A woman spotted a piece of artwork from across the aisle at a thrift store and immediately knew she wanted it for her home, but as she got closer, the $30 price tag started to look like even more of a bargain.
Sara, who is known on Instagram as @thriftswithsara, told Newsweek that the size of the piece and its professional framing were the first things that caught her attention, noting it was likely more expensive than the thrift store listed it for. But it was only when she inspected the artwork more closely that she spotted two details that made her suspect she had found something special.
"When I got closer and saw that it was signed with pencil, not just a print, and numbered, that's where the real value is," she said.
The artwork turned out to be Enchanted Forest, a serigraph by artist John Powell. She shared in a September 23 Instagram video, posted to her account @thriftswithsara, that she paid just $30 for the find, which she believes could be worth close to $1,000.
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Powell, who was born in Hollywood, California, began painting at the age of 16, according to his official website. His work was known for precise and intricate compositions, often reflecting his love of color, flowers, gardens, pottery and art from around the world. Powell held one-man shows in the United States and Japan and continued painting until shortly before his death in May 2025 at the age of 94.
This specific piece is a serigraph, which refers to a form of screen printing that involves forcing ink through a fine mesh screen onto a surface, while a stencil blocks the ink from passing through certain areas to form the image.
Other examples of the work offered for sale online describe it as a limited-edition printer's proof on paper, numbered and hand-signed by Powell. One listing on eBay has it going for $625, while another edition sold on iCollector for $425 in April 2025.
However, its potential value wasn't what initially caught her attention.
"I was really excited when I saw it first because I just liked it and wanted it for my home," she said. "I'm not a reseller, so the value is cool to know but I never planned on selling it."
Instead, the artwork has found a permanent spot in her home, where it fits perfectly with her love of objects that come with an interesting past. She said in the caption that she'll find herself looking up at the artwork while sitting and reading the room, stunned by its beauty and detail, as well as the fact that somebody had decided to donate it.
"I just think it's always cool to have things with stories in my home," Sara said. "That's what my whole page is about, the stories behind things."