This Woman Struck Gold When She Found A World-Famous Artist’s Rare Masterpiece In A Thrift Store

For Wendy Hawkins, it seems like just another ordinary day. She’s at the thrift store where she volunteers, sorting through all the unwanted artworks that have been donated there. These pieces tend to fetch anywhere between $10 and $50 each, but sometimes one shows up that’s a little more special than the rest. Today, it turns out, is one of those rare occasions. Lying on the ground right now is something that Hawkins senses is exceptional – and she’s right. This work, incredibly, was created by one the greatest artists in modern history.

To say that this development was a surprise would be putting it mildly. After all, things like this just don’t usually happen in the sleepy towns along the mid-section of America’s eastern seaboard. But then again, the North Carolina community of Kitty Hawk has something of a track record when it comes to influential people and historic events.

When the Wright Brothers were developing their flying machine in 1900, Kitty Hawk served as the perfect place to test its capabilities. The town, after all, is built close to hills that are ideal for launching gliders skywards, plus there’s plenty of wind that sweeps through the area. And all that sand along the coast would’ve made for a soft landing, should things have gone awry. With all that in mind, the Wrights worked away in the town for three years,and they famously achieved man’s first ever powered flight in 1903.

That was a long time ago, though, and Kitty Hawk has since maintained a pretty low profile. The community seems to pride itself on maintaining a quaint, quiet vibe, away from the hustle and bustle of more urbanized areas. But despite the community’s seeming calm, the eyes of the world turned back to it in March 2020.

That was when media outlets got wind of Hawkins’ discovery at the town’s Hotline Pink Thrift Shop. Ordinarily just a normal place, this store is actually one of five outlets run by the non-profit organization Hotline. These shops sell stuff like clothes, books and tools – anything that’s donated to them – in order to raise money for local services and initiatives.