A Slip of the Hand

Epilogue

My heart thunders in my chest as I gaze around the dimly lit gallery, the soft lighting casting an intimate glow on my artwork adorning the walls. This is it: the opening night of my first solo show. I can scarcely believe this dream has become a reality.

I trace the black text of the white placard with my fingers.

Artist Bio:

Madison Bradford is a contemporary artist known for her vibrant and dynamic abstract artworks. With a passion for experimentation, she explores the interplay of color, texture, and form, creating compositions that evoke movement and spontaneity. A newcomer to the scene, Bradford's work has already garnered acclaim for its bold visual impact and innovative approach to abstraction.

Artist Statement:

In "My Pleasure," I invite viewers to experience a moment in time. Each brushstroke is a testament to the joy I experienced as I surrendered to my creation. Through layers of paints and mediums, I aim to evoke a sense of rhythm and movement, with emotion conveyed through an explosion of color. This work celebrates the pleasures found in the simplest of moments and in the most unexpected ways.

It's an honest statement without explicitly saying, 'These are paintings of my boyfriend and I fucking in every way we can think to try.'

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I mutter.

Daniel wraps his powerful arms around me from behind, his spicy musk enveloping me.

"You've got this, babe," he murmurs reassuringly in my ear.

"I hope so. God, I'm so nervous! I never imagined my first show would be such a big deal." I turn in his embrace to face him, my hands resting on his firm chest. "I couldn't have done any of this without you," I say, gazing into his warm brown eyes. "And not just because I couldn't have made these without you."

A roguish grin spreads across his lips, and he leans in close. "It's kind of wild, isn't it? Everyone's going to be looking at paintings of 'us'." His voice is low, bordering on that tone that always results in a nagging between my legs. "I'm so proud of you," he says, pulling his solid arms tighter. People are literally begging for a chance to get in tonight. Even without that, I would still be proud.

I grin bashfully. "Oh, you mean all those people who are hoping to catch a glimpse of The Thorns?"

Daniel shakes his head with a smirk.

"That means a lot to me, Danny," I tell him before I give him a sweet kiss.

The gallery doors creak open, and I turn to Daniel in a panic. "Fuck, what do I do? Do I just... do I stand here? Do I hide in the back?"

"You've got this," he says in a gentle voice. "I'll check in with you later. Go shine, my love."

"So you're going to hide in the back?" I ask teasingly, and he flashes me a vanilla smile as he slips out of my arms and heads to the back room.

I smooth my hands over my sleek black dress, preparing myself. The delicate silver bracelet Daniel gave me for tonight catches the light, and I fidget with it as the patrons stream inside with a hum of excited chatter.

"Hi, welcome," I say with a smile to the entering crowd because I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do. Maybe they'll assume I'm a gallery worker, at least until they spy my "artist" name tag.

I watch their eyes land on the canvases, each one containing more than just my soul laid bare. I hold my breath, watching them take it all in.

As the room fills, my eyes seek familiar faces in a sea of strangers. Wade spots me first, sauntering over with a sly smirk.