became so commercialised. She was good, but no one took what she created seriously, especially her family. So, when I announced to my parents that I had no intention of following their footsteps into academia and told them that it was my dream to make music and create art, she was the only one who supported me. Of course, when I left school it was the music part of my dream that took off, butYia-yiapromised me that if I ever wanted to switch to art, then she would do everything she could to help me on my way.’
Suzie smiled. ‘Your grandmother sounds like an amazing woman.’
