Dolasach - Of Ivy & Seafoam

𝔪𝔦𝔯𝔯𝔬𝔯𝔰

"Yeah, I... I guess I do admire him a lot..."

To say otherwise was a complete lie, but to agree didn't quite feel right. But to explain how exactly she felt about Rafayel seemed all too revealing, and all the more that she'd rather not explain when it was Thomas she was speaking to.

So she just smiled and gave a sheepish grin that softened into something more genuine and moved as she took in his compliments, all of which hit her harder that she thought they would.

It was one thing to have her work be praised, but the way Thomas's words instilled her with a sense of validation unlike any other took her by surprise. Though on some level she knew she shouldn't be, not when the man in front of her is someone who handles Rafayel's work on the day to day, with a keen eye for art and aesthetic that she knew surpassed her own.

(Then again, all the more that praise from him would warm her heart and melt her walls a little, wouldn't it?)

The rush was addicting, and enough to distract her from noticing any hint of realization that dawned upon his features. She could really only respond with a shy smile and a pink dusting of her cheeks that she tried to hide behind her hand while the other accepted her tablet.

But it didn't last too long, because his unexpected question suddenly rendered her a little lost regarding his intentions and even more surprised by the new tidbit about himself he'd just revealed to her.

"You... Play Kitty Cards?" she looked him up and down--he certainly didn't seem like the type, but humans are complex creatures. "I.. Well..."

She looked back at the paintings then to her tablet before shrugging.

"Sure. I can always come back for Rafayel's little challenge later, and I think I've had enough of looking at those things for a while."

❦ a reintroduction to shape and color

closed starter | @thomasicism

—

Perhaps Dolasach should’ve known better when she agreed to be play bodyguard for a rather… eccentric personality.

She wasn’t a stranger to world-renowned artist Rafayel’s odd quirks, or to his occasional apathy towards coming off as unreasonable. Whispers of those facets of his personality made rounds among her circles in university and never failed to be mentioned in his interviews—artists are stereotyped as strange and anti-social for a reason. Even in her brief encounters with him prior to the arrangement, she could already tell that he wasn’t an exception to the trope.

So why then, she asked herself, did I agree to be his bodyguard?

The answer echoed in her mind in the form of a coral stone and a dark blue envelope. She sighed and kept walking along the city sidewalk, paying little mind to the passing cars or passersby.

Almost as if in mockery, today’s weather brought a slight drizzle, too. The soft pitter-patter of the rain making contact with Dolasach’s umbrella did little to soothe her mood.

Nearing her destination, Flux Arts, she pulled out her phone and reviewed her conversation with her employer from last night.

Noisy Oarfish: im still saddened by the fact that my own bodyguard cant identify my work at a glance. if word gets out and youre called “incompetent,” ill be devastated

Noisy Oarfish: you need to improve your artistic sensitivity

Noisy Oarfish: tell you what. ill leave those forgeries at flux with the original and you need to tell me which one is the real one

Noisy Oarfish: but not only do you have to pick the correct painting, i need you to analyze. no point in this if you just get it right by guessing or asking thomas

Noisy Oarfish: think you can get it done by friday?

Me: Fine.

Something about the whole situation sparked such a deep annoyance in Dolasach that had her determined to get the assignment done as soon as possible. Rereading the messages rekindled that flame, and she felt all the more eager to get started as soon as she entered Flux Arts.

Thomas better be here.

The sudden shift from noisy city sidewalk to quiet white cube gallery made her feel a little too aware of how upset she was. After taking a moment to try and collect herself, she approached the receptionist.

“Excuse me.” Her tone was calm and even. “Is Thomas around? I’m here to run an errand for Rafayel.”

Water lily pond in Monet’s garden   -  Gerhard Nordström 

Swedish, 1925-2019

Oil on panel,  105 x 73 cm

Ningen by William 巴特尔 Bao

Early accounts sourced from a Japanese internet forum circa 2007- The Ningen. A gigantic man shaped whale like creature that stalks the frigid waters of the South Pole. First to be sighted in the early 2000s by Japanese whaling ships illegally hunting in the Antarctic water. For a creature so large it seems to be extremely skilled at evading human eyes. Some blurry evidence from underwater cameras hinted at its existence from time to time but researchers still lack any concrete evidence. The creature’s white beluga like skin tone suggests it evades detection by camouflaging with giant underwater icebergs, perhaps even pretends to be chunks of floating icebergs, making the search for the Ningen’s illusive figure even more difficult in an already harsh environment.

Victorian 18k Gold Banded Agate and Black Enamel Ring

'anne + patrick poirier, turin, italy, 1989' in artists' gardens: from claude monet to jennifer bartlett - madison cox + erica lennard (1993)