Immaculate, it was not. Or maybe I have a wildly different understanding of the meaning of that word: mint; without wear, tear or staining; something that can be used right away without an additional investment of time or money. But everyone knows by now that buying anything used online is always caveat emptor.
I drove to Toronto this morning to buy a purple velvet sofa that I found on Kijiji. I fell in love with the colour, the texture, the sexy curves and the idea of actually finding an antique in pristine condition. But so much for not adding projects to my job jar.
“Immaculate” was the owner’s description, not mine. I found cracks in the feet to be filled, much tightening of the frame, sanding and staining to be done, and an upholstery job that is far from professional.
On the drive back I felt a bit foolish about the whole thing, a bit suckered and disappointed. I also began to feel sick and headachy from the sweetish fragrance of “old stuff.” Stuck inside a confined space, the smell was overwhelming. I drove with the windows unrolled in the torrential downpour until I found a hardware store, bought a large tarp, and wrapped the sofa up like an airtight burrito. My headache eased and my mood began to lighten.
On the drive down I had been consumed with potential uses for my new purple sofa. Its old-fashioned form reminded me of those used in old-timey photo studios, when portraiture was a rare, important and formal undertaking. How cool, I thought, it would be to begin photographing friends and extended family on the couch. They could be simple portraits or filled with costumes (or lack of them), masks or alter egos. What fun it could be and what visual storytelling to be had! I also fantasized about driving the extra fifty clicks to Niagara Falls, unloading the purple beast, and inviting random strangers to sit for photos in front of the falls. Which, of course, got me thinking about how sofa will travel, transporting it to a bunch of unusual places….
So, really, how can I be mad about spending $275, a tank of gas and nine hours of travel time on my new purple possession? Its wealth of creative potential can hardly be diminished by a few extra hours of labour.
2 responses to “Stalking the Purple Beast”
It’s really wonderful! I have a stash of dollar store masks, feathered and sequinned. (If you ever need them…)
Gee, maybe you should bring them along next time you’re in Ottawa and you can use them in your portrait!