Galax Leaves

While I was in Virginia we were visiting Mildred, the aunt of one of my cousins. She's 90 years old and super awesome still. I noticed a painting at her house because I liked it. Noted the artist. Mildred said that she is good friends with the artist. Later we were at my great aunt & uncle's place. They had a couple paintings by the same artist with similar subject matter. I thought it was cool. Finally, I saw one of these paintings at the place I was staying. That was the last straw. I liked all of them. I needed to find if I could get one. I looked up the artist, Lona Cox, in the phone book and called her. She said that her house was her studio and I could stop by because she'd be home for most of the rest of the day. She was super nice when we met and I really like most of her work. I thought I'd get a print because they're cheaper, but I ended up snagging the piece pictured here for $50, including the frame and everything (its print was $35, unframed). She said that she just lowered its price because people aren't buying art these days.

It was only days earlier on this trip that I learned about the Galax leaf from which the city takes its name. It was an important part of the local economy in the early years because it was used in floral arrangements in (farther) northern parts of the country. The leaves stay green or can turn a rich brown if not watered. They are protected in the area's national parks. This is a significant souvenir that I can keep for a very long time and I hope that others will like it as much as I do.