Uma had ridden the studio zip line, asked 676 questions (or so – I lost count) and beamed with that enthusiastic bright-eyed enthusiasm of a twelve year old girl enchanted with her first visit to Montana. Too cool. She carried “Wee Bunny” around carefully in the palm of her hand and petted the sweet little sculpture as if it were a real little creature. Uma had fallen in love with the bronze while her mother was busy picking out a series of original “Works on Paper” for their home in Nashville, TN.

I told her I had a payment plan and she hopped like a bunny herself, all grins while she scrambled to dig her purse out of their traveling mobile. Uma proudly gave me a $20.00 bill. I promised to add her to my eNewsletter list and we had a deal. She hopes to pay off her own “Wee Bunny” in time to nab edition number 40/100 because she LOVES the idea that #40 will go toward educating a girl in Pakistan (see the blog post below). I hear Uma is scheming ways to save money to finish her sculpture purchase – she is crocheting headbands while the family drives through the Rocky Mountains.

A number of youngsters have received original Amber Jean art as gifts (i.e. “Wee Bunny” #21 was just purchased from a gallery owner as a baby shower gift for her little niece – what a great idea!) But Uma gets the status of being my “youngest official collector.” I was like her at that age - willing to make payments and work toward something I really loved.

I don’t know who is more excited – me or her?