Kentucky Couple Finds Long Lost Artwork in Indiana Thanks to Facebook

Last week, I shared the story of an Owensboro woman who took to Facebook to find a stained glass-style painting her husband created when he was a student at Daviess County High School in 1982. Art teacher, Mrs. Scifres gave Tim Taylor this project to do, he thinks to keep him out of trouble, and it was so beautiful that she hung it in the art room by the back door where kids and faculty could enjoy it every day. That was the last time Tim saw it for decades.

A Treasure at The Consumer Mall

In Christmas 2018, he was browsing the Consumer Mall in Owensboro when he saw it tucked back in a booth in the corner. He was surprised to see it and would have taken it home right then, but the price tag was more than he wanted to spend with it being the Holidays and having kiddos to take care of. I'm sure he figured it would still be there when he could go back to get it, but it was gone.

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Fast forward to the beginning of last week when Tim's wife Anne decided she would give it a shot and try to locate the missing painting by posting on Facebook about it. She only had one not-so-great picture of it that she shared far and wide. Their friends were supportive in their quest and that's how I found out about it.

Our mutual friend, Jennifer Pierce, had folks from all over reaching out in comments. Including a woman named Sara Riney. She lives in Atlanta, but she had been visiting relatives in Owensboro that same Christmas in 2018 and also saw the painting at Consumer Mall. She remembered taking a picture of it to send to someone and still had it in her Google archive!

"This is crazy, but I saw it at Consumers Mall over Xmas in 2018, thought it was super cool, and took a picture of it, but didn't buy it. So here's a slightly better photo of it if that helps?"

Read More: Owensboro Resident Searches For Husband's High School Artwork | https://wbkr.com/owensboro-thrift-store-painting/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

Pieces of the puzzle continued to come together as folks learned about the search for the painting. Come to find out my dear friend Lori Champion also remembered the faux stained glass that was in her husband, Steve's, booth at the Consumer Mall. She knew it hung in their pub, 3 Monkeys, down on East 4th Street before ending up for sale but had no way of knowing who purchased it in 2018.

Abbington's Dress Shop in Owensboro

After Chad and I initially discussed this story on the Morning Show, my mama, Sharon Weber, sent me a text that said "That painting hung at Abbington's." The popular formal dress shop in Owensboro that was owned by Lyle Scifres.  His wife was the art teacher who gave Tim this special project. Apparently, when Mrs. Scifres left Daviess County she took the painting with her to display there. My mom helped Lyle liquidate the business when he closed it and that is where Steve Champion got it.

So, in a fun game of six degrees of Kevin Bacon Stained Glass Edition, we put the entire history of this artwork together up until it was sold from the Consumer Mall. This is where Anne Taylor's perseverance pays off. She continued to post about her husband's art on social media including the History of Owensboro Facebook group. That is where a woman responded that the piece had been hanging in a home in Tell City, Indiana! She enjoyed it on her back porch until leaving it in the home when she moved.

Long Lost Painting Found in Tell City, Indiana

After a little more detective work, Anne found the current homeowner and took another chance. It certainly paid off. The man living there was happy to reunite the artwork with its creator and only wanted one thing in return. Chocolate chip cookies.

What a cool story about the positive aspects of social media. Not only do the Taylors now have this sentimental piece in their home to love for years to come, but Tim was reminded of the joy his creativity has brought to countless people in the forty-plus years it has been displayed in the tri-state. That is pretty priceless.