the art in the window was the work of an atlanta-based girl that i had been following on instagram for years up to that point– atleast two, by then. i'd recognized it in an instant. it's a very distinct style of art. unmistakable.
there was a single person inside. an older lady, busying herself in the space, but she was welcoming when i came in. i asked her if the art in the window was a "girls instagram name" piece– just out of general curiosity cuz i was surprised to be seeing her work in person, finally, as opposed to on a phone screen. the way that lady's face lit up, man, i'll never forget. only a mom could pull that kinda pride up outta them from nowhere about their baby. this was shawty's mom. i had interrupted her day by coming into her newly leased space to inquire about the source of the art displayed in her windows, which was that of her very own daughter. she was all too thrilled to chop it up with me for a bit, of course. she asked me how i knew her daughter, how i recognized her work, asked if her daughter knew me... it was an unexpectedly thrilling experience and i remember it fondly.
fast forward, two years after that, i got invited to participate in an artists' showcase for RAW. up to that point, i'd been invited two other times and pulled out both times, so the third time was indeed the charm this go around.
on location, the night of- after drinking more red bulls than the law should allow, while setting up my booth with the help of my sister- i started going around to properly meet the other artists there. we had all "met" prior to the event during a skype/chat session that involved all us players; we followed one another's socials at the time, as you do, but meeting in person was, to me, a necessary reinforcement. i love creators.
in making the rounds, i immediately recognized shawty's work because, again, very distinct art; unmistakable. im screaming and grabbing her shoulders and shouting her old instagram name– thats what i knew her by, but she'd since changed it. artistic reinvention. it happens.
in response to some crazy girl screaming in her face and shouting her now retired name, she was beaming with the kind of natural openness to the unknown that can only be found in my most favorite kinds of people.
then, in the split second that i'd recalled it even happening, i shouted that i'd met her mom.
like... just imagine the confusion she must've experienced in that moment, overall, lol. i explained the entire scenario that had transpired two years ago. and then, surprisingly, she met me where i was on WILD ISLAND, with big eyes, pointing a finger at me, saying, "i remember that! she called me and told me she just met a girl that asked her about my art in her window and that yall had a little conversation! girl, i didn't know WHAT she was talking about–!"
we laughed, embraced, bigged each other up, and ensured that we were following each other on instagram- which, i mean, i wasn't really using much of at the time, but still lol.
i say all that to say... the world is so small.
how could you not love it? how could you not be enamored?
