It's an Art

Who: Nico and Shoshannah
When: Afternoon
Where: Sea and Sky

Shoshannah had been hit with an idea and had made a call to someone, someone a friend of a friend knew, someone that she hadn’t really met but had heard more than enough about already. They’d agreed to meet at the Sea and Sky, which was perfect for her anyway considering she had work to do. Granted, her black pencil skirt and white blouse didn’t make for the perfect working outfit, but Shannah didn’t mind and barely even noticed it as she sorted the canvases of a local artist.

She had a few artists who she was considering featuring, but without Madeline the new shows were going to have to wait for a while. However, that didn’t mean that Shoshannah couldn’t pursue another option, another type of art to patron. At least in the meantime. And what was to say that she couldn’t continue if she wanted to even once she was back on track? First thing first, though; to get the yes from her chosen artist.

He’d got the call that morning - a local art gallery was looking for a musician and would he be free to meet with the owner and discuss what he could do for them? Would he? Nico would have bitten their hand off for the chance, except he had slightly more class than that, so he’d just asked for the where and the when and politely agreed.

Shoshannah Hagel - he knew the surname, of course. Why was everyone in town connected with his damn family? But, the job seemed legit. Apparently he’d been recommended to her by a friend of a friend - one of those few people, in his opinion, that had absolutely no ties to anything shady in the city. He didn’t feel the need to reject this job on principle, the way he did with so many other opportunities. And so, he was here, dressed smartly - a nice suit, one that he couldn’t really afford but had considered so much of a necessity that he’d found the money anyway, tie, shoes polished, his dark curls mostly under control - enough to be professional, whilst still leaving him with a boyish air as he was pointed in the right direction and headed over to the woman he presumed he was hear to meet. “Excuse me?” he said, politely, to get her attention. “Miss Hagel?”

Mid-process of moving another canvas, Shannah heard her name and put down the painting as carefully as she could, then turned to wipe her hands on her skirt and look at the body the voice came form. Smiling already, she had her hand out as she came closer to him. "Please, just Shoshannah. You must be Nico? What a pleasure to meet you." He looked nice, something she wasn't sure she quite expected but was always a welcome sight. She was used to dealing with artists who either didn't want to wear a suit or had no money to afford one as nice as this. "Thank you for coming by, I know it might seem odd to get called out of the blue."

Nico’s handshake was firm, but not overly long. Polite, though the smile which accompanied it was more friendly, and genuine. “I have nothing against calls out of the blue. Some of life’s greatest opportunities come when you least expect them,” he pointed out, his caramel eyes dancing with humour and life.

"Would you like to look around first or should we head upstairs to my office and do the tour later?" Which was less like an office and more like a free form second story with two desks and a couch, in case she couldn't make it home for whatever reason. Her condition had left her here many a night and if she woke up in the early morning hours, Shannah preferred to sleep here, at least until she had her wits about her again.

“Whichever suits you best - but I would like to know more about the kind of thing you’d want from me,” he suggested to her, leaving the control of this situation in her hands, wanting to come across as someone who could be worked with, rather than someone who needed to take control of everything.

"Well, how about we walk and talk? And leave the office for official business?" She asked, smiling again as she started a slow walk around the gallery. "Nico, I contacted you to see if you might be interested in playing a show here. I've had some recent changes at the gallery and I thought that it might be nice to highlight another form of art, not just visual art, here and I've been told that you're the man to see about the piano."

“Sounds like a definite plan,” Nico agreed, keeping pace with her. “And, yes, if you need a pianist, I can certainly help you out there. Do you have a piano in the gallery already, or are you planning on getting one?” he asked her, since it wasn’t the kind of instrument one could simply turn up on the doorstep with. Generally, when he was hired for the piano, there was one in situ and they just needed someone to make it sing.

"This is a very new idea, but I'm thinking that it would be nice to open up this gallery to all types of art, all kinds. I have enough room here and I'm willing to invest in a piano, to do some research on what kind to get. But if you agree, I'd like for you to be the first musician to play here. I hear you're very good at what you do." Shoshannah smiled as she walked, slowly leading him through the first room with Angelo's paintings still displayed to the second gallery room.

It was one large room that she often sectioned off into two different ones for shows with the partition wall that Madeline had designed and they'd gotten commissioned. The partition had held up somewhat well through the attack but she hadn't really used it since then. "I'm thinking we could use some of this room for your show."

“I’m excellent at what I do,” Nico agreed, never one to be unduly modest. He was confident in his abilities, and he didn’t see why he should downplay them simply for the sake of politeness. He looked around the room, considering matters. “Have you thought about, maybe on occasion, fitting music to art? It wouldn’t always work, of course. But I would be willing to work with some of your artists - an exhibition where the artist and the musician have worked together to complement. To create an experience that satisfies the eyes, the ears and the heart and soul. Music can do so much to add depth to an experience,” he mused, leaving her side and walking around the room.

Shoshannah couldn't stop smiling. The idea was perfect and while yes, it wouldn't always work, the idea had such potential. "A man after my own heart, what a perfect idea." She stepped back, taking a stock of the room. "Right now, I have a few artists who are looking for a showing, but I don't know what your musical style is so I'm not sure if it would meld together. What's your favorite thing to play? I'm sorry I don't have a piano quite yet, would be lovely to hear you play something."

Nico laughed at that, throwing his head back a little. “Oh - never ask a musician what his favourite thing to play is - you might get cursed with an honest answer,” he told her, grinning wildly, his face talking on the appearance of a little boy for a moment. “But, I’ll spare you that and give you a more acceptable answer - I can play pretty much anything. I enjoy playing most things. If I had to pick one genre - I love the freedom that comes with jazz. And I think it would be sensible for you to hear me play before you actually agree to employ me. Maybe we can arrange something over the next few days? I have a few places in town that wouldn’t mind me borrowing their instrument for an hour or so. There’s a great bar down on ninth - practically empty during the day. If it’s convenient for you, of course,” he said, winningly.

"You'll find out that I only want honest answers," Shannah said with a smile. But then he was talking about jazz and Shannah couldn't help but get the same dreamy look that talk of jazz music always gave her. "I'd love to hear you play. Anytime in the next couple days is just fine. Just say where and when and I'll be there, though I'm sure I'd just as happily hire you now as I will want to after I hear you. And if you're serious about the blending of the arts, I can have a small sampling of artists' works for you to view and see if you any speak to you musically."

“Okay - how about tomorrow from three at the Lazy Oyster?” Nico suggested, stopping himself from actually bouncing, since it was clear that this job was pretty much in the bag. But still, he didn’t want her to hire him without being sure of his talent. That didn’t sit right with him. “If I can ask - does my reputation precede me that much that you’re willing to give me the job without hearing me play, or is there something I’m missing?” he asked, because he had to. He always needed to know what was going on when people were offering him things that he didn’t feel he’d earned.

"Tomorrow at the Lazy Oyster it is," Shannah agreed, smiling more. She walked towards a painting hanging, one of a cityscape, but painted in bright colors instead of the dreary black and gray that the city actually harbored. "Your reputation is good, very good," She started, watching the painting then turning to look at him, good-natured smile still there. "But I also believe I could tell if you were bluffing about being as good as you are. All of that aside, I love art. Of all shapes and sizes. And no matter what it is, not matter what kind of art you perform, you're still an artist. I'm in a position where I can, luckily, give a safe place to artists who might want it, a place where they can play or paint or write...whatever they might do, and be respected for that. Maybe it's a little romantic but if I can have an artist come here and make something beautiful in a place where there is less and less beauty every day, why not give them that chance?"

Nico listened to what she had to say, liking her attitude more and more by the moment. It made sense - to him, anyway. “I like your attitude and really - I entirely agree with you,” he said, sounding enthused and losing the fight against bouncing for a moment. It was all he could do not to drag her out of the door and down to that bar right now, so he could show her what he could do. That wouldn’t be proper though, and there were manners which had been instilled in him from birth.

Smiling more, Shoshannah nodded. "Then it sounds like I'm in for a treat tomorrow. I can't wait," She promised. "Would you like to see the rest of the gallery?" She'd happily show him around, upstairs and down, and let him view any art that he would want. There was something about Nico that had her just smiling, something that had her in a much better mood than she'd been in yesterday.

"I would love to," Nico told her, enthusiastically. "Just lead the way," he added, gesturing for her to do just that. Since he would be working here, he wanted to know more about the place. Plus, he loved art in and of itself. He was in no hurry to go anywhere.