Page 103 of Painted Dreams
With a heavy sigh, she pushed back the hair from her face, wondering how her entire life could be turned upside down so fast.
* * *
On the following Friday, Kat parked Nana’s car in a visitor spot at the Denver Art Museum then met her grandmother at the entrance. She wanted Nana Kitty with her to be another set of ears in the meeting with Jim and the museum procurement manager. Already Kat’s head swam with pros and cons, with costs and processes from the online research she’d done.
Inside the elevator, Nana squeezed Kat’s arm.
“Just relax, honey. We’re on a fact-finding mission for now. No commitments. Nothing to lose. Let’s learn what we can and go from there.”
Kat nodded. Nana was a staunch believer in the potential of Kat’s art, but she was also pragmatic and not inclined to waste money or jump into a new endeavor without proper facts and figures. Nana had offered to provide seed money if Kat could figure out the logistics of launching a product line.
They made their way to Jim’s office, and he made introductions. Then Steve Birch, procurement manager, opened a manila envelope and pulled out several papers.
“I’ve gathered some contact names for you. Some of these the museum works with; some are other resources I’ve used in the past. People who should be able to produce for you or point you to other resources.”
“I told him you were looking for high-end production,” Jim added.
“A few of these are companies who license designs in case that’s something you’d be interested in.”
“Thank you. I’m open to all options right now.”
After thirty minutes of answering questions, Steve checked his watch then pushed back his chair. “I need to get to another meeting. I hope this helps. My card is in there, too. Feel free to call with any other questions.”
“Thank you,” Kat told him.
When the door closed behind Steve, Jim turned to Kat. “What do you think?”
Nana clapped her hands. “I think there are some wonderful options.”
“Me, too,” Kat said. She gave a shaky smile. “And I think I have a lot of work to do.”
Jim grinned. “Yeah, but for what it’s worth, in my opinion, you’re onto something here. You’ve got a look, a style that could really catch on.” He lifted the sunflower scarf that Kat had added to the fall designs on the table.
For a moment, Kat was too overwhelmed to speak. Goosebumps erupted on her skin. “Really?”
“Absolutely. You could be the next Marimekko or Vera Bradley. Worth a shot, right?”
As soon as Kat and Nana left the museum, Nana pulled her into a hug. “Oh, sweetheart. This is so exciting. I want to help you as much as I can. With the research, the calls, the cost. Everything.”
Kat’s veins hummed with adrenaline. She felt like taking Nana’s hand and skipping down the stairs the way she had as a little girl. “Thanks, Nana.”
“I’ve read the story of Vera Bradley,” Nana said. “Quite a success story. A couple of women started making bags in someone’s basement.”
Her words gave Kat pause. Is that what she should be doing? Spending her evenings at home hand painting then going door to door to retail stores? Is that what starting at the bottom looked like? Nick’s words haunted her.You want to skip all the dirty work because you’ve been told all your life that the rules don’t apply to you, that you get to start way at the top.
“Do you think you can do this and keep your full-time job? Could you take a leave of absence?” Nana asked as they left the museum.
Nana stopped walking and took Kat’s arm.
“What, Nana?”
Her eyes searched Kat’s face. “Is this what you want, Kat. Or would you rather stay at the museum and try to sell your paintings. I want you to be happy, sweetheart.”
Kat hadn’t considered leaving the MoMA, but the truth was, she didn’t feel much desire to go back. All she could think about was seeing where this new venture might lead. Spending her days working on her own products rather than someone else’s. She couldn’t wait to start making calls, to dig in and figure out the process. If the larger paintings ever gained traction, she could still do those works on the side as she always had.
A smile spread across her face. She had a new vision for her career. Maybe it wouldn’t go anywhere. But if she didn’t try, she’d always wonder.
“Not sure I’m ready to quit my job yet. But I’m excited to get started and see where this goes.”
