"Fred: The Smiling Man" Leona Silverthorn, 16" x 20"

Certainly one of the best parts of attending the April 2004 City of Brea Thrift Store Art show was meeting Fred Beshid of the Museum of Fred and viewing his stellar collection. Fred still hasn't got around to photographing, cataloguing, and uploading his more than 200 paintings onto the web yet, but one day I hope to see them all displayed. Such a magnificent collection should be shared with humanity, not tucked away in boxes! During the show Fred and I discussed publishing another Thrift Store Art book to accompany the Jim Shaw masterpiece. Volume II would feature our collections and those of other Thrift Store Art aficionados. In the meantime I must thank Fred for his generosity in contributing the work at left to my collection. It hangs proudly in our hallway, and I smile every morning as I pass the painting on my way downstairs. One day I hope to repay Fred's generosity in kind, but as of yet I have not found a deserving enough gift (at least one that I'm willing to give up!).