Oil Paintings, Family Coincidences, And Shirts.
Life is always an adventure and you never know what you will run into around the next corner. I don't know which I find more fun, finding things at a good bargain or doing the research on them later?! Lately I have been very captivated by art pieces done by local artists. Those that put their names to their art are especially appreciated. In this trip to the 2nd hand store I was nearly ready to leave without having found anything of much interest, but decided I would take a look at all of the huge window displays. Was I ever glad I did.
As I was cruising the aisle around the perimeter of the store I looked up and saw the first oil painting by Renata Riess. The pictures my camera took just do not do it justice at all. The colors are so vibrant and painting so well done, it feels like you could just take that little lane right up to the barn and go inside an explore to your hearts content. I love old barn paintings and was so delighted when I saw this I could have jumped for joy. I thought $12.99 was more than a fair price, and I certainly wasn't going to let this one stay until half off day. It would have been gone for sure.
After reading the back and seeing how well Renata had labeled it, I remembered a smaller painting I had seen in the art aisle that reminded me of the barn picture. I hadn't picked it up to even look at, because I wasn't certain I wanted a landscape of a brown hill. I will admit my eye was attracted to the smaller painting I just, for some reason didn't pick it up to look at the back. The barn painting made me go back to the art aisle and pick up the smaller painting. Sure enough, it too was by Renata, but this one was an actual location I am very familiar with. In fact it is right up the Klickitat river from our place, and was a location I have driven by and looked at since my childhood. No wonder I thought that little picture looked so familiar. ha ha ha...it was $6.99 and a true bargain.
Here is where it all really gets funky. This wonderful artist, Renata Riess, has since passed away, but during her lifetime she lived in or near the small mill-town of Klickitat with her husband, Tony Riess. While doing research on her paintings, I found that her husband Tony had worked for many years in the Mill, (as a lumber grader), with my 2nd grt. grandma's brother, Frank S. Overacker, who worked there as an electrician. That just blew me away, they had to have known each other. Franks wife, Ida, was the census enumerator for West Klickitat in 1910. I found where she had written the names of both Tony and Renata, as well as her husband Frank, and herself, in that census. I also found they all attended the Klickitat Lutheran Church, and are buried in the Lyle-Bach cemetery. What are the odds of that happening?! I knew about my grt. grt. grandmothers brother Frank, through my grandmother, and genealogical research. She had told me of how her grandmother had died in Oklahoma in 1904 along with many of her children, in a measles epidemic. Frank came out West along with the some of the family, and worked to help support his younger siblings. If not for him they might have starved, times were so tough.
Not only is this artwork lovely, but it means that much more to me to have art from an artist who knew members of my family many years ago. It somehow makes me feel so much more connected to my roots, and attracted to these two pieces.
After reading the back and seeing how well Renata had labeled it, I remembered a smaller painting I had seen in the art aisle that reminded me of the barn picture. I hadn't picked it up to even look at, because I wasn't certain I wanted a landscape of a brown hill. I will admit my eye was attracted to the smaller painting I just, for some reason didn't pick it up to look at the back. The barn painting made me go back to the art aisle and pick up the smaller painting. Sure enough, it too was by Renata, but this one was an actual location I am very familiar with. In fact it is right up the Klickitat river from our place, and was a location I have driven by and looked at since my childhood. No wonder I thought that little picture looked so familiar. ha ha ha...it was $6.99 and a true bargain.
Here is where it all really gets funky. This wonderful artist, Renata Riess, has since passed away, but during her lifetime she lived in or near the small mill-town of Klickitat with her husband, Tony Riess. While doing research on her paintings, I found that her husband Tony had worked for many years in the Mill, (as a lumber grader), with my 2nd grt. grandma's brother, Frank S. Overacker, who worked there as an electrician. That just blew me away, they had to have known each other. Franks wife, Ida, was the census enumerator for West Klickitat in 1910. I found where she had written the names of both Tony and Renata, as well as her husband Frank, and herself, in that census. I also found they all attended the Klickitat Lutheran Church, and are buried in the Lyle-Bach cemetery. What are the odds of that happening?! I knew about my grt. grt. grandmothers brother Frank, through my grandmother, and genealogical research. She had told me of how her grandmother had died in Oklahoma in 1904 along with many of her children, in a measles epidemic. Frank came out West along with the some of the family, and worked to help support his younger siblings. If not for him they might have starved, times were so tough.
Not only is this artwork lovely, but it means that much more to me to have art from an artist who knew members of my family many years ago. It somehow makes me feel so much more connected to my roots, and attracted to these two pieces.
After I found the paintings, I decided I might as well check the men's shirt racks for more flannel shirts for my hubby. The first shirt I really liked, but was in a size large, which wouldn't fit him. I liked it so much I decided to get it for myself. I have put up the labels to help folks know what labels are good ones to look for. Baxter Company clothing, if I remember correctly, used to be sold through L.L. Bean, and is a top quality brand. I'm not sure if they are still in business, but their clothing was cotton and very well made.
When buying any shirt the first thing you want to look for is quality of fabric, good solid stitching, two buttons on each cuff, a button on each sleeve opening, buttons on the collar, and two extra buttons inside the shirt, in case of loss, everything tightly stitched and the buttons not loose.
Jachs label shirts were sold through Bloomingdales and could cost up to $95 dollars new. This shirt is a winter weight cotton, which is heavier, and very well made. As with any 2nd hand shirt you want to purchase, no matter the label, inspect every inch of the garment for damage. I once almost had one of these in my cart, only to find a perfectly round burn hole right through the shirt, over where your heart should be. I was pretty startled and thought, "What was this, a gun shot hole?" More likely it was a cigarette or someone welding, but still, it was annoying to say the least, since the shirt was in otherwise like new condition. So close inspection is key.
The last label, Faded Glory, is sold through Walmart, and tho of less quality, fabric wise, than the other two brands, is still good enough for work shirts. I bought these because they still had the store labels attached and had never been used. All of the shirts were $7.99 each, which is a good price for good quality, 100% cotton flannel shirts. Walmart generally sells these for from $15 to $20 in our area. The first shirt for myself was not flannel, they sold in the $45-$65 price range when new. You can see them occasionally online selling as vintage, for $12 -$15 or as much as $65. Personally I like to inspect clothing I buy, so never like to purchase them online. Some clothing resellers however, do very well.
While labels can give you a heads up sometimes as to quality, it can also cause Goodwill to overprice. A Levi's shirt of no better quality than the Faded Glory shirts, was priced at $12.99. It was not in better condition, but was merely being priced higher based on the brand. My rule is never buy by the brand, always buy by the quality of the garment. After all I'm not in a contest to see how much of a walking advert I can be for some price gouging company. So look for good value for the dollar, and not waste you money on the latest high priced, Tom Fool clothing label!
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