Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover

It had been nearly five years since university friends Lily and Kate last saw each other. It was when they graduated and ventured out onto their chosen career paths. Lily had gotten her BA in Fine Art and dreamt of her paintings being shown in all the best galleries. While gaining a first in commerce, Kate found her niche in asset risk management with one of the top banks in the world.

Kate’s call was unexpected, which surprised Lily. She was in town and wanted to catch up for lunch for old-time’s sake. Lily agreed, though she was unprepared and had mixed feelings about meeting Kate.  Through the university grapevine, Lily learned that Kate had succeeded in her ascent of the corporate ladder. In contrast, Lily struggled to make any inroads with her art, earning a frugal living from teaching at the local community centre.

The restaurant Kate chose was an upmarket, modern eatery on the 24th floor with stunning views of the city and mountains beyond. When Lily stepped from the elevator, she wondered if the choice of location was a metaphor for Kate’s accomplishments – a comparison she could hardly ignore.

Kate was already sat at a window table, looking flawless in a designer blouse, tailored pants and killer Louboutin heels. She waved when she saw Lily and stood to greet her with a beaming smile.

“Lily, it’s been ages. How are you?” said Kate, standing back and appraising Lily.

“Fine, fine, thanks, just great. How have you been?” Lily responded, wishing she had worn something other than the thrift shop ensemble she had on. And why hadn’t she made more effort to scrub the paint from under her nails and apply some hand cream?

“Oh, you know, busy as heck, always on the go,” Kate replied dismissively, waving a hand. “Having a round-the-clock job is so demanding, but I love it.”

“Oh, rather you than me,” Lily said more curtly than she intended. “That corporate grind must be so..…soulless, constantly chasing the dollar.”

Kate blinked at the observation but bounced back quickly, redirecting her attention to Lily. “Enough about me — what have you been doing? “I hear you’re teaching art now.”

Lily bristled inwardly. She wanted to brag about her art achievements, but it was far less glittery. “Ooh, it’s only for a while,” she lied. “I’m curating a new collection for a big show next year.” Well, she thought, it’s not so far from the truth; I am thinking about it, at least.
“Oh, that’s so exciting. Keep me in the loop; I’d love to come to the big opening.” Said Kate, with genuine interest.

“Sure, no problem. And how long are you in town for?” asked Lily, changing the subject quickly.

“Just a few days to see Mum and Dad. I flew in from Paris – I met with some European bankers there. Still, I wanted to see them before flying to the Caribbean for a holiday.”

Paris, thought Lily longingly, I’d love to go to Paris and visit all of those fantastic art galleries and museums? The Louvre, D’orsay, Montemarte!

The waiter appeared at their table, stirring Lily from her reverie.  Kate ordered a Caesar Salad with a glass of chardonnay while Lily scanned the menu for the cheapest option.

“I’m not very hungry, so I’ll have a bowl of chips and a side of tomato sauce,” ordered Lily, “And a glass of water, please.”

She spotted Kate’s quizzical look, “I had a late breakfast not long ago, and I’ve been off the wine for a week now, detoxing.”

Kate gave her a small smile. Her discomfort became evident when she turned her attention to the expansive vista stretching out to the horizon.

The conversation ebbed and flowed. An undercurrent of tension prevailed, and Lily looped back to her earlier critique of Kate’s career. “I just don’t get how crunching numbers and closing deals could ever compare to creating something meaningful—something that stirs the soul.”

“Creativity comes in many forms, Lily. I’m creative when I analyse problems and find solutions,” said Kate. “My clients love me for it.”

“But that’s not real creativity. That’s just to keep the wheels of the machine turning. Real creativity comes from gaining visual, emotional and sensual pleasure from art forms – painting, music, dance, theatre. That’s true creativity.”

Kate responded, “Well, I’ve worked hard to get to where I am today, and I’ve had to be pretty creative to achieve it. It’s not easy, as a young woman, being in the minority and working in a field that’s dominated by men?”

“I guess that’s the difference between your career and mine. There are just as many men artists as women, so our playing field is more level.”

“Is it?” enquired Kate, “If we were to ask those people at that table to quickly name ten famous artists, who do you think they’d say – Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Matisse, Renoir, Da Vinci, Michelangelo! And that’s just for starters.”

“But they’re old masters; there are lots of famous women artists making a name for themselves these days.” Replied Lily.

“Great, I applaud them,” countered Kate, “And how hard did they have to fight to become recognised? I bet they were up against some stodgy traditionalists who weren’t keen to let women into their boy’s club. When you think about it, Lily, it’s like any industry. My work might not hang in a gallery, but it makes an impact.”

Lily sat back, deflated. She knew what Kate said was true; she had been fighting hard for years to make a name for herself. Sometimes, the failure was her art and other times, it was because she was a woman trying to break into a field that shouldn’t be gender-discriminating.

Snatching a few chips from the bowl, Lily plunged them into the tomato sauce and then devoured them in one bite. She stared at Kate, thinking if she should counterattack.

With a warm smile, Kate stared back at Lily, then said, “I don’t know why we’ve got off on the wrong foot, Lily, I was so looking forward to catching up, but it seems that you are only prepared to do battle. Perhaps this stems from some deep-seated insecurities you need to work on?”

Gazing upon Kate, Lily remembered their university days when they spent countless hours together going from art gallery to art gallery, talking about their shared love and interest in art. Lily followed her passion, whereas she viewed Kate as playing it safe by selling out to pursue a corporate career.  

Tears welled in Lily’s eyes. She can’t hide it any longer. “I’m so sorry for being a bitch, Kate. Truth is, I’m just not cutting it as an artist. I feel like a failure; I’m nearly broke and have nothing to show. I still live in rented accommodation in a shared house, I don’t take fancy holidays, well, any holidays for that matter, and all I can afford to eat in this place is a bowl of chips and a glass of water.”

Lily raised her eyes to Kate, expecting to see a cold look of disdain, but instead, Kate smiled and put her hand over Lily’s, giving it a friendly squeeze.

“Lily, you may think I’ve sold out, but in truth, I envy you. You followed your passion and didn’t let anything stand in your way. Perhaps you put too high a standard on yourself that was difficult to achieve, but you gave it a go, and you’re still young. I’m sure you’ll achieve your goals if you just have more faith in yourself.”

Lily looked at her friend and appreciated her kindness.

“Look,” said Kate; “I wanted to tell you this sooner, but it didn’t seem appropriate to come out with it straight from the get-go. I’m a patron and sponsor of a new local art gallery opening tomorrow. It supports emerging artists. We’ve got a wonderful exhibition of a new rising star, Josephine Le Blanc, whose work I’m sure you’ll love. Please come as my guest. I’ll introduce you to her and the gallery’s owner, Antoine.”

Lily’s eyes widened with surprise. Her initial assumptions of Kate’s soulless life were shaken when she heard this. With some trepidation, she accepted the invitation.  

The evening of the gallery opening is a warm and balmy night. Lily, dressed in a soft peasant-style paisley dress and open sandals showing off her newly manicured toes, stood in the doorway. She is struck by the showrooms’ elegance and the expertly lit pieces hanging on the walls. Her nerves are soothed by the warm buzz of conversation and the genuine passion from attending artists and patrons alike.

Across the room, she sees Kate effortlessly bridging the gap between artists and patrons; her passion for the arts is palpable.

Lily realised how she had made a bad judgment call on Kate. Her support for the arts was significant. She hadn’t sold out; in fact, she had done more for the arts than Lily had done in the past five years. By using her problem-solving skills and business contacts, Kate brought art to ordinary people. She allowed emerging artists to showcase their material.

“She’s right; creativity does take many forms,” thought Lily, simultaneously feeling admiration for Kate and regret for judging her so quickly.

Lily spent the evening admiring Josephine’s beautiful pieces. She met people who, when they heard she too was an artist, showed considerable interest in seeing her work.

As the evening ended, Lily approached Kate.

“This was a wonderful evening, Kate; thank you so much for inviting me.”

“You’re more than welcome, Lily. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“I did, very much. And….,” Lily hesitated, finding the right words, “I want to apologise for misjudging you. Truthfully, I was feeling insecure about your success, and I suppose I was jealous too. I am so sorry for being so mean to you when we had lunch.”

Kate drew Lily into a warm embrace. “You have nothing to apologise for. We’ve all felt a bit insecure and intimidated at times. I have felt that way many times. I am in awe of people working in my company, and I get totally tongue-tied when I meet them.”

Lily stepped back, taking in Kate’s polished look, hardly believing what she had just revealed to her.

“Look, I’ve already started the ball rolling and told Antoine that he should consider you for an exhibition of your work. He’d love to see some of your pieces, so give him a ring and arrange a time and date to do so.”

As Lily stepped onto the street, the warm air wrapping comfortingly around her, she felt humbled by the experience and grateful to Kate, who proved to be a good friend despite the different career paths they chose.

She felt inspired by Kate’s support and realised that collaboration, not isolation, is the way for her to move forward.

With a renewed perspective, Lily headed home, mentally sketching ideas for a new collection and determined not to allow defeat to stand in her way.