Thrift Store Art

Happy February!  January went by so quickly, I can't even say Happy New Year. My apologies to the few people that read this blog for my lag in posts since December.  It's finally time for my first post of the year. Better late than never right?  


A few weeks ago on a Friday, I went to my favorite thrift store, Hospice, on Arapahoe Road in Boulder   to look around. I bought a few things (tomorrow's blog post), and learned they were having a half price sale the next day on everything in the store.  I made a mental note on what I wanted, and hurried back the next morning to pounce on what caught my eye. 

One of my finds was a wonderful woodcut "Looking East" by artist Bill Colby of Seattle, WA.  billcolbyart.com  I didn't know of him or his work, but was struck by the simplicity of the image and had to have it.  I love how he used a rough board printed in orange for the sky, and how the knot mimics a sun setting over the horizon.  The simple suggestive cuts printed in black abstract the contours of the landscape.  This print was originally priced at $45, which I got for half price at $22.50!  There were some Japanese woodcuts in the store too, but they were much pricier, and I wasn't drawn to the imagery as much as this print.  


So keep your eyes open at thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets.  You never know what treasures you may find.  Let me know about any second hand art that you love from your collection.