A Stranger Walked Into My Art Gallery and
Dawn Over Ashes
The Stranger in the Rain
One rainy afternoon in Seattle, an elderly woman entered my gallery, drenched and silent.
She paused before a sunrise cityscape and whispered, “That’s mine,” pointing to faint initials — M.L. Her name was Marla Lavigne,
a once-promising artist whose life collapsed after a fire claimed her husband, studio, and nearly all her work.
Uncovering the Truth
Moved by her claim, my assistant and I searched old records until we found a 1990 brochure crediting Marla for that same painting.
The discovery proved her story true and began her long-overdue restoration.
Reclaiming a Name
We corrected the records and confronted those who had profited from her loss.
Marla, however, sought no revenge — only recognition.
I gave her a small studio in the gallery, where she began to paint again, her art now infused with resilience and renewal.
A Golden Return
Months later, her exhibition, Dawn Over Ashes, marked her rebirth.
As applause filled the room, Marla smiled softly. “This time,” she said, “I’ll sign it in gold.”
