Family treasure reappears after being stolen a decade ago
- Krazy Azz Thrift Store
- Oct 17, 2019
- 2 min read
Brittany Bade
You may not see the work of late Clovis artist Laura West in major museums or galleries, but you can find it all across New Mexico.
“She’s been published in magazines. She has a painting in the Roundhouse,” said Cash Clifton, West’s grandson.
Still, the Clifton family’s favorite place to see West’s work is hanging in their homes.
“I’m a little biased because I’m her grandson but I think her art is just fabulous,” said Clifton.
West died after a long fought battle with an autoimmune disease called Polymyositis and Alzheimer’s.
“I do miss her a lot, everyday,” said Clifton.
Once the family started going through West’s home, they quickly started realizing several pieces of West’s art was missing.
“There was so much artwork I don’t know that we would’ve noticed right away if something was missing,” said Clifton.
Clifton and his family believe that West’s caretaker slowly stole West’s pieces and they assumed they’d never see the missing art again.
That is, until, Clifton got a Facebook message from a stranger a few weeks ago.
“A stranger said I have a piece of your grandmother’s artwork and I’d like to return it,” said Clifton.
The Clovis native, who now lives in Albuquerque, was shocked to find out a thrift store just a few miles away from his home had one of his grandmother’s paintings.
“They sent me a picture of the painting and a picture of her writing on the back. It was so emotional. I have some of her artwork in my office as well and I remember staring at that piece of artwork and just thinking, wow we’ve got one more,” said Clifton.
The owners at Scavengers Thrift Store on Menaul and Eubank told KRQE News 13 they came across a handwritten message on the back of one of their recently acquired paintings.
The message said, in part, “From Laura West. Return to her or Diana Clifton, her daughter or Cash Clifton, her grandson. Clovis, NM.”
The owner says she sensed this painting wasn’t with its rightful owner and did everything she could to find the people whose names were written on the back.
“Just to know as a family we have one more piece, that’s magical,” said Clifton.
Clifton says this isn’t just any piece of his grandmother’s artwork.
“This particular painting took months,” said Clifton.
The floral print was one of the first pieces West painted after regaining the use of her hands. An autoimmune disease partially paralyzed the artist.
“In 1991, my grandmother was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Polymyositis. It essentially resulted in her being paralyzed. It was a very slow recovery. She slowly gained use of her muscles again [but] she never fully recovered,” said Clifton.
For Clifton, having another memory of his grandma to hang in his home is priceless.
“She was just incredible,” said Clifton.
Clifton tried to pay the store for reuniting him with the painting but they wouldn’t let him, insisting it was just the right thing to do.
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