L'anniversaire

Acrylic on gessoed hardboard, 16 x 12''

2011, #194

The bottles from this work all have special significance to a lady client who commissioned this painting as a surprise wedding anniversary gift for her husband. The husband is a scotch whiskey aficionado and the bottle was purchased on the day of their engagement. It was shared between the best man and groomsmen before the ceremony as a toast. The two other bottles were served at their wedding reception.

This 15 year old scotch whiskey - rare single barrel select is from the Glenora Distillers from Cape Breton Island. The red wine is a Californian Cabernet Sauvignon from Liberty School Winery. Last but not least is 1998 bottle of Dom Pérignon Champagne. Named after the French Benedictine monk (1638-1715) who was an important quality pioneer of champagne wine.  Dom Pérignon is a vintage champagne, meaning that it is not made in weak years, and all grapes used to make the wine were harvested in the same year. It only becomes available after spending 7 years at the Moët et Chandon wine cellar. The most recent vintage available is a 2002. It is a prestigious wine often traded at auction. A lot of two bottles of the legendary Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1959 sold for US $84,700 in 2008.

When I did the photo study for the painting, I did some pictures resting on the April 2011 issue of American Art Collector magazine. It featured the romantic image ''Love on the road'' by Colorado artist Ron Hicks.  Keeping in context that this painting was to be a celebratory image and an ode to love.......I was happy when the client selected this image. The positioning of the bottles and the glare created by the outdoor light on the glossy magazine cover only retained the couple's embrace as the focal point. The abstract effect created on the surface of the wine is also coming from the outside light. A combination of depth of field (out of focus) and an overcast sky with the light filtering through the still bare branches of the enormous pear tree in our back yard. I borrowed the title from a Marc Chagall painting of the same name that also features a kissing couple. Click here to view.

''Love on the Road'' was part of Ron Hicks's solo show at Arcadia Fine Arts in New York City that was held from April 16 - May 7, 2011. I was elated after contacting Mr. Hicks who kindly granted me permission to use his image for my painting. His artwork blends representational and impressionist styles. They are sensual figurative period pieces set in the the first half of the 20th century. By creating romantic frozen moment in time they evoke an emotional response as part of a larger scenario that the viewer is left to pursue on their own. You can explore the artwork of Ron Hicks at this link.

-commission

Easter weekend in Chicago

top row- Miro's Chicago, Chicago Picasso, view from Sky deck of The Willis Tower

2nd row- Paris a Rainy Day - Gustave Caillebotte (AIC), Art Institute of Chicago (AIC),

               A Sunday afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte- Georges Seurat (AIC)

3rd row- Marc Chagall stained glass (AIC), Chicago Theater, Louis C. Tiffany stained glass

4th row- Anish Kapoor- Cloud Gate, reflection of ''The Bean'', Water Tower- N. Michigan Ave.

5th row- Polar bear at Lincoln Park Zoo, LA Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field

A series of event in late March saw my wife offer me an early Father's Day gift of a Duran Duran concert ticket. The band is currently supporting their latest album ''All you need is now'' with a limited city North America tour. My city options were Toronto, Boston & Chicago. I had been longing to return to the windy city for such a long time (1993) and this seemed like the perfect occasion. I've been a fan of the band since 1982 and this would be my first chance to see them live. They played in the very intimate setting of the House of Blues and I was about 30 ft from the stage. It was an amazing show, the audience were all hardcore fans knowing every words of every song. The band members have aged surprisingly well and were in top form. It was electric! Click here.

We had 2½ days to cram as much as we could as far as sightseeing went. The city is even more amazing than I remembered. The architecture, museums, public parks, public art, pro sport teams, city layout along beautiful Lake Michigan easily ranks it among the most beautiful cities in America.

This time around, the Buckingham Fountain at Grant Park was open and flowing. We got to see the amazing Millennium Park, walked on the glass Ledge on top of Willis Tower (more than a ¼ mile looking down) with a breathtaking 360­ degree view of the city, visited Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, Lincoln Park, rode the El train and caught a Chicago Cubs baseball game at the historic Wrigley Field.

Another highlight was having lunch and spending almost 3 hours at the Art Institute of Chicago. With the opening of new modern wing in 2009, this art museum is currently the second largest in the U.S. behind the Metropolitan in New York City. It is also one of my all-favorite art museum.  It holds one of the world's most notable collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art in its permanent collection. Its diverse holdings also include significant American, Old Masters, European, Asian, modern, contemporary and decorative arts. For a sneak peak at the artwork that awaits you at the AIC, click here. We only had a peek of what the city has to offer, so with that said we won't wait another 18 years before returning.