Harriet Vale, 18" x 22"
Rumored to have been discovered by a part-time Art collector and full-time OB/GYN who hung her works in his office, Harriet Vale was prolific in her artistic endeavors. I discovered a stack of 60 to 70 watercolors done by Ms. Vale at a local yard sale, each one painted on a small piece of cardboard and depicting a different animal. Of these small watercolors I limited my purchases to a pig, a camel, and a penguin. However, I was most interested in the solitary oil of the exquisite nude pictured above. The back of the canvas panel included information detailing the painting's title, artist, size (framed and unframed), medium, and price ($250). Ms. Vale obviously knew the value of her work.
Addendum March 2007 - I recently heard from Tom Griffen who filled me in on further details regarding the above piece:
Hi! Came across the nude painting by Harriet Vale...I'm actually a Podiatrist that you bought that painting from (not an OBGYN). Had the sale in my back parking lot of the office ...remember it well and I wish I had that painting in my home right now...Hope it went to a deserving person...tom griffen, dpm