I can't remember where this place was now. It may have been in San Francisco or in some other place I was visiting, or it may have been more local, somewhere on the outskirts of downtown here, but it doesn't matter anyway. The name of the place was something like "Fire Saga Studio", I think, though I'm not even sure if that name is entirely correct. It was in this old glass-brick and old sandstone block building that looked like it had once been part of some medieval keep. Intrigued, and with some time to kill, I thought I'd check it out.
There wasn't anyone else around when I first stepped in. What I saw were these crazy sculptures- enameled skulls wearing wrought copper crowns, collages adorned with skeletons, skulls decked out in this crazy cyberpunk fashion, all with crazy glass and enamel. Not everyone's cup of tea but it brought out the old thrash metal fan in me. I could see photographing one of these pieces for an album cover. In my mind, I pictured the guy making them, envisioning some total goth looking dude, long black hair and goatee, dressed in black, working in the shop using a blowtorch and arc welder to make these pieces.
"This place is metal as fuck!" I said aloud, making a forked "Goat horns" symbol.
"Thanks! You like it?" She said.
I wheeled around and saw that she had stepped into the room from the workshop behind me.
She was every schoolboy's dream crush. Long blonde hair, blue eyes, petite but athletic, with a gorgeous smile that made you melt. Looked to be maybe 18 or so- at least I hoped she was at least 18, anyway.
Logically I assumed she was the curator, so I replied, "heck yeah. I'm an old metal dude. These are awesome! Where's the artist, is he here?"
To which she replied, "These are mine. I am the artist; and I own this gallery."
Mind blown. Totally goes to show you, never judge by appearances!
I chatted with her for a while. She was, obviously, much older than she looked, (Well past 18) and not single either, sadly- but just a badass artist who worked in ceramic, metal, and fused glass and made some incredible gothic, Edgar Allen Poe inspired 3-D artwork. She said she gave classes on welding and enamel. If I lived nearby I would have taken her up on it. I wish I could remember where this place was, because it was amazing.
Anyway that's about it, see ya.