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Chapter 15: A Call from the Art Press

Early in the afternoon of the next day, Eddie surprised Nikola with a visit. After another morning alone with her paintings and financial concerns, Nikola appreciated the company.

Eddie noticed the new canvases right away. They were visible from the apartment's entrance, leaning against the opposite wall, softly illuminated with indirect sunlight. Eddie started walking towards them, and stopped about half a dozen feet away from each.

 "I just finished the second one. The first is less than a week old. They're called 'Confined' and 'Silhouette.'"

"Intense. One can't help but react to them. What inspired them?"

"Dreams."

"'Confined' looks more like a nightmare."

"They were both kind of nightmarish," Nikola recalled them as she looked back to the pictures, still feeling the fear they invoked.

"They do seem kind of eerie."

"Martha hates them."

"Then they must be good," Eddie clapped her hands. "Personally, I think they're great. They remind me a bit of Goya. But they're subtler than that. You know, 'Confined' is like a metaphor for women's condition. I mean, I know we've come a long way, but in a lot of ways, we're still bound, abused and then discarded. It's frightening sometimes."

"Wow, I never thought if it that way." Nikola looked at "Confined" differently in light of Eddie's comment. "You know, I got into that situation by being chased by a bully of a man. Maybe my subconscious was trying to tell me something."

"It must have been."

"But I personally don't feel bound or abused. If anything, I feel like I can do anything I want to, like I have as much freedom as any man."

"You personally very well might, but you can't turn on the news without hearing about rapes, domestic violence, mutilated and murdered women, abandoned mothers, and all kinds of other abuse. Even though you're relatively independent, I'm sure you worry about living here alone more than any man would."

"Well, I've been broken into..."

"But I mean even before that."

"Yeah, I guess I worried about it from the start," Nikola said thoughtfully.

"I think you should change the name of that painting to 'Woman's Condition' or something."

"I don't know if I want to go that far. I'm awful at naming pieces, and I'm sure that I'm not ready for the big political agenda names."

"Well, I can see the real meaning in there, regardless of it's name."

Nikola laughed at Eddie's haughty expression before changing the subject, "Do you have to pay for food at your exhibitions?"

"Why? Did Martha stick you with a food bill?"

"She deducted twenty-five hundred from the 'Woman in Red' sale to cover food and shipping and other, what she called, incidental expenses."

"That bitch!" The gallery already takes half, you'd think that'd be enough to cover everything."

"That was my argument, too, but she quoted my contract, which conveniently lists only what the gallery covers, and food isn't listed there. I mean, if they had listed what I cover instead, and food was there, I would never have signed it. It's ridiculous!"

"That really sucks. I've heard other gallery artists complain about that too, but I don't think she's very even-handed about it. I think she pays for the food for some of the bigger artists - the ones she thinks might leave, I guess, but not others. From what I've heard from other galleries, most of them cover all the exhibition expenses, except of course, co-op galleries and the like. Personally, I've never gotten exactly fifty percent when I sell a painting through the gallery, but it's usually pretty close. Then again, I've never been in a solo show, only in group shows, so maybe that's different."

"It really pisses me off. I didn't want to sell those paintings in the first place, and the only way I could rationalize it was by thinking how much I need the money, but now it'll hardly even last me a few months."

"Don't worry about it, Nikki, it'll work out."

"I sure hope so. America sure isn't paved with gold like its reputation."

Eddie laughed and said, "Quite the contrary, I'm afraid. As far as I can see, you have to fight for every scrap."
At that moment the telephone rang, interrupting their conversation. Nikola got up to answer it and found Martha on the other end of the line.

"I have wonderful news," Martha shrieked, "Greg Richards was here, from Perceptions Magazine. He wants to interview you. You know Perceptions, don't you? Very nice looking magazine. It's oversized, bimonthly, I think, and it usually has great coverage of the new trends. It's not the biggest art mag in circulation, but I'm sure a lot of important people read it. Oh, this will be such good publicity - I just can't tell you. It's complete death to be ignored by the press here. It's absolutely mandatory to be mentioned, even if it's a bad review - or the public just won't remember your name. This is wonderful - and it'll be a great addition to your dossier." 

"Wow, this is great news. When does he want to see me?"

"Friday afternoon. I think he said one."

"How did he hear about me?" Nikola wondered.

"He didn't say. But, you know, the gallery did send exhibition invitations and press releases to all the major publications. That must've been where he heard."

"What do you think he'll ask?"

"I imagine they'll be a wide range of questions. I've heard they focus on your life and influences - most of the other stuff they can get from your resume and artists statement. I know I've said it before, but I can't say it enough - this is absolutely wonderful. The best possible kind of advertising. I'm sure they'll include some pictures of your work - and of you. Think of the free publicity. I'm positive we'll get some sales out of it. Oh, I just can't wait 'till it comes out."

"I hope it goes well, and I hope he doesn't hate me when he meets me."

"Please, Nikola, you have nothing to worry about. Just relax and be yourself and everything'll be fine. I'm sure you'll get along just great with this guy. He's really cute. A little young perhaps, but I've always liked them young..."

"How young?"

"Mid to late twenties, I'd say. Probably just starting out, so he'll be more nervous than you are. You have nothing to worry about."

"I hope you're right."

When Nikola got off the phone with Martha, she immediately turned to Eddie and said, "I don't believe it. A member of the American press actually wants to interview me. Maybe the streets are paved with gold after all," she added with a laugh. She went on to explain the phone call, and thought about little else for the rest of the day.

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