Owner	Pose
Natasha Cranston	Paxton Hall isn't nearly as ostentatious as the name sugggests; in fact, it's a fairly small gallery. It owes its continued existence to a number of endowments, and its remit is to exhibit local artists - mainly sculptors and painters, although some more exotic exhibits are not uncommon - who have not yet had a chance to be discovered.     For the artists, it's a good opportunity to display their work and hopefully sell a bust or two     For the patrons, it's an excellent way to obtain something appropriately unique for not too much money.     For the media, it's a nice near-routine page-six article.     For Natasha, it's a convenient excuse; the trail of a smuggling operation dealing in alien artifacts leads through Metropolis and an impromptu 'shopping trip' for new art to grace the local office makes for an excellent cover...     As exhibits go, this one is relatively modest, but at the same time the almost rudimentary catering matches well with the general atmosphere. The sculptures themselves are much more stylized than lifelike, although clearly not abstract, but somehow well defined despite a sense of simplicity. Several of the artists themselves are present, more than willing to explain the nature of their work to any prospective buyer. One of them is currently explaining the finer details of her work and the reasoning behind her choice in material and style to Natasha, who seems to be doing her best to look like she understands more than half of the explanation while sipping champagne...
Nia Nal	Nia has never been somewhere as fancy as this. She has dressed in her best, with a sweeping, pale blue dress with a darker blue, thick belt. It's a cute look for her, for sure, with her dark hair up and back and her glasses perched on her nose. A keen eye would recognize the dress from the rack at a local outlet, though. A reporter of her level doesn't really get paid bank, afterall.     She moves through the crowd, chewing her soft lip a bit as she holds a drink in one hand. She has a matching purse over one shoulder, looking like it is there less for style and more for utility, which is something that makes her stand out, for sure. A DAILY PLANET press badge is clipped to her chest, which explains the small camera she has swinging from a wristband on her other hand. Otherwise, no photos. She pauses beside Natasha and the artist who is speaking to her, and she waits patiently for an opening. When it's there, however, her attention is first on the artist.     "Donovan Price? Hello! Nia Nal, with the Daily Planet. Is it okay if I got a picture of you with your work?" A pretty, apologetic smile is offered to Natasha for interrupting.
Natasha Cranston	"... which is why I've always felt that granite is a criminally underused art medium and-- Huh? Oh, of course." Donovan blinks as his conversational flow is interrupted, but then gathers himself enough to strike what he clearly hopes is a photogenic pose in front of his artwork. Natasha shoots Nia a hint of a grateful look as she edges away, ostensibly to get out of the picture frame.     "These are only some of my works, of course, but I suppose they had to leave ''some'' room for other artists' stuff..."     Most of his works appear rough-hewn granite, trying to evoke a more 'primitive' feel by the looks of it, focusing on busts.
Nia Nal	She takes the required photos and smiles and nods to his explanations. After a few moments, though, she manages a genial, "Oh, there's a reporter from the Times here, also. I saw him over by the wine glasses. I know he was -really- interested in getting your thoughts on the new phases of modern art..." Nia waits for the man to depart before she lets out a small, thankful sigh, and tucks a locke of her dark hair behind one of her ears. She looks over and spots Natasha, then, and makes her way over.     "At least most of the people here have been nice to deal with so far," she says," offering a friendly smile.
Natasha Cranston	"Most of the artists have an easier time remembering that their financial security for the next year may very well hinge on a prospective patron being favourably inclined," Natasha agrees with a slightly wan smile, then extends the hand not currently holding a glass.     "I'm Natasha. And I do believe I owe you a favor now, miss Nal," she smiles. "First, though, we'd best find a different part of the exhibit before your fellow reporter manages to extract themselves..."
Nia Nal	She reaches out to lightly shake that hand and laughs softly before she nods. "Let's do that. They were serving drinks over there and that sounds pretty perfect right about now..." She walks along with the older woman, glancing over at her after a moment. "I recognize the name, even though I don't normally handle the Society page. Still, I know I've read it before."
Natasha Cranston	Natasha chuckles. "It's a perfectly common name," she points out as she picks up a new glass. "And it's been a while since I last caused enough of a scandal to make the society pages, for that matter -- besides, when I do it's usually in New York."     She smiles at Nia as she takes another sip, her eyes glittering with just a hint of mischief and challenge...
Nia Nal	He grins a little bit. "Okay, fine. I -might- have a better memory for common names that are attached to beautiful women, alright?" Nia grins, embarassed, and picks up a drink to take a long sip. "Oooh, gin and tonic. Very nice." She turns back towards the woman, grinning a bit.     "So, what brings you? Looking for someone to sponsor?"
Natasha Cranston	Natasha raises an eyebrow at the compliment, then smiles again. "Flattery is always appreciated, but it won't get you answers that easily," she replies.     "And thrift shopping, mostly; the local office needs some new artwork in the lobby and I felt the urge to take care of it personally..."     She pauses by a significantly more intricate sculpture, this one with the telltale sheen of plastic, but lacking an obvious seams despite clearly consisting of multiple interlocking components. "... Interesting," she murmurs, then looks at the nearby artist. "... Made with a 3D printer, I presume?" she asks.     The woman nods. "Yes. I'm aware that it's normally regarded as something of a cop-out among purists, but I think the potential is at least worth exploring..." She continues on, clearly passionate about her work.
Nia Nal	Nia brings her drink along as she follows her to the piece of art. She takes a sip of her wine and glances between the woman and the artist and back. She stays quiet for a moment before she grins.     "That's a really interesting take. I mean, art has always advanced with tech, right? Or...in bursts, at least. Tons of potential there, I figure..."     The girl trails off, though, letting them talk.
Natasha Cranston	"Yes, exactly!" the woman replies, nodding enthusiastically. "We had art when all we did was draw with ochre on cave walls or carve bits of wood and bone, we had art when the Sumerians sculpted their gods in clay, and when the Romans carved theirs out of marble; we had art when da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa with oil paint... Art isn't dependent on or limited to a medium or tool -- and when new mediums and new tools allow us to experiment with new kinds of art, older art doesn't become "less valid" in any way."     Natasha smiles and nods. "No zero-sum game with art, in other words?" she comments, then continues without waiting for an answer. "So what was your thought behind this one? It feels somewhat geometric..."     Another nod. "Essentially it's a three-dimensional representation of a fractal, using..."     The rest of her explanation quickly devolves into advanced mathematics, but she certainly sounds enthusiastic about it.
Nia Nal	Nia takes some notes about the explanation for her story until it evolves, or devolves, into overcomplicated talk. She furrows her brow a bit and cloises her notebook and tucks it away. She sips her wine and glances aside to take in the rest of the event until Natasha is done with her conversation. She isn't one to interrupt. Only when the artist moves on to another possible patron does she flash a small grin.     "Well, that went clear over my head," the woman admits with a small laugh, and she shrugs a shoulder."
Natasha Cranston	"To be honest, mine as well," Natasha admits, then winks. "The trick is to smile, nod, and keep an ear out for key words that let you ask a question that at least ''sounds'' like you understand what's going on, and eventually they'll either drift off entirely or they bring it down to somewhere you can understand."
Nia Nal	The woman grins softly at that and nods. "Sounds like you went to school with me. I learned pretty much the same thing. That way you can still report on something you don't personally understand. Thankfully we're -normally- assigned to stuff we have some idea of. It usually means a lot of studying off schedule, though."
Natasha Cranston	"And failing that, frantic speedreading while on the train to your destination?" Natasha teases, smiling. "That does sound like an interesting job, though, if perhaps sometimes stressful. At least you'll never stay bored for long, with potentially a new challenge every day... Oh, one moment."     The woman turns and reaches out to snatch a fresh glass off the tray of a passing waiter.     "So I take it that the local art scene isn't your usual beat, then?" she asks after taking a sip.