Hi. Firstly, please excuse the impersonal and unsolicited nature of this message. I'm writing to you as curator, advocate and lover of Thrift Store Art. I have visited your collection time and again; I've laughed, I've cried, I've shifted uncomfortably in my seat... I have also been inspired to devote an episode of my online comic strip ("Welcome to Heck") to the subject of Thrift Store Art (a possible first for the comics medium). Thank you for your kind attention, and please keep up your valuable work in this important field.
Best Regards, Roberto Corona

Roberto, I was absolutely floored after reading Episode 5 of "Welcome to Heck", and I'm extremely flattered that you were inspired to work the spirit of my collection into your strip. I think you have done an excellent job of capturing the genre, and I would be eternally grateful if you would allow me to link to your strips at Komikworks, as well as set up a separate page on my site featuring this particular strip (needless to say I would credit you as the creator and resident comic genius). My favorite lines are "No, that's just a print", and "You collect crappy paintings?". Brilliant!
Best, www.thriftstoreart.com

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I've visited just about every live thrift store art link I could find, but your collection stands out for it's comprehensiveness and I like the genuine affection for the genre that you communicate.
 
The landscape shown in panel 2 is surprisingly similar to "Winter - Spring - Summer - Fall" shown in Gallery II

That is indeed a lovely piece. I'm not a great lover of landscapes, but I'd hang that in a second.

The armadillo worked into the first panel is also quite nice, especially so in light of the stuffed armadillo I picked up at a flea market which watches over me from the bookshelves in my computer room!

Well that's just plain spooky. What a weird coincidence. Of course everybody *dreams* of owning a stuffed armadillo, but to actually *have* one!

Are you located in New Zealand? Are there even any thrift stores there like we have here in the U.S., or are there places more like flea markets?

Yes I am. Lovely country, but the thrift store pickings are slim. In fact, nonexistent. There are plenty of second-hand goods shops and charity stores, but it's mostly clothes, books, furniture and kitchenware. The "art" you find is almost always prints. Add to that the fact that there are only 900,000 people in the entire island I live on, and that cuts down the potential to generate thrift store art to a minimum. That said, a friend from the North Island told me about some nutty old lady that has a house full of crazy horse stuff for sale, including amateur paintings. There are probably little treasure troves scattered around the country, but finding them would require divine providence.
Best Regards, Roberto