Lose One's Marbles

 

Acrylic on mounted gessoed aluminum panel

11 x 14", painting #279, 2020

I've done several still life paintings using vintage mason jars with marbles. My last one goes back about a decade now. It's always interesting to revisit past subject matter to see how one's fare as my craft continues to evolve. In recent years, I've been using a lot more opacity while painting with transparent glazing on top. I am pleased with the outcome.

For this study, I purchased a 12 x 18 in. white glossy ceramic floor tile from Home Depot which I laid on the windowsill to serve as the base. Its glossiness provided a mirror like effect that I was hoping for. 

The lampwork hand crafted marble on the glass lid was done by an American artisan. I acquired it from the artist a few years ago. This one even has a gold dust ribbon swirl. 

Currently exhibited in a group show entitled "Apart Together, a Weary World Rejoices" at the Forest Fog Gallery, Nov. 20- Dec. 31, 2020

To acquire this painting please contact:

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD

Murano Glass Decanter on a Windowsill

Acrylic on gessoed aluminium panel mounted on birch cradle panel

16 x 12", painting #268, 2018

This past September, my wife Suzanne and I flew to Winnipeg, rented a car and embarked on a two-week road trip of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. These were the last two remaining provinces we had yet to visit of our amazing country. We did a ginormous 2465 km loop stopping in Portage-la-Prairie, Brandon, Whitewood, Regina, Moose Jaw, the Great Sand Hills, Leader, Saskatoon, Manitou Beach, Riding Mountain National Park, Wasagaming and our last four days were spent in Winnipeg. The flat terrain of the prairies with sight lines at the horizon that seems endless creates the sensation of vastness, wide-open spaces and big sky country. Almost all of the fields had been cut and harvested. All that remained were the odd bails of hay. While driving, my eyes were always scanning the landscape in a state of awe and wonderment. We did a lot of walking and sightseeing and got to see some amazing art from prominent prairie artists such as Leo Mol, William Kurelek, Joe Fafard, Victor Cicansky, Wilf Perreault, Dorothy Knowles, Ivan Eyre, Marsha Kennedy, Belinda Kriek and Andrew Valko. The only artist that eluded us was Karel Funk. 

In Saskatoon we visited the Remai Modern, a new public art museum on the Canadian landscape that opened in 2017. In a New York Times travel feature it was listed at #18 of the "52 Places to Go in the World in 2018". The museum replaced the Mendel Art Gallery that closed in 2015 and now houses the Mendel's art collection. Main patron, Ellen Remai has gifted the museum with an extensive collection of Picasso wood-cut prints evaluated at 20 million dollars. 

bottom- myself, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The photographic studies for this painting was taken in the gift shop of the Remai Modern. It was a technically complex imagery to undertake. I had to make several adjustments, edit and improvise many sections in order to achieve a composition to my liking. The art glass is a Gage Murano glass decanter. Also on display from this collection were drinking glasses and an open face bowl. 

Part of a group exhibition at the Fog Forest Gallery
THE WORLD IN SOLEMN STILLNESS LAY
NOVEMBER 20, 2018 – DECEMBER 31, 2018

To acquire this painting please contact:

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

A Date with Audrey, gifts from Tiffany's

Acrylic on gessoed aluminium panel, 18 x 14"

painting #262, 2018

This painting was inspired by the iconic film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” in which Audrey Hepburn plays the role of Holly Golightly, a naive, eccentric socialite in search of a wealthy man to marry.  The movie also stars George Peppard, who plays the role of Paul, an unpublished writer and kept man who recently moved into a NYC apartment in the same building she lives in. The filmed is based on Truman Capote's novella of the same name and was directed by Blake Edwards.  

Holly: I don’t want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I’m not sure where that is but I know what it is like. It’s like Tiffany’s.

Paul: Tiffany’s? You mean the jewellery store.

Holly: That’s right. I’m just CRAZY about Tiffany’s! 

I came across the new revamped Tiffany perfume and bottle last fall in a cosmetic brochure. The instant I saw it, the whole narrative popped in my head. It is by far the most expensive prop I’ve ever purchase for a painting since it was priced at $150. It is a marvel of design and comes in Tiffany's signature robin egg blue box. The image of Audrey Hepburn that appears on this calendar is credited to the Hulton Archive, circa 1950's.

Audrey Hepburn is one of only four actresses to have won the EGOT, which is comprised of being a recipient of the four major American entertainment awards; an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and a Tony. She was also revered for her humanitarian work as a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador. The part of Holly Golightly would earn her an Academy Award nomination for best actress in a leading role. 

-SOLD by Galerie de Bellefeuille in Montreal. 

Evangeline, an homage to Longfellow

16 x 12'', acrylic on gessoed aluminum panel

painting #254, 2017 

Evangeline is an epic poem written by American poet and educator Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was published in 1847, 170 years ago. Longfellow was born in 1807 in Portland Maine. His best works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. I've had the chance to visit his childhood home twice. The Longfellow house was built in 1785-86 by the poet's grandfather, General Peleg Wadsworth. It is one of the oldest brick structures on Portland's peninsula.

The deportation of Acadian people from their lands by British troops (1755-1764) becomes the backdrop for the poem. Recounting the tragic tale of a young Acadian woman named Evangeline Bellefontaine who was separated from her fiancé Gabriel Lajeunesse on the eve of their wedding during the great upheaval in 1755 in Grand-Pré, Acadia (now Nova Scotia). The prose follows Evangeline on her long and arduous journey across the eastern seaboard of the United States as she spends all of her adult life in search of her long lost love. Now an old woman working as a Sister of Mercy among the poor in Philadelphia, at long last she finds Gabriel among the sick while caring for the dying during an epidemic, only for him to die in her arms. Even though Evangeline is fictitious character, she is perceived as a heroine and icon for the Acadian people and has become a symbol for faithfulness, courage, hope, perseverance and love.

 The eloquence in Longfellow's writing is evident from the first paragraph:

This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,
Stand like Druids of old, with voices sad and prophetic,
Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.
Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring ocean
Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.

Instead of reading the book before starting the painting as I've done before, I read it only once the painting was completed. Being myself an Acadian, it is a painting that carries a bit more weight within the narrative of the imagery. 

I found a vintage Evangeline soda pop bottle in an estate sale last summer in Summerside, PEI. I can't recall ever seeing this brand. After doing a bit of research, it would have originally contained Ginger-Ale and was bottled by Seven-Up Ltd in Halifax, NS. The book used for my composition was acquired on eBay from a seller in Newfoundland. It was published by Airmont Books in 1965 and sold for 75 cents.

Antique Evangeline crate. 

Two months before spending our 2012 Christmas vacation in Louisiana, I found my genealogy on-line dating back to 1630. My French ancestor and 8th times grandfather, Michel "Sansoucy" Richard was born in Saintonge France and immigrated to Port Royal, Acadia (now Nova Scotia) in 1652. During the deportation of Acadians, his grandson and my 6th time grand-father, Michel Richard was deported from Fort Beauséjour to Charleston, SC where he died shorty thereafter. Avoiding the deportation, his wife and children had exiled themselves on Prince Edward Island when tensions were mounting during this period of great uncertainly. To pay homage to my ancestors, I returned on the grounds of Fort Beauséjour, located in Aulac, NB and used it as the setting in the composition. With views of the Tantramar Marsh, the waterways opens up into the Bay of Fundy. From here, you can make your way by boat to Grand-Pré. In the poem, Longfellow writes, Shaking his head, as in doubt; then, heaving a sigh, he continued:- "Louisbourg is not forgotten nor Beauséjour, nor Port Royal".

While in Louisiana, we visited the Acadian / Cajun region of St James Parish, Broussard, Beaux Bridges, St. Martinville and the city of Lafayette. St Martinville is widely considered to be the birthplace of the Cajun culture and traditions, and it is in the heart of Cajun Country. Between the dates of 1764 and 1785, upwards of 2600 Acadians took exile in Louisiana, then under Spanish rule, but previously owned by the French.

  My wife Suzanne with the statue of Evangeline, St. Martinville, LA

In 2013, the Charlottetown Festival produced "Evangeline" a musical that ran during the summer at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. We were fortunate to attend a presentation. "Epic, ambitious, Canadian...comparable to Les Misérables" wrote The Globe and Mail. It was reprised in 2015 for a one month run at the Homburg Theatre in Charlottetown. 

In 2005, I was among a very fortunate small group of four in the entourage of one of the judges during the Moncton stop of the auditions for the very popular TVA reality-TV singing competition, Star Académie". A then unknown singer, Annie Blanchard from Maisonnette, NB auditioned to Michel Conte's ''Évangéline'', and instantly won the heart of the judges and the public. This link is not the audition taping but a similar version with piano accompaniment, click HERE to listen. At the conclusion of the show, Évangéline was release as a single on the compilation album. It would climb all the way to #1 on the Quebec charts. Annie Blanchard would go on to win the Félix for the song of the year at the 2006 Gala de l'ADISQ (highest musical distinction in the province of Quebec).

Part of my two-person show with Yvon Gallant entitled ''HARVEST'' at the Fog Forest Gallery from October 12 - November 8, 2017.

Opening reception - Thursday October 12, 6:30- 8:00 pm

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street

Sackville, NB, Canada

(506) 536-9000

website- http:/fogforestgallery.ca

-SOLD

Bonne Maman

Acrylic on gessoed hardboard, 7 x 5''

painting #246, 2017

This small painting was a hospitality gift for my friend Françoise and her husband Michel who generously offered to pick us up at the airport in Lyon, France and welcomed us into their home for a two night stay in Annonay. On May 8, my wife Suzanne and I would embarked on the ''Puy Way" (GR 65) part of the greater network of trails of the Camino leading to Santiago the Compostella. The moderately difficult hiking trek from Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France is 720 km in length, with an elevation reaching 1300m in the Aubrac region of the Massif Central. The whole journey should have taken us about 26-28 days to complete. Françoise did join us for the first day and hiked with us until noon before we said our goodbyes. 

Everything was going well until day 8, then Suzanne started to have pain in her left knee. By the end of day 9, the pain would turn into an injury. I continued solo for an additional day, while Suzanne took a shuttle bus in order to rejoin me in Figeac. After 3 days of rest, she saw very little improvement. So with heavy hearts, we decided to leave the trail and remain in Europe for another month as tourists. Not having to carry an 18 lbs backpack or tackling mountainous terrain permitted her to slowly recover. It would take 18 days for her to walk without a limp. I was able to hike 270 km during our 10 days on the GR-65. With this said, I feel I have unfinished business. I will be returning to Figeac by myself to complete the Puy Way hiking trek to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port next year.

After visiting the tourist information center in Figeac, a very kind lady helped us map out a new itinerary. We travelled by bus or train visiting Cahors, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Biarritz, Bayonne and St-Jean-de-Luz in France. We then crossed the Spanish border and made our way to San Sebastian and Bilbao. From there we boarded a plane to Barcelona where we stayed for 3 days, then flew to Rome for an additional 3 days before returning home. We swam in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, visited 21 museums plus countless historical landmarks and churches. Some of the museums included the following: 

• Musée des Augustins and the Bemberg Foundation in Toulouse
• inaugural art exhibition held at La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux 
• the jaw-dropping Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao 
• Fine Art Museums of Bordeaux and Bilbao 
• Picasso Museum and the Antonio Gaudi masterful architecture in Barcelona 
• Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City 
• Galleria Nazionale d'arte Moderna in Rome 
• but my hands down favourite was the Museu Europeu d'art Modern in Barcelone, dedicated to figurative contemporary realism 

The whole trip was a wonderful whirlwind. 

Bonne Maman means "Good Mother" in English. Symbolically, the image is in memory of my mother Emma, and the painting will remain in the country of her ancestors. Since her passing in 2006, during our travels, we often see her name or it will just come up in casual conversation with others, a reminder that she is watching over us. This trip was no exception. This always brings me comfort and a validation that I should live out my dreams.

-private collection France 

12 once Pepsi-Cola Bottles

14 x 11'', acrylic on gessoed hardboard mounted (4 cm deep)

painting #240, 2016

Pepsi-Cola was introduced in 1893 as ''Brad's Drink'' named after it's inventor Caleb Bradham, in New Bern, North Carolina.  Very much like Coca-Cola which preceded Pepsi by 7 years, it was conceived by a pharmacist as a energy drink and a digestive aid. From it's ingredients pepsin and the kola nut, it was later rename Pepsi-Cola in 1898.

The rivalry between Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola has probably existed from the time they started to mass produce the carbonated sodas. In 1936, Pepsi-Cola introduced the 12 once bottle and sold the soft drink for a nickel, the same price as the 6.5 once bottle of Coca-Cola. During this period, it would double its sales. The Pepsi Challenge was introduced in 1975. A blind taste test where people off the street were invited to drink samples of Pepsi and Coke in unmarked cups. This marketing coup targeted people who had never tried Pepsi before. Pepsi also went all out with commercial adds targeting the ''New Generation'' teaming up with mega star singers like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Britney Spears, Pink, Beyoncé and many more. 

Putting taste aside, the two colas have taken different routes in marketing their soft drinks from a visual aspect. Coca-Cola has stood by their iconic contour bottle and font for the past century, while Pepsi keeps re-inventing itself with the changing time.

The same can't be said about tie-in products produced by the two rivals during this same period. Demand for Coca-Cola collectables is in a different league and are still very sought after. 

Based on a Best Global brand rankings in 2014 by Interbrand, Coca-Cola was the world's 3rd most valuable brand, behind Apple and Google. Pepsi is ranked a respectable 24th. Coca-Cola outsells Pepsi in most markets for the exception of countries like India, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Eastern Canada (minus New Brunswick) and in Appalachia, North Dakota, Utah and the city of Buffalo in the USA. 

During the fall of 2012, I found these two bottles on a Kijiji listing from a vendor living in Fredericton, NB. The carton which was not in the best condition, was acquired from a US vendor on eBay during the following months. I was able to make it look better in the painting. While they are not dated, according to the above graphic, they carton is probably dated from the 1950's. During my youth, I can clearly remember these bottles being in use during the 1960's. The graphics used here was conceive during the same period when Pop Art was emerging, using primary colours in a most brilliant way. 

Personally, I do not favour one cola over the other. They each have their own unique taste and I enjoy both in moderation. Imagery like this become a unique vehicle for documenting popular culture by bridging the gap of past and present. 

The above photo was taken during the 1950's in Cap-Lumière, NB. 

My late father Raymond stands in front of a small convenience store.  

To acquire about this painting which will become 
available on August 12, 2016, please contact: 

Fog Forest Gallery
14 Bridge Street, Sackville, NB
(506) 536-9000 
e-mail- gallery@nbnet.nb.ca

-SOLD

Having a Ball with Little Miss Sunshine

Acrylic on gessoed masonite, 7 x 5''

Painting #234, 2015

While my son Jean-Luc, now 20 was in kindergarten, he introduced me to the series of book known as Mr. Men and Little Miss, or to us in French as Monsieur, Madame. 

These children books were introduced to the world in 1971 by British author and illustrator Roger Hargreaves. The first book he wrote was called Mr. Tickles. It was inspired when his young son Adam asked him what a tickle looked like. He would go on to produce a total of 46 booklets for the Mr. Men series. In 1981, the Little Miss series followed suit with another 33 humorous books that are also about universal human emotions and morality. In 1988, the world would mourn the loss of Hargreaves who died quite young at the age of 53 following a series of stokes. His son Adam (born 1964), took over the empire his father had created and after some rigorous training, was able to continue to publish new offerings. The popularity of the books was an instant hit spawning a BBC animated series for Mr. Men in 1974 and for Little Miss in 1983. The sales of the books has reach a staggering 100 millions, sold in 28 countries and translated in more than 10 languages.

Click:  Here and Here for some nice interviews and video demos with his son Adam Hargreaves.

The rights to the characters has been sold twice. Since 2011, they are currently owned by Sanrio, the same company that owns Hello Kitty. 

The four-time Oscar nominated film, ''Little Miss Sunshine'' starring Abigail Breslin in the title role is not related to this book. 

Mason jars or canning jars has been incorporated in the composition of many of my painting for their beauty and also as symbolism for preserving things, whether memories or objects. The Ball Corporation, originally Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Co. has been in business since 1880. Last year I purchased a box of 6 blue tinted Ball Mason jars issued to commemorate 100 years of American Heritage (1912-1915). The one used in this painting is a vintage model that came with the zinc lid.

To be exhibited in the 2015 Small Works Invitational at the 

Ober Anderson Gallery

101A West Argonne Drive, 

Kirkwood, Missouri

(St Louis, MO)

Exhibition Dates: November 6-December 31, 2015 

Public Reception: November 20, 2015

-SOLD

The Coca-Cola Bottle at 100

20 x 10'', acrylic on hardboard, 2015

Painting # 230

The title says it all. Coca-Cola might be 129 years old, however the iconic form of it’s bottle is celebrating 100 years in 2015. This 6-pack edition was made especially for the occasion.

Coca-Cola was invented by Dr John Pemberton, a pharmacist living in Columbus Georgia. It was first introduced in 1886. The famous fonts used for in the lettering / logo is named Spencerian Script. In 1915, Coca-Cola launched a competition for the design of a unique bottle that could be distinguish by it's form alone. ''The contour bottle'' created by Earl R. Dean was declared as the winning entry. Coca-Cola has great sustainability. It is undeniable that from a marketing stand point that the company has gone to great length to remain current while retaining a nostalgic edge unlike it's main competitor Pepsi-Cola. Based on a best global brand rankings in 2014 by Interbrand, Coca-Cola was the world's 3rd most valuable brand, behind Apple and Google. Pepsi is ranked 24th. 

During the month of May of 2014, my wife Suzanne and I had the immense pleasure to visit the World of Coca-Cola. The museum is located in Atlanta, Ga, the same city as it's headquarters. It houses an immense collection of artefacts and vintage Coke memorabilia and is a must for any individual who collect anything Coca-Cola. The highlights for me was certainly all of the vintage signs, the Olympic Torch display from past games, the original paintings of the most iconic Santa Claus by Haddon Sundblom and the 'Taste it'' exhibit where you can sample at will the 100+ products made by the Coca-Cola Corporation that are available around the globe. As a parting gift, you get a newly bottled Coca-Cola to take home. 
  

Coca-Cola is a  major sponsors for several sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. With Canada hosting the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Coca-Cola sponsored a Cross-Canada Tour of the trophy before the tournament began with several stops across our country. I was fortunate enough to be part of the medical team for all the seven games held here in Moncton, NB. One of six host cities that also included Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver. 

The painting is currently on exhibition in the group show, Under Summer Skies!

To acquire this painting, please contact the 

Fog Forest Gallery 
14 Bridge Street, Sackville, NB. Canada
(506) 536-9000 or e-mail-gallery@nbnet.nb.ca .
-SOLD

Splitting the Apple

Acrylic on gessoed birch panel, 12 x 12"

Painting #226, 2014

If there is a musical group that really need no introduction, it would be The Beatles. The band from Liverpool England was formed in 1960. They found success in early 1963 when "Please Please me" topped the UK charts. Their initial releases in America were on independent labels. By late 1963, Capitol Record introduced their music to the American public with their #1 single, "I want to hold your hand". The album, "Beatlemania! With the Beatles" was released in Canada on Capitol records on November 25, 1963.  

The timing for this painting, although I almost missed the deadline was to mark the 50th anniversary of their first album release in the United States. "Introducing.....The Beatles" was released on January 10, 1964 by Vee-Jay Records. Capitol Records would release "Meet the Beatles" 10 days later, on January 20. 

The enduring longevity of The Beatles, even if the band were only together for a decade can certainly be attributed to the various directions that they took musically, from pop, rock and roll, psychedelic and hard rock. But their song-writing abilities, especially the Lennon-McCartney collaboration was exceptionally remarkable. They were extremely prolific and studio albums were released in quick succession.

In 1968, the Beatles founded Apple Records as a creative outlet for the band while signing a select group of artists to the roster. In 1970, "Let it be" would be their last studio album recording. By this time, creative differences and tension between the band members caused the group to dissolve. The concept behind this painting creates a narrative of the band splitting up and each member carrying on with their individual solo projects. Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr all releases solo albums in 1970. During the following years, their solo recordings sometimes involved one or more of the other members as collaborators. 

Their legions of fans remained hopeful that one day they would reunite, but when John Lennon was shot and killed outside his apartment building in New York City in 1980, so did that dream. 

When the band broke up, I was only 8 years old. My interest in music only started around age 12. While The Beatles' songs still played on the radio during my teens, I didn't truly appreciate their music until recently. This was probably due to the ever evolving music scene of the 1970's and reduced radio play. After the band broke up, several compilation albums were issued of their past recordings in greatest hits format, specific periods, anthologies and box set which became even more popular than their original recordings. The album 1, which was released in 2000 on the band's 30th anniversary of their break-up is a prime exemple. The record was a compilation of virtually all their number one singles in the UK and the USA. I bought it in 2011, when it was re-released digitally on iTunes re-entering the album charts at #1. The day I completed this painting on December 29, the album was specially price for the holidays and made yet another return on the iTunes charts at #24. That album has sold in excess of 33 million copies, bringing the total sales of the entire Beatles album discography to 600 millions copies sold, making them the most successful act in music history. On this LINK is a song catalogue, with many more singles that did not make it to number one and are among my favourites.  

I purchased "Let it be" about five years ago on eBay for the sole purpose of making this painting. When I did the photo study, in order to see the side of the apple, it needed to be at an angle. I wanted the image to retain the format of a vinyl album jacket. With the help of Photoshop, I was able to crop it as if you are looking at it directly above, but the perspective of their faces is altered because of this. These are by far the best faces I have painted and this is attributed to the fact that I currently use an iPad to view my source material. I am able to see better. It is strange that the photograph of Ringo Starr that was used for the album cover appears to have a thumb or something obstructing the left lower frame. I worked on this painting for more than two months. I anticipated that doing portraiture would be challenging and it was, but the fact that they were all in the same tonal values on my source photo study did ease the process.

The Beatles legacy and influences on other musicians, songwriters, popular culture and in print are immeasurable and will continue to live on as their music as universal appeal and transcends many generations. 

-SOLD

Free Parking

Acrylic on gessoed hardboard, 7 x 5"

Painting #225, 2014

The idea for this painting occurred last year after completing the painting Mondrian Tumbler. I can't remember if I was setting up a composition like this in my dreams, but upon waking up after a full nights' sleep, the first thing that popped in my head was, "I wonder if a Monopoly tumbler exist? Sure enough, I found a listing on eBay and immediately acquired it. It was a promotional item offered by Arby's Restaurants back in 1985. It is resting on a book, The Monopoly Companion, a players' guide written by Monopoly guru Philip Orbanes. It was a fun little piece to do just in time for Christmas.

To acquire this painting, please contact the 
Fog Forest Gallery 
14 Bridge Street, Sackville, NB. Canada
(506) 536-9000 or e-mail-gallery@nbnet.nb.ca .

-SOLD

A Date with Marilyn, an homage to Warhol

Acrylic on gessoed hardboard, 16 x 12"

Painting # 222,  2014

Last year we spent the long Easter weekend in Pittsburgh, Pa.  It's a wonderful city with many top-notch museums, several professional sports teams, a great downtown core and the skyline view atop Mount Washington is breathtaking. We took in, a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game with Sidney Crosby leading his team to victory. We also attended the hilarious "Broadway Across America" musical, "The Book of Mormons" at the Benedum Theatre, and a Green Day in concert at the Consol Energy Centre. Philanthropists Andrew Carnegie, Andrew W. Mellon,  Henry Frick and H.J. Heinz II have contributed greatly in creating a lasting legacy, making the city a sophisticated and cultural hub. 

One of the major reason for that trip was to visit the Andy Warhol Museum. I've been an admirer of Warhol's artwork for as long as I've been painting. It was never a question of ''if'' I would visit the Andy Warhol Museum, but ''when''. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Upon exiting, I even received a parting gift of a large Brillo Soap Pads Box, an homage to Warhol by Charles Lutz, that was part of the exhibition, Regarding Warhol: Sixty Artists, Fifty Years.   

A few years back, I had the idea of incorporating some sort of Kerr's Candy in a Kerr Mason jar and entitling the piece, "Kerr's in Kerr". The jar and lollipops has been on a shelf in my studio ever since. Being in a Warhol state-of-mine when I got home, I took out a 1991 Andy Warhol Celebrity Calendar which I had held on to for some twenty odd years.  As I started flipping the pages of the calendar, I noticed that the colour combination of the jar/lollipops was the same as the image in that calendar for the month of March, "Eighteen Marilyns" (Reversal Series), 1979. This is when the genesis and narrative for the painting took place. The title suggest an encounter with Marilyn Monroe, a fantasy entertained by many.   

The image above is of my wife Suzanne with another of Warhol's Reversal Series

image of Marilyn Monroe that was on exhibit

 at "La FIAC" (International Contemporary Art Fair) at 

le Grand Palais in Paris in 1989.

Last month, Suzanne and I spend 10 days vacationing in the states of Georgia and South Carolina. As luck would have it, we got to see a wonderful art exhibition entitled "Marilyn, Celebrating an American Icon" at the Jepson Center in Savannah, Ga.  The exhibit includes the artwork of more than fifty artists, ranging in style from Andy Warhol’s Pop Art to photographer Tom Kelley's 1949 famous nudes of Marilyn against a red velvet background. Click on the banner below for details of the exhibition that runs until July 27, 2014. 

-SOLD