My Brimfield Finds

Last Friday I took a vacation day and headed to the Brimfield Antique Show. You've probably heard of it because it's huge and also featured on HGTV shows fairly frequently. Each time I visit, I say I'm not looking for anything in particular. That's a lie I tell myself. Of course I'm looking for something spooky and awesome! You can tell because I breeze through row after row of booths looking for a hint of orange or black. Skulls make me pause too.

This year right before I left the house I decided to wear my Marie Laveau sacred medal. I was hoping she would help me find something spectacular. Marie did not fail me. I left with two purchases. Check these out.

Child's Coffin

I was about the show when I felt Marie pulling me to one last booth that in fact I've visited many times before and had never found a thing. There it was, sitting on a stack of furniture with a bright orange Mum plant placed on it. A small wooden coffin, about 5 feet long. I looked at the price and gulped. It was well within my budget! I've been looking for a small coffin for years. I keep thinking it would make a wonderful cat bed for my six cats. The dealers at that booth were highly amused.

My first purchase of the day was this beautiful old portrait with a sugar skull painted over the gentleman's face. The man holding my artwork is Robert Price, the artist. He chose to pose for the photo next to Santa (which, by the way is available for sale in his Etsy shop.)

The booth at Brimfield was filled with antique odds and ends and these haunting portraits. Price finds abandoned portraits and infuses them with new life. I was immediately drawn in and my head was spinning in several directions. About half of Price's portraits were original art- drawn directly on the photo- and the other half were prints in antique frames. I knew within 5 minutes of looking at them that I had to have an original. It was going to be a significant purchase, though, so I decided to walk away and think about it. But before I did, I talked with Price and he immediately spied my Laveau medal and asked "What is that?" Well, that sealed the deal in my mind. Marie wanted to be heard and could not be disappointed. Price steered me to the portrait I eventually purchased. In my experience, when an artist wants you to buy a certain piece, you do it. After all, they're entrusting you with one of their children.

Price has an Etsy shop called Assemblage333 and you can find both originals and prints of his work. Here are a few up for sale right now.

Day of the Dead Brother and Sister

Sugar Skull Woman

Sugar Skull Gentleman

Day of the Dead Man
(the print of the piece I purchased)

Sugar Skull Lady

Price's work is such a beautiful tribute to these lost ancestors. I hope you'll consider bringing one into your home. His shop has many more portraits available. Maybe you'll find one of you long lost relatives!