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Painting a picture of hard times
SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) — Treasures?
Lelia Pate finds them everywhere: estate sales, auctions, antique shops.
But when she stopped by San Angelo's Goodwill Industries thrift shop recently, the antique expert never expected to find a Treasure, with a Capital T.
"Apparently, they had just put it out," said Lelia, who has a booth "full of pretties" at Concho Confetti Antique Mall.
The oil painting she discovered, "Cowboy Music from Broadway," shows a western scene with a cabin in a mountain setting. It's evening, and lights shine from the cabin windows. An old-fashioned radio aerial stretches from one side of the roof to the other.
Lelia liked the art, but the small brass plaque on the wooden frame closed the deal.
"WPA Federal Art Project," the plaque read.
The artist signed his work "Harold E. West, '39."
Lelia immediately knew the painting came from a Depression-era government project (the Works Progress Administration) that helped put many Americans — including artists — back to work.
And while she realized the painting might be worth far more than its thrift store price, money wasn't her only reason for picking up the artwork.
"It's a part of history," she said. "It brings back memories."
Lelia was born during the 1930s Depression and grew up in that time of tight money and few jobs.
"Those were hard times," she said. "Hungry times."
Her father, a railroad switchman, was not able to get regular work. He supported his family by running trot lines.
"He caught a lot of catfish for us to eat," Lelia said. "Some, he traded to the store for staples like coffee, tea, sugar and flour."
He eventually found work with the WPA, earning a dollar a day for his labor. In San Angelo, WPA workers helped construct everything from McGill Elementary School and the Municipal Swimming Pool to local parks.
Lelia said she doubts the current economic hard times will get as bad as the 1930s Depression.
"We were a poor nation when it started. Very, very poor. Now, there's more money, but the same thing's happening with our stock market."
Nationally, the Federal Art Project created about 5,000 jobs for artists that resulted in around 225,000 works of art, including Harold West's.
Most of the artists' work found homes in federal buildings or schools, Lelia said.
She said she has no idea how the piece she bought ended up in San Angelo.
And she's not sure where it goes from here.
Lelia may sell it, but she has also considered donating the painting to a museum.
Either way, "Cowboy Music from Broadway" will be on display for a short time at Concho Confetti, she said.
The antique business is more than just business, Lelia said.
"It's like a treasure hunt. You have your family and your church family. But we also have our auction family, our estate sale family and our antique family."
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