Your trusting and susceptible editor has just placed four tubes of oil paints and a large brush into the sticky fingers of a thief. Though this represents a total loss of only a few dollars, several other painting students have succumbed to the wiles of this crafty burglar, who swipes the articles almost right before our unobserving eyes.
In making these raids, the anonymous caller waits until one of the rooms of the art building is devoid of people and then plunders the supplies. One of his peculiar quirks is his discrimination in pilfering. He may only take certain colors of paint or brush of a particular size.
Prior to this looting, we felt free to leave our paraphernalia in an accessible spot, so that at the beginning of the next class we could pick up immediately where we left off. Also if anyone of our fellow artists wants to borrow, he is certainly welcome to, and could easily find what he needs.
Now this thievery has left us two disagreeable alternatives. First, we can lug the whole set of equipment home. This includes linseed oil, turpentine, canvases, various colored paints, pallet and pallet knife, and brushes, just to name some. Or we can put our supplies under lock and key and hope that our “fanatical friend” doesn’t possess a talent for picking locks.
Does this situation affect you if you’ve never lifted a brush in your life and think a canvas is something that makes a nifty tent? Yes, for the simple reason that this culprit probably doesn’t confine himself to just the fine arts as a source for his looting. Unguarded purses, books, slide rules, etc. might very well be a strong temptation for the bold bandit. He’d make a great magician the way he makes things disappear.
Of course the administration at TC is not at fault. The art building must be kept open during the day in order that students will be able to spend their spare time working on their paintings if they wish.
Let’s put out more effort to keep an eye on everything we consider of value. I learned from experience. Will you?
—Lesley Sims