Fourth Dimension Fine Arts & Antiques, Saturday (9/12)

[magdaofslovenia]

The exhibit of Fractal Art might look like something the school office workers would create when let loose with too much coffee, but it was still gorgeous. At least in Sophie's opinion.

The doors were open, coffee, cider and tea were on the sideboard, and Sophie was considering another news article.

[OCD Free]

Comments

[glacial_witch]

Karla had been meaning to duck into the gallery for awhile now. Being bored today while Dinah had detention made such a trip sound like a fabulous idea even though her mun would be fleeing to yet another damned wedding soon.

Inside, she was immediately arrested by a few of the pieces. They were beautiful. She wondered if Gabrielle would mind her hanging a few up in their room.

So many of them reminded her of Craft. "Oooh," she breathed.

[magdaofslovenia]

Sophie looked up from her books at that, and smiled, then put down her paper to meander over. "Hello, Karla. Aren't they splendid?"

[glacial_witch]

"Hi, Sophie," Karla said, turning away from yet another piece with a bit of reluctance. "This art is amazing. We have nothing like it at home."

[magdaofslovenia]

"I'm not surprised. They're very recent developments in art here as well. The beauty of repeated symmetry," Sophie said, touching the edge of the frame for one she personally liked for its resemblance to pearls. "Most are computer-generated, though it takes a great deal of creativity to do more than just come up with random bubbles and pyramids."

[glacial_witch]

"They remind me of my webs," she said. "Repeating geometric patterns that come together to make something so much more wonderful. I never knew that computers could be used for art. Especially not like this. Are they for sale?" she asked hopefully.

[magdaofslovenia]

"They are, in fact. All of them." Sophie smiled widely. "Although the prices for the artists may be more than a student can afford," she said cautiously. Even wealthy young girls should be a little prudent for large purchases. Well, unless it was for shoes.

[glacial_witch]

Bah, prudence!

Karla didn't really understand the value of money. Before coming to Fandom, she'd never carried any; everything went on her personal account to be billed to the estate. Even with everything else Hobart had done, he hadn't taken away her private funds. Even after coming to Fandom, all she had done was put down large gold coins to spend, which always seemed to be enough. Sometimes she got lots of bills as change, sometimes she only got a few. Dinah had explained how to tell one demonination from another, but it was hard to tell the difference between a twenty and a fifty if you didn't know what they were truly worth.

And Uncle Saetan always gave her funds when she returned to Kaeleer. Even after she'd protested she didn't need more.

"I'm okay," Karla said with a careless grin. "Books and art are always worth the expense. Though maybe it would be best if I only bought one or two for now?"

[magdaofslovenia]

"That might be for the best," Sophie agreed, internally deciding not to cash any cheques for a few weeks, in case her parents or guardians asked her to return her purchase. "Pick out your favorite two, then. Would you like to take them with you today? Or shall I have them sent?" She smiled, and added, "And do take your time. No rush. I like to know the art is going with someone who'll truly appreciate it, not simply buy something they think will match the carpeting."

[glacial_witch]

"I definitely want Stardust," Karla said, eyes shining. "It's perfect. It reminds me of the picnic out by Saturn Ben and Ender brought me on. You can almost imagine a world being born within the center can't you? Full of promise and new life?"

As for her second choice, she was torn between Sunset Mood and Circle of Trust. Sunset Mood made her think of the Keep, a little, and the Dark Court that Jaenelle would one day rule over, while Circle of Trust just made her think of Craft.

"I thiiiink I want Circle of Trust more. Maybe," she said, gesturing to them. "But Sunset Mood is just fascinating, isn't it? Choosing between them is hard."

[magdaofslovenia]

"Why don't I hold Sunset Mood for you for, say, a week? And if you are still certain you want it then, and you haven't changed your mind, we could negotiate a purchase then," Sophie suggested, smiling. "And yes. It reminds me of some of the cities I've visited in Asia Minor. Constantinople, although it's nowhere near as ... sweeping, I suppose, as this one is. And you've been to Saturn?" This place was never going to cease surprising her. "How on Earth...? Well. Of course not, 'on Earth.'"

[glacial_witch]

Karla gave Sophie a happy grin of thanks. "That would be wonderful," she said. "I think it will make a lovely Windol gift for Jaenelle. That, and a solar-powered calculator."

What? Those things were brilliant.

"Constantinople? Asia Minor? They sound like places out of books!" Though still not as interesting as Saturn. "I've been only once so far, but I hope to go back! Ben has a shuttle, you see. And so we made a day trip out of it."

Karla was excited. That made for babbling.

[magdaofslovenia]

"A calculator," Sophie said, bemused. "Well, they are terribly useful. And is Jaenelle a friend back in-- Kaehleer?" she checked, uncertain of the pronunciation.

"And they do sound like places from books, don't they?" She couldn't help but smile at Karla's enthusiasm and babbling. It really was a shame she'd never had her as a student. "I traveled a great deal before I came here, they're on the other side of the world... and I utterly envy you a chance to go into space. That must have been amazing, to see the planets so close."

[glacial_witch]

"She's my best friend, yes, back home in Kaeleer. In Dhemlan Territory," Karla said, nodding. "Sunset Mood looks a bit like the Keep in Ebon Askavi, where she'll live one day. It has the most amazing library."

Sophie could keep her shoes. Karla only needed books to live.

"Amazing doesn't even describe it," Karla said, almost hugging herself with glee. "I don't know how anyone could feel insignificant out there. Yes, you realize just how young and tiny you are, out there in the vastness of space, but also, you see just what it is you are a part of: the great whirling cosmos."

[magdaofslovenia]

Sophie had to smile more widely at that description, and then shake her head. "Ender I know, but I don't believe I've encountered Ben? I assume he's from the future, then, or some other galaxy. I hope some day to have the chance, but I'll stay on the ground until it's very very safe." She looked at Sunset Mood again, and said, "Your friend is very fortunate indeed, if her home is even half as lovely. And a library-- well. I've always loved those." They so often had absolutely gorgeous texts in them. "Tell me, what kind of arts do you have back in your homeworld?"

[glacial_witch]

"Ben is from both, I think," Karla said. "Definitely another galaxy. So it probably doesn't matter if he's from the future or not, since it isn't this world's future."

She decided to help herself to some cider now that she was chatting and not looking at the prints. "All kinds, I guess," she said, sipping. "Painting and sculpture, writing and music, jewelry, weaving, drama... Black Widows sometime spin beautiful tangled webs. They're artistic in both the weave and the illusin within. Which is probably why I'm drawn to the...fractals, I think you called them?"

[magdaofslovenia]

"I'd love to see those. Or photos of them. The one you used for the ghosts in the play was impressive as art in and of itself, never mind the effects it engendered," Sophie told her. "And yes, fractals. Fractions, broken pieces of simple forms, and infinite copies on the micro and macro level of one chosen shape." She smiled and said, "I like to think its our brains recognizing perfect forms that occur in nature. Mountain ranges, clouds, the veins in our bodies... they all bear some similarity to the perfection of mathematics." She gave a depreciating smile. "Not that that's the only deciding factor in beauty, but it appeals to my sense of order."