Natalie Ferris said: December 23, 2010 6:00 pm PST
"AUSTIN NIGHTS"
It is the rare occasion for me to come upon a situation, or a finding, that I can truly, without a doubt, classify as PERFECT. Â My only hesitation may be in believing my own eyes. Â "Am I seeing what I think I am?". Â And that was exactly the case while I was at the 2010 Armadillo Christmas Bazaar when I stumbled into the display booth of local Austin Artist, Ms. Erica Wildman. Â I couldn't take my eyes off of the huge canvas painting she titled, "Austin Nights".
She saw me admiring it and told me the history she has with it. Â Â It is one of her dearest, painted four years ago while she was living in San Francisco and missing Austin. Â She called it her "baby" and had not been able to offer it up for "adoption" until now.
I told her she had absolutely no idea how perfect this painting is for me. Â I fell in love with it and its absolute perfection. Â Â I had not even gone to the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar with the intent of finding a piece of art, much less THE perfect piece of art.
I had a picture stored on my phone, that I was able to show her, of the room that I knew this painting was made for. Â Once Erica saw it she said, Â "It IS perfect, it's almost as if you commissioned me to paint this for you."
And I know that was a bittersweet moment for her and we both got teary-eyed at the realization of something truly amazing, as if it were "meant to be."
I love the fact that Erica has such a personal affinity with her art to see it to its new home. Â She and her boyfriend personally delivered the painting to our home and took time out of her very busy Christmas schedule to visit with me and my husband.
Once the painting was in the room, it was even more obvious how special it is and a testimony to Erica's incredible talent.
There is absolutely no indecision on my part in caring for and loving this painting as she has. Â Your "baby" is in good hands, Erica!