The Other Dave Rheaume Artist Shows up Again!


He's baaaaaaack...

The other day as I was struggling to get in the door with the two dogs a call came on my phone from a North Carolina area code.  I figured it was from a call centre of some sort and so I ignored it.  But a few minutes later I noticed a text come in from the same number with these two pictures attached.  The message was from the reverend Steve Jones of North Carolina.  It seems he had acquired an original "Dave Rheaume" painting as a donated item for his church sale and was wondering if I was the artist.  My mystery cosmic twin had struck again!



Well, it was just too rich to ignore and so I dialed up reverend Steve, who turned out to be a lovely guy (with a classic southern accent).    He had tried to search the name but I was the only contact that came up, which is exactly what happened to me when I did the same thing.  I explained that I wasn't the Dave Rheaume in question, but this appeared to be another surfacing of a DR who had shown up a few months before (see previous post: "There's Another Dave Rheaume Artist WTF).  The signature looked the same, as did the age of the painting, in it's well-weathered old wooden frame.  I've now got it figured that the other DR was probably busy in the 1960's, and, with the appearance of this painting, seemed to have been active in the southern U.S. (the previous work had been found in Florida with '60 as the year).  So it's another piece of the puzzle, though if this was an episode of "Cold Case Files" it's probably less 'critical clue' and more akin to finding another body.  If I was mapping this, FBI-style, on a wall map, South Carolina would now seem like the best bet for where the next one will turn up. 

Reverend Steve asked me if I thought there was any value to it, and I wasn't really able to help him on that front.  I don't think this guy was a pro based on the quality of the work.  Likely more of a hobby painter but you never know.  I gave the reverend a bit of a primer on the surname 'Rheaume' and where it's most likely to be found.  I suggested he'll get what he gets for the painting and we left it at that. 

So it appears that my predecessor/ancestor/namesake/prototype lent his hand to a still life at one point, something I'm not sure I've ever done. 

Can't wait for the next development.  Bring it on, my cosmic brother!

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