I don't normally stop to look at what the street vendors at Fisherman's Wharf are peddling.
Most of the vendors are selling cheap "San Francisco" fleece sweatshirts, imported jewelry, or mass produced photos of various sights around the city.
For some reason yesterday I felt compelled to stop at Teresa Mabalatan's booth. Teresa was selling her paintings. Most of these mini-masterpieces are only 2 inches by 2 inches in size.
These photos (which are larger than the actual pieces) don't do justice to the vivid colors and detailed brush strokes on each mini painted canvas.
After talking with Teresa for what seemed like an hour and playing with the arrangement of the paintings I decided I had to have these four pieces.
In what can be a whole separate blog posting, this was also about the time that Dr. Jean Paul came up to the table. He thought that I worked with Teresa because I was so focused on arranging the paintings on the table. He decided he wanted me to come run his non-existent antique furniture gallery somewhere in the city. He felt that I had an honest face and eye for merchandising and I would be the perfect investment for his venture capitalist money.
Really Dr. Jean Paul? It all seems a shade shady to me. Can you please step aside and let me complete my transaction.
I knew Teresa was a true artist when she seemed almost pained to part with her mini-paintings. I had to assure her they were going to a good home.
I know we have several artists in the family so I would love to hear your opinions of the four pieces I chose.
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i can see why they caught your eye. i like them. wow, 2 inches by 2 inches. seems interesting and almost amazing to me. asking your relatives like jacqueline or allison is exactly what i was thinking. what do their trained eyes see?
ReplyDeleteenjoy
love, mom
awesome colors! would be fun to have on a wall to gaze upon. seems like they almost move... =]
ReplyDeletegood luck on your future career move!
haha
Hi Jon,
ReplyDeleteI just bought some clay pieces that are tiny (1 inch and smaller) to use in my mixed media. I bought them in Santa Cruz and they have a signature of T Mabalatan. I googled and found your blog on Teresa. The signature matches and it's about the only reference I can find on her name.
I would love to know more about her. Do you have any other info? Does she show there often? Do you have her email?
I love her work, you have good taste.
Thanks,
Mini -
DeleteAt the time Teresa was a permitted street vendor in San Francisco. She was most often set up down in the Fisherman's Wharf area near the Cable Car stop. She did give me an email address when I purchased the paintings because I told her I would write about her. However, when I did email her the email bounced back to me. I saw her again a few weeks later and she said that the email account had been turned off.
Other than that I have no further information on Teresa.
Thanks for the comment.
Jon