People I Know: In Paint and Words...

I have been working on my first book of paintings I’ve called “People I know” It been a fun project so far and I still need two or three more small paintings to fill out the pages. These two paintings are in progress and because I had a specific use for them, I’ve been working more deliberately then I normally would in resolving them. Sometimes it is a good idea to wait and see what the painting is calling for.

MARVIN FRANKLIN...

If you are in New York, stop by the Metropolitan Transit Authority Museum and see the work of Marvin Franklin, read his story and appreciate him and his work.

If you really want to know...

I got tagged by James Neil Hollingsworth a delightful and thoughtful painter. I am now required to list 5 little known facts about myself, then “tag” five other artists to do the same.

Here are my five:

1. When I was 15 I had this mad infatuation (nothing more) with a niece of Edvard Munch. We worked together (she was technically my boss) I was never sure if it was because she was a relative of a famous artist and I wanted to be one or that I thought she looked like Maria Schell.
2. I did and still do get confused when reading something in big type like on a movie theater billboard. As a kid I went by myself to see Samson and Delilah and the African Queen. Looking for the Lion and then the Queen. It would bother me that I didn’t seem to comprehend some things, but it worked out in the end with my feeling OK outside of my comfort zone.
3. My wife and I once owned an advertising agency. I would experience pain when watching “Thirty Something” on TV
4. I love Movies and wanted to be a director, believed that Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman and Michelangelo Antonioni were geniuses, named my daughter after a movie (Sundays with Cybele) , went to film school before they were hip, made one animated film (after seeing Jim Henson’s first film). Dropped out, cause I wanted to eat.
5. I am married to a wonderful, powerful public speaker and coach, who is working on her second book. I am very lucky, but you already knew that.

The Artist that I’ve tagged are:

• Mark Oberndorf
• Maya
• Luis Colan
• Jana Bouc
• Angela Gigante

I am really Pleased with Myself...

I needed to say this out loud because I’ve been accused of being a soughta Scrooge. My response is that I am really a fair and balanced reporter, reporting on what I see going on around me. (it’s a joke)

This past week I got to visit a mall and watched near road rage in the parking lot as people in very hot cars (its Scottsdale) jockeyed for position, behind unsuspected pedestrians, in the hope that they are about to move their cars. In addition it seems that for many people, if you are going to Sharper Image, you need to be able to park directly in front of Sharper Image. My wife tells me this is how life should be.

I on the other hand have this silly habit of parking were I can and then walking the entire mall, aimlessly, with no intention of buying anything. But I am totally open to a surprise, like one of those cell phones that comes in Baskin-Robbin Ice Cream Flavors.

I don’t think any of this ranting has anything to do with Art, but we all need to take a break every once in while.

Giving Generously...

This, the generic holiday season, is not one of my favorite times of the year. We are reminded each and every day, that the past 11 months are totally dependent on our buying as much stuff as we can, right now. Otherwise, the first 11 months were worthless. There is a lot of pressure to do your part, in giving and accepting things that are not needed. Let’s face it the car in the drive way with the red bow is about the bow not the car and who needs a bow.