Now from Valencia (Spain): The paintings made it through customs [thanks to Pedro]. But when the transport company delivered the tube to the gallery, it was completely empty!
Things got a bit complicated, because even though the paintings made it through customs, when the transport company delivered the tube to the gallery, it was completely empty. The paintings were gone. I’ve shipped many artworks by courier and this had never happened to me before. Sure, some had arrived damaged, but I had never experienced paintings missing from inside the tube or box.
A bit upset with Pedro, I asked him to resolve it—he couldn't just do me the favor of getting the paintings through customs, only for them not to arrive! I prayed and entrusted him with finding them.
I got in touch with the shipping company to recover the artwork, reaching out to people across various departments. I even managed to contact the head of European operations for the multinational courier, who assured me he would do everything possible to locate them. An internal investigation was launched, but after two weeks, they emailed me to say the paintings hadn't turned up. A police report for theft was filed as well. At that point, I gave them up for lost. Since my exhibition was scheduled in two months, I started painting new pieces.
Almost two months later—on the Monday before the exhibition, which was taking place that Friday—I received an email from the shipping company telling me that the paintings had been found and would be delivered to the gallery. I knew this was Pedro’s doing, but I asked that they arrive safely and in time for the show. That meant they had to arrive by Wednesday at the latest so they could be hung on Thursday. Above all, they needed to be in good condition, which seemed almost impossible. Two rolled-up canvases, completely unprotected, traveling who-knows-where for two months and now being shipped to the gallery... it was hard to imagine they wouldn't be damaged. Sometimes artworks get damaged in transit even when protected; without any protection, it seemed like a lost cause.
I entrusted the matter to Pedro once again. The paintings arrived the very next day in excellent condition, except for a tiny, almost imperceptible mark on the canvas. Once they were stretched onto the frames, they looked perfect. That was the most surprising part of all.
As the cherry on top of Pedro’s favor, both paintings were sold. In the end, Pedro resolved what had initially seemed like a half-done favor in the absolute best way possible.
JAO (Valencia, Spain)
14 August 2026
