She sat and stared at the oil painting hanging in front of her; trying to make out what it meant. After all, that was the assignment given by the professor: to analyze and report on local art. The problem was that she could not determine what the picture was supposed to be. At one angle, it looked like an oddly shaped filing cabinet. At another angle, it looked like a television screen. No matter what, Samantha was so frustrated that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching from behind her.
"Don't look at the shapes. Look at the colors. Feel the emotions."
Samantha turned to find herself face-to-face with an older woman with red hair and thick glasses.
"Oh, thank you."
"Don't worry about it. I see students like you in here often; staring in confusion." the woman replied.
"It is a beautiful piece, but confusing because it is not exactly square. Anyways, I am not sure that I will do well on this project."
"I have a suggestion that might help you, but it depends if you have time."
"Yeah?"
"The studio closed ten minutes ago. I didn't want to disturb you, but I have to shut down the lights. However, this is my studio and my painting, so I want you to give you a private interview for your report."
"Wait, you are THE artist, Heidi Thuse?" Samantha said feeling embarrassed.
"The one and only. These days, local artists hang their art in galleries. I chose to open my own gallery. I paint, hang, and sell my work all in this building. And I would like to show you my studio."
"Really? But I don't want to waste your time."
"Darling, I invited you. Come. The decision is made."
Samantha took one last look at the piece of art hanging on the wall and followed the red-headed woman down to the basement studio.
She immediately was met by a burgundy painted room with a black leather couch and white easel. On the left of the room was a black wooden table dirtied with oil paints and objects. Along the wall, were about thirty paintings. Some of them were abstract. Others were of nude women. All of them, beautiful.
"You can sit on the couch. I will be ready in a few minutes."
"You paint nude women?" Samantha asked nervously when Heidi returned.
"Sometimes, but mostly I paint abstracts because they best represent my emotions. Take for example the picture of the red square with a black center. I painted that after I had been seduced by one of my clients. He had been staring at my paintings and I couldn't help but stare at his ass. He fucked me hard that night in the middle of my studio. It was intense. Just like the painting you see upstairs."
"I understand the intensity of red, but why black?" I notice that is a theme in many of your paintings.