Eye of the Beholder

I love garage sales. The great huge ones are chock full of renewed possibilities at the right price. Occasionally I'll go to a professional Estate Sale--these are organized by a professional company that goes through everything, down to the last spatula and spindle of scotch tape, and marks prices. As they incorporate their own fee into the price, items at these professional Estate sales are more expensive than what I'd be happier paying at a garage sale. For example, a screwdriver at a garage sale is usually $1, where at these professional Estate sales they run $2-3. Ouch.

Anyhoo, I was recently drawn to a local professional Estate Sale. My friends and family think I'm crazy, yeesh, like you need more crap! To which I respond, crap? how about possibilities?! maybe some day I'll want to make a bundt cake (once I get the rust scrubbed off this pan)! maybe I'll have a real hankering to play these games that aren't made anymore like, "Dukes of Hazzard" and "Probe"! maybe I can craft something from these broken Lite Brite pegs! Ooh, snap. My friends don't even have a response.

Anyhoo, I dragged a friend at work on our lunch hour. He made out well with a MIDI and some other music stuff for $12. I walked around and nothing really grabbed me and left empty-handed.

Though, this caught my eye:

Needless to say this piece made me think, made me ask questions. Like, did the artist want to make this completely two dimensional without use of perspective ('cause I can't tell if the lady is walking into the tub or out)? I'm confused by mixed themes, i.e. the lady has a towel on her head like she's done bathing, yet she seems to be pouring in (or on herself? Darn you, Perspective!) more bath stuff (gel? bubble solution? vinegar?) like she's just getting started. Where can I get a floating sink like that? Hmm, is the frame worth $45?

The best part? This piece was part of a series. There were two more like this but more b00by-oriented (yet still bathroom-oriented). Where are you supposed to hang these pictures? In the bathroom? In case you're concerned I'm being harsh, not to worry, there is someone (a very single male, I suspect) who will buy them (and at $45 each, secondhand, the artist must have done pretty well at the initial sale). Because there is something for everyone at these sales. Possibilities are in the eye of the beholder.