Allow me to introduce to you the Branchwood Brothers, Earl and Ebenezer — Ebbs for short. They are a pair of art curators who work with a mysterious clientèle. Although the brothers are close and share the company with each other, they have very different mindsets and soon reach the conclusion that their views on certain individual artists are not all that they seem.
‘Shouldn’t you like to do something new?’
‘Stepping out and beginning again is a risky venture,’ Earl replied abruptly. ‘What would father have said of us giving up what he struggled to build so we would be able to continue on with the mill in peace and safety, just to throw it out the window, and all for what – art – which to live upon is madness unless one gets noticed by the Salon? It’s not respectable.’
‘Peace and safety? Are you in perfect denial over what just happened?’ his younger brother enquired with a sarcastic chuckle, ‘it’s not like we’d be letting all the workers go in order to become curators; they had to leave due to this unforeseen fire. Rebuilding what father established would cost too many years to reconstruct and more money than we can afford.’ After a pause, Ebenezer continued thoughtfully, ‘I do believe you are bitter that you were persuaded not to take up a career in art, seeing as it was “not respectable,” and felt it was your duty as the eldest son to follow in your father’s footsteps.’
‘Ebbs! That is…’ began Earl most agitated, but he was interrupted by his brother’s eager persistence.
‘Now is your chance! Not only to take up your painting and drawing again, but you are also given the opportunity to help others achieve success in their work, and in a field, I know, you greatly esteem. I was never the talented one, but I am confident that I have just as much passion for supporting artists as you do if you would only allow yourself to express what you were meant to do.’
~Estelle Pogson, Earl and Ebbs