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Arthur Dove

Posted in Early Paintings, Favorite Things, Influences, Technique/History, tagged , , , on January 8, 2010| 2 Comments »

When I was first starting to paint, one of the painters that I admired when I first ran across his work was the Modernist painter of the early 20th century, Arthur Dove.  As I was beginning to form my own visual vocabulary, I found many similarities in how Dove and I represented certain elements in our paintings. This gave me a feeling that I may be following the right path and gave me a little more certainty and confidence in my own work.  I was also drawn by the duality in his work between the abstract and the representational.  There was always the sense that you were looking at something recognizable and familiar even when there was definite abstraction present.  This was something I have aspired for in my own work.

I didn’t know much about the man but was also pleased when I found that he was from the Finger Lakes region of NY  and had been educated just up the road at Cornell.  No big deal, obviously, but it gave me an insight into the influence of the local landscape in his work and his eye that I could compare to my own.

One of the factors in being self-taught for me, was in finding an artist that I could identify with , who seemed to have a similar feel for how things would translate in different media.  I am surprised, even today, how much of my early work resembles some Dove pieces that I have only seen recently for the first time.

I can’t say I loved all of Dove’s work.  I don’t know if anybody can say that about any other human if their work fully represents them.  But I do admire the spirit and feeling of his work and know my work is better for it.

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Mummers!

Posted in Favorite Things, Neat Stuff, Television, Video, tagged , , on January 4, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday was the annual appearance of the Mummer’s Parade from Philadelphia, which has been going on for a couple of hundred years there although the first “official” parade was held in 1901.  It’s usually held on or around New Year’s Day and fills Broad Street in Philly with incredibly costumed bands playing out pretty ornate choreographed pieces.  The amazing thing is how much effort is put in by the social clubs of that city throughout the year, practicing and making the stunning costumes, for the five minutes or so they get in the spotlight.

The idea of the Mummer’s Parade is derived from the Mummer’s Plays of medieval Europe where groups of costumed performers went door to door, acting out their simple plays which had many regional variations but normally involved a Hero being killed by some sort of evil opponent then being revived by a Doctor of sorts, usually on the day after Christmas.  It has survived in many parts of the world and is still often practiced during the holiday season with revelers going from home to home, singing and accepting drinks and such from their hosts.

They show part of the parade annually on WGN , the nationally broadcast superstation out of Chicago, and we always watch at least part of it.  It’s a great scene and you have to admire the dedication these groups have for the tradition of this parade.  Cheri has often said that it would be a great setting for a movie from Christopher Guest and company, of Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and Waiting For Guffman fame.  These movies usually have self-contained environments and casts of really interesting characters.  Perfect fit for this parade. Maybe Murder at the Mummers?

Here’s an example of one of the string bands, one of the different competing divisions:

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First Time

Posted in Favorite Things, Painting, tagged on January 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I received an e-mail this morning from a person who was looking to obtain her first painting and was asking for some advice on where and how to buy.  This is an e-mail I receive quite often and I’m always particularly interested in the first-time collector.  There is something very exciting in that first acquisition, for them and for me as well.

For the would-be collector, there is that first flush of excitement in finding something original that really strikes a chord within them, that triggers some emotional response in them unlike any time before.  A response strong enough to make them willing to make a leap of faith based on their own subjective view of a piece of art and spend more money than they normally would on something for just themselves. With this excitement there’s also a bit of fear mixed in.  They’re doing something they’ve never done before and they afraid of making a mistake, afraid of turning this initial giddiness of discovery into an event of regret.  It’s a big, scary step into a world that seems foreign to them.

I understand that all too well.  Maybe that’s why I find first-time collectors so appealing.  I really like the idea of de-mystifying the process of art buying and letting people know they have nothing to fear in most galleries.  They see the art galleries as dens of snobs and elitists, a place where their choices will be belittled or mocked for a lack of knowledge.  In fact, there is truly no right or wrong in choosing a piece of art nor is there any secret knowledge required.  If you like something, you like it.  If you don’t, you don’t.  My response to people who say, embarrassed,  that they don’t know anything about art is to say , “Well, you know what you like and what you don’t.  What more do you need to know?”

All that’s needed is the courage to take that small leap.

For me, I am drawn to this leap they’re willing to make.  I know when they take that first piece into their home, it will mean something very special to them even if they go on to obtain more art in the future, especially if it takes a sacrifice of sorts to get that first painting.   And if it is the only piece they ever buy, it will maintain a place of honor in their home.

And that’s all an artist can ask for his work- an audience that will continue to enjoy their work for years to come.

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Kennedy Center Honors 2009

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, Television, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 30, 2009| Leave a Comment »

They showed the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors on television last night.  It’s always an interesting show, highlighting the careers of some of the most enduring and venerable performers and entertainers.  A virtual who’s who of our culture over the last half century.

For me, this years group of honorees was as good as it gets across the board.  You had high culture with operatic hero Grace Bumbry, jazz culture with the ever hip piano of Dave Brubeck, rock and roll with Bruce Springsteen, the world of comedy from Mel Brooks and the ultimate in dramatic acting from Robert De Niro.  What an incredible group.

One of the highlights for me was the absolute look of joy on Dave Brubeck’s face as his four sons joined in to play a medley of his compositions.  The night fell on his 89th birthday and he seems to be a testament to the longevity of those who are able to follow their passion.  I don’t know squat about jazz but what I feel is that Brubeck’s work has appeal across the spectrum of listeners out there.  There’s enough stellar playing and complicated rhythms to satisfy real jazz fans yet it’s incredibly accessible to the less savvy, like me.  Great stuff.

Of course, the other was the tribute to Bruce Springsteen.  I’ve been a big fan for well over 30 years and it’s been interesting to see how he has transformed into an elder statesman of  popular music.  I think that Jon Stewart hit it right on the head for me when he spoke of Bruce’s willingness to empty the tank for his audience every night as being the thing that most struck him and influenced him as a young fan.  I know seeing Bruce when I was younger made me hungry to find something, anything, that would make me feel that same passion and commitment in my own life.  Something where, like Bruce, I could give everything I had.  The medium wasn’t important.  It was all about the spirit of the effort, the total dedication to your own vision.  That is always in the back of mind when I see him, even today.

I remember writing a letter in the 70’s (long before e-mail) to Dave Marsh, the Rolling Stone editor who had just written an early bio of Bruce, describing how the music affected me.  I was working in a factory and couldn’t see anything on the horizon but when I listened to Bruce I was no longer a loser, a factory drone.  I had hope.  It was very much how Jon Stewart described his own experience.  Marsh responded with a lovely handwritten letter, that I still prize today, telling me how he was moved by my letter.  That, too, served as inspiration to search further, to give more.

Thanks, Bruce, for the inspiration.  You deserve this honor…

Here’s nice version of My City of Ruins from night’s show, performed by Eddie Vedder.  Enjoy.

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Kid Stuff

Posted in Favorite Things, Neat Stuff, tagged on December 29, 2009| 5 Comments »

My sister asked me to frame this for  my nephew, Jeremy,  for Christmas.  It’s a self-portrait done by his longtime friend and now fiancee, Eliza, when she was 9 years old, which means it was done two years ago.  Just kidding.  It was a couple of decades back.

I just love this piece.  There is just something there, like a lot of kid’s art that I’ve been fortunate to see, that has a real sense of rightness.  There is an innocence in its expression and feeling with an innate and natural sophistication that goes beyond the nine years of experience Eliza had at the time.  By that, I mean that she is expressing things with this little painting in a natural way that older, much more experienced painters struggle to find in their own work, even with all their years of acquired knowledge and technical sophistication.

I think therein lies the beauty of folk art and kid’s art’s place in it: True self expression with what you know and how you view things without trying to represent the work or yourself as more sophisticated than you really are.  When the feeling behind the work is genuine, the level of sophistication becomes secondary.  I think we’ve all seen paintings done by highly skilled artists that are skillfully rendered but raise no feeling within us, seemingly devoid of emotion.  It’s like they are so concerned with technique that they lose the emotion of what they’re trying to portray, whereas kid’s art often is so much about being able to freely express themselves that the feeling is carried through the process and actually enhanced with each unsteady stroke of paint.

I’m sure many of you out there see a steady stream of kid’s work and brush off a lot of it.  Take an extra moment and look a little deeper and you’ll see some wonderful things from these little beings.  Fresh eyes…

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Merry Christmas From the Family

Posted in Favorite Things, Video, tagged , on December 24, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Well, it’s the day before Christmas.  I’ve been fairly fortunate in my life in that Christmas has normally brought nothing but pleasant memories of moments spent with family and friends.  Family get-togethers and quiet moments spent with Cheri fill my Christmas memory bank.  Oh, there have been moments of sadness, such as that first Christmas that fell several weeks after my mother died, but for the most part Christmas has been relatively free of the drama and tensions of everyday life.

As I said, I am pretty fortunate.

I thought for today I would simply show a video from Robert Earl Keen of his  Merry Christmas From the Family, a song that always makes me smile.  It sort of reminds me of some of the Christmases of my youth.

Have a great Christmas eve…

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At the West End

Posted in Favorite Things, tagged , on December 23, 2009| Leave a Comment »

It’s two days before Christmas and rushing towards the end of this year and into the next.  2010.

As I’ve noted in recent posts, for me this the time of year when I am regrouping and trying to gain focus on the direction of my work for the upcoming year.  I am working out new ideas and planning how I want to put my solo shows together, thematically.

For the short term, starting the day after Christmas and going until the day before New Year’s Eve, I will be at the West End Gallery in Corning, NY.  If you’re in the area, please feel free to stop in and take a leisurely browse through this great gallery.  I’ll be there to answer questions about my work so if you’re interested, come on in.

During that time at the West End, I will be bringing in a few pieces from my archives that haven’t been shown in a while.  Some will be available  for this time only.  There will also be a few surprises, so stop in and spend a few minutes.  I’ll be looking for you!

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Must Be Santa

Posted in Favorite Things, Neat Stuff, Video, tagged , on December 22, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Just a few days before Christmas and I can’t get a particular Christmas song out of my head.  Infectious.

It’s Must Be Santa and it’s from Bob Dylan.

Yep, Bob Dylan.

He has a new CD of Christmas songs, all done in his own way.  Some are old chestnuts that work better than others but the one that shines for me is Must be Santa.  It’s a fast polka with a klezmer feel complete with accordions.  Lots of fun.

My new favorite Christmas song.

And Bob dances in the video.

What more can one ask for Christmas?

Enjoy!

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A New History

Posted in Favorite Things, Painting, Recent Paintings, tagged , , on December 20, 2009| Leave a Comment »

This is a painting that is currently being displayed at the Kada Gallery in Erie, PA.  It’s a 36″ by 48″ piece on masonite that is part of my Archaeology series, titled Archaeology: A New History.

It has a real aged, sepia-tone feel that is different than most of the pieces in the series, a feel which is central to my own feelings on the group.  I see the items under the surface as a type of old family photos, evidence of time here on this earth.

The fairly large size of the painting gives it a bit of oomph and emphasizes the simplicity of the overall composition, letting the tree do all the speaking from across the room.  But as you close in the subterranean objects begin to take shape and tell their own stories.  The whole idea is to present a variety of items and let the reactions of the viewer form a narrative for the underground part of the painting.  Hopefully this jibes with the overall feel of the piece for the viewer.

Well, that’s the idea…

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The Wexford Carol

Posted in Early Paintings, Favorite Things, Video, tagged , on December 16, 2009| Leave a Comment »

It’s a slow day waking up and I don’t have a lot to say.  I felt like hearing a quiet song this morning and came across The Wexford Carol, an 11th century Irish carol from Yo Yo Ma and Allison Krauss.  It’s a beautiful song that flows slowly and evocatively along.

I chose this older piece from several years back to accompany it.  The title, Night Flow, seems to fit and I could almost hear the distant sound of the pipes and strings when I looked at it.

Enjoy…

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