DIA
Another moderately interesting story about my painting– While still teaching, I rolled up three big canvases and, with my wife, took them down to the DIA ( Detroit Institute of Art) to the director of Contemporary Art. He had agreed to evaluate their artistic merit with a written statement.
In his office, I unfurled the canvases on the floor (very formal) for his purusal- which turned out to be very favorable.
Near closing time we departed with canvases rolled up on my shoulder and headed for the stairwell. We descended about four flights of stairs only to discover that each exit door was locked, as were all entry doors , thus believing that we might spend overnight in the stairway at the DIA.
We began to ascend and try each exit door, finally one opened out onto the mezzanine with its darkened galleries filled with masterpieces. Expecting to have a warning shot fired across our bow, we found our way to the great descending staircase with our roll of paintings, and down to the main lobby, where oddly enough, a uniformed guard cheerfully waved us out the front door with our loot.