Hello, all, and happy Labor Day weekend! After the Sustainability Fair (which was awesome), I have some time to take on another project. And it’s this: I’m on a scavenger hunt for my late father’s paintings.
They were accidentally donated before he passed away, probably to the St Vincent de Paul shop in West Bend (we think in 2015, but could be anytime between December 2013-August 2016). They’re oil on canvas in a range of sizes.
It would be wonderful to have these mementos of his creativity back among our family!
In short, my ask is:
Have you purchased art at a thrift store (especially but not only in Washington County/Southeastern WI) in the past few years?
If so, can you look in the corner of the canvas to see if an “Arkenberg” signature is there?
If it is, can you message me? (Through Facebook including messages to my business page, leaving a comment on this post, or emailing me at tarkenberg[199][@]yahoo.com without the [ ]s.)
If the answer to any of those questions is no, can you share this post around to spread the word?
I’m happy to see it “go viral” if there’s a chance of getting some memories of my father back.
We’re willing to buy the paintings back.
These pictures are scanned from photos we have of several of them. However, Dad created a number of paintings that we don’t have any images of. Subjects include landscapes, saints, animals, and still lifes (there may have also been some abstract paintings from when he was younger). I’ve included an up-close shot of his signature. Feel free to share around if you or your friends are thrift store regulars and might recognize it!
Thank you!
Again:
Have you purchased art at a thrift store (especially in Washington County/Southeastern WI) in the past few years?
If so, can you look in the corner of the canvas to see if that “Arkenberg~” signature is there? (if it doesn’t look exactly like that, but does say “Arkenberg,” it may still be a match)
If it is, can you message me?
If the answer to any of those questions is no, can you share this posting around to spread the word? I’m happy to see it “go viral” if there’s a chance of getting some memories of my father back. Thank you!
About Therese
Therese Arkenberg's first short story was accepted for publication on January 2, 2008, and her second acceptance came a few hours later. Since then they haven't always been in such a rush, yet her work appears in places like Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Analog, Daily Science Fiction, and the anthology Sword & Sorceress XXIV. Aqua Vitae, her science fiction novella, was released by WolfSinger Publications in December 2011.
She works as a freelance editor and writer in Wisconsin, where she returned after a brief but unforgettable time in Washington, D.C. When she isn't reading, writing, or editing (it's true!) she serves on the board of the Plowshare Center of Waukesha, which works for social, economic, and environmental justice.