Blog
This blog traces my influences, studio practice, learning, and teaching of art.
"With The Trust Of A Child"
This was painted some time in 1988. The title is a verse from long forgotten pop song, I think."The Show Must Go On"
The Greek theatre lecture at CWRU reminded me of this one I painted in NYC, 1986. A Greek comic actor is on the vase. Modern equivilents on a dixie cup and mug are Bugs Bunny and Laurel and Hardy. There is an African mask. I actually sold this one to a theatrical make up artist. Who would think that 23 years latter in 2009, I'd be exhibiting with a mask artist/ collector at a lecture about Greek theatre? Maybe I'm a psychic artist."Peace March"
I think Ghandi would have liked the title of this one.
"The Two As One"
This is a straight forward depiction of a real Greek vase and a contemporary paper soda cup. The horizontal banding predates the sparkle of 1960's Op Art. The two eyes on the vase are from a convention called "cup kiss". Greek drinking cups had painted eyes strategically placed so that when the drinker tipped the cup it looked like he was wearing a mask."Provence"
If you ever get to Marseilles, France, check out a new gallery: Polysemie. This painting can be seen there. From my funny cup series this one compares ancient and contemporary images. I guess it could have been titled "Menage a tois, old and new" or something like that. "Soul Mates Will Meet"
I painted this in France, 1988. It was kind of a lonely time in the city of light. Romance was no where to be found. There was the Spanish student I met at French lessons. She compared me to Sacre Coeur, like a white marble bascilica sparkling on the inside but dirty, (sale), on the outside."Burger Of Love"
In that touristy neighborhood where the Moulin Rouge is, I found the Love Burger fast food restaurant."Beam Us Down"
I painted this in 1987, thinking about the images on our vessels compared to the ancient Greeks; Science fiction & myths."Love And Gratitude"
This is the red angle vase painting. The attribute of this angel is love and gratitude. The inspiration is a red figure Greek vase angel. I think this is the best of the three and it was sold to a collector in California, who has a very good eye. He also has another of my favorites: "Nocturne"."Angel"
I painted this in Paris, 1987. I found this slide and decided to post it after receiving an email from an old friend who said he is opening a new gallery in Marseilles. Ooh La La. Where's that passport?
"Willowy Twilight II"
It's not done till it looks right. The addition of the loutrophoros vase creates a completely different painting. This was a wedding vase shape for holding water for the ceremonial bathing of the bride. The loutrophoros was also used to bathe the unmarried dead and was placed in their tomb.
"Bacchanalomania"
An art dealer returned this painting to me and I reworked it. There were some obvious details that to my eye needed to be fine tuned. I added a figure in the wine glass, a laurel wreath in the walking figure's hand, and a grape on the cork.
"Peel Me A Grape"
It was fun to obscure the dart decoration near the foot of the vase with a wine bottle. The half circle arc shape, following the line of grapes and figures creates a most pleasing and peacefull composition.