Fine Art Autumn 2015

FALL 2015 • $4.95

www.fineartmagazine.com

JEFF VERMEEREN Abstraction Unbridled

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GILDA OLIVER DIGITAL PAINTINGS AND PRINTS

Flying Into The Future Butterfly (2015), 48 x 48 inches. Gilda Oliver Digital Art Signed Prints

Oliver Painting And Ceramics Fine Arts

ART BASEL MIAMI Red Dot Miami, December 1- 6 2015 mscoliver@gmail.com

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am an, ent it, ure . It mto of nd ast ny he our ssy nce till ng

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast.”

– Ernest Hemingway

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Letter From TheJAMIE Publisher ELLIN FORBES

EROES OF CREATIVITY is what we focused on in this 40th Anniversary for Fine Art magazine. Vic and I started our efforts in 1975. Many of our current readers were not born. Some friends and many greats have passed over within this time: Elaine de Kooning, Esteban Vicente, Blue Dog Rodriquez, Vladimir Gorsky, Phil Coffaro and original editorial contributors and great friends Ron and Joni Pacie, producers/writers of the Murder Mystery Dinners theater genre to name a small few. I remember my first faxed art from Ray Johnson, graffiti art, video art, pixels art, giclee art, environmental showcases; causes in general as fundraisers, go fund it, etc. web page, Face Book, tweet, post it, instagram experience …… all new avenues as means for expression. Spreading the word of the creative has been our work.

We saw press-type letters set in rows for printing our first flyers. Newsprint gave way to lithographic presses, lithographic to automated process and printing on a high speed 8 color press with end coating. We went from burnishing letters on lay out sheet, to small IBM typesetter, to our firm’s first computer and now virtually all of the elements we used in publishing are available on the Internet for free.

Creativity, costs nothing yet has a price. You have to sacrifice time, money and opportunity to be true to your art. The pay off is if you make it in general as a deeply rich satisfaction within the creative spirit you know you did it.

I guess we did. This is a new era; we have a social network, now necessary to spread the word. Victor’s sophistication in the Adobe product is grand (Ed. note: “lol”). But these are not the elements that make it click, the wheels turn or our product relevant to the many who still follow us.

Creativity is an itch that can’t be scratched, an impulse that cannot be silenced, a need to express that won’t go away. It is prickly, raw, painful, disruptive; silk-like, warm, flowing, comforting, and expansive. When achieved, creativity allows you to touch the vault of the sky while your feet are on the ground. If you can do anything else other than walk to the drumbeat of the creative nudging at your inside, do it. It is safer, easier, and more cost effective. But if you must externalize that thing that just won’t go away, know that creativity is not engendered or unleashed by you new Mac device or the newest facets of any new app by which you can repeat what you see others do.

For millenia the creative source, beauty and truth have been sought by cultures now being driven into the dust in the Middle Eastern desert. We are seeing destruction of the Assyrian culture, the births stories describing the oldest known seed to culture as stories of creation described in stone and on tablets. Later the Greeks prized beauty above all, embodying art as an aesthetic. Today in the USA many don’t like the freedoms that have become part of our artistic communities. A true creative spirit thrives in free societies, allowing for the voice of the creative to be heard without punishment. The alternative is book burning and blowing up things we don’t agree with.

The Creative Spirit is the solder, paint, canvas, camera, and musical instrument, all taken in hand by the artist as creator to impact and change the world in which they live. Enlivening an inner and outer landscape of the heart and spirit to cross the bridge of understanding one to the other. New metaphors are born. These images, words and art elements never draw blood, maim, or kill. They just describe feelings. It is not always pretty, happy fun as an end product. It can be awe-inspiring within the beauty of the depth and ring out of what chords felt or heard in multiple ways, one to the other through creative exchange. Art is a road, if taken, that can unite the concepts universally for/of all.

It’s the next forty years I am looking forward to. Why,? Because I have really enjoyed the last forty. We lived art for and with artists, being the mirror image for the story telling of their truth over these 4 decades of art history. The process of knowing so many heroes of creativity allowed me to live a life through art I dreamed possible. This issue we have had the great pleasure of following up on artist we have covered during our tenure as Fine Art Magazine publishers and editors. Carole Feuerman delivered an interview I found inspiring.

We know Carole for thirty-five years I was able to as she defines a soulful interpretation seen in her hyper-realistic works. We revisited old friend Orlando Agudelo-Botero and the growth this very special and gentle man displays. We met Jeff Vermeeren, a painter on metal, using fire to conduct his colorful pieces. We interviewed Marilyn Goldberg about her brand and history in the arts an as innovator and market maker. and were delighted to see her and so many others at our 40th Anniversary Party - pictures and story start on page 50.

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Upon their acquisition of a 1917-18 canvas known as “Nu Couché,” for $170 million: “Every museum dreams of having a Modigliani nude. Now, a Chinese museum has a globally recognized masterpiece, and my fellow countrymen no longer have to leave the country to see a Western masterpiece. I feel very proud about that. The message to the West is clear: We have bought their buildings, we have bought their companies, and now we are going to buy their art.”

– Mr. Liu Yiqian, Long Museum

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“We are on a one-year payment plan for the painting. If we had to pay cash upfront, that would be a little difficult for us. I mean, who has the money for that?”

– Wang Wei, Liu’s wife (who revealed he will be paying for the $170.4 million purchase with his American Express Centurion card on a one-year payment plan so his family can fly for free with the points).

www.fineartmagazine.com founded in 1975

PUBLISHER JAMIE ELLIN FORBES info@fineartmagazine.com

(631) 339-0152 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VICTOR BENNETT FORBES victor@fineartmagazine.com 518-593-6470 SPECIAL THANKS To so many in the art and printing area who helped us to stay in the game for 40 years!

Network the Creative life … Join us online: facebook.com/FineArtMagazine youtube.com/FineArtMagazine twitter.com/FineArtMagazine www.fineartmagazine.com info@fineartmagazine.com PO BOX 404, CENTER MORICHES, NY 11934 original content © 2015 SunStorm Arts Publishing Co., Inc.

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Interior of gallery

Faustini Gallery, in the heart of Florence

Walter Coggio, Oil on Canvas, Untitled, 80x100 cm / 31.5x39.4 in.

Andrea Stella, Portatori di canne, Mixed Media on Canvas, 140x160 cm / 55 x 63 in

Dedicated to tradition, but thoroughly ensconced in the modern art world, FAUSTINI ARTE is an historical Italian art gallery founded in 1974 in Forte Dei Marmi by Giuliano Faustini in the heart of Florence near Borgo Ognissanti square and the most prestigious hotels and exclusive antique shops in the area.

As participants in many international art fairs over the years, FAUSTINI ARTE has brought a diverse and unique coterie of artistic talents to worldwide attention and acclaim. Artists such as Elio De Luca, Walter Coggio, Christina Gironda, Sergio Scatizzi, Andrea Stella, Remo Vangi and Uliviero Ulivieri (to name a few) create inspiring and original works that are highly sought after and eagerly anticipated. In addition, FAUSTINI ARTE, one of Italy’s pre-eminent galleries, is a well-respected reference point for those seeking fine figurative Italian art, offering an eclectic and enthusiastic collector base the comfort of 40 years of experience in the full range of modern and contemporary art. Looking forward to Miami Art Week, FAUSTINI ARTE is presenting sculptures, drawings, and graphics by prominent Italian artists at the Spectrum Art show, Booth #400.

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Uliviero Ulivieri

Sorvolando il mare con l’astronave, Acrylic on board, 70x70 cm / 27.5x27.5 in.

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Ci troviamo al Pellicano, Acrylic on board, 70x100 cm /27.5x39.4 in.

Miami Beach golf, Acrylic on board, 70x70 cm / 27.5x27.5 in.

Borgo Ognissanti 21/23r 50123 Florence Italy t. +39 055218021 www.galleriafaustini.it info@galleriafaustini.it Mare mosso Acrylic on board, 50x50 cm / 19.7x19.7 in.

Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 5

40th Anniversary Celebration Museum Masters International and Fine Art Magazine

Marilyn Goldberg, awarded Fine Art Magazine’s “Hero of Creativity” gold medal, 2015

“I tend to think that all art is heroic. I think it’s a heroic enterprise from childhood, from the beginning, whenever it begins.”

– JASPER JOHNS

The paths of Marilyn Goldberg, President of Museum Masters International and Jamie & Victor Forbes of SunStorm/Fine Art Magazine crossed paths many years ago. Together we take joy in celebrating our careers in the Arts as we do our meeting at the NY Coliseum for Art Expo.

Victor and Jamie Forbes have followed my career and every product development from signed numbered prints to 3D sculptures to fine art tapestries to neon lights, porcelain dinnerware, silk ties, etc. They have witnessed all of my shows and concepts before they became a reality.

They have celebrated my work and I, today on our mutual 40th anniversaries, wish to celebrate their work, and the patience and time they have given to the creative world in addition to the ongoing memorial they have extended for each of these brand adventures.

A toast to Fine Art Magazine and Museum Masters International 6 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

FINE ART MAGAZINE PublisherJamie Ellin Forbes, Marilyn Goldberg, Victor Forbes, Editor-in-Chief at Artexpo Hall of Fame dinner

Marilyn Goldberg

A Hero Of Creativity Leads The Parade

By VICTOR BENNETT FORBES With a dynamism unparalleled in the universe known as the art world, Marilyn Goldberg is a true hero of creativity and will be feted as such at Fine Art magazine’s 40th anniversary celebration, to be held at the World Bar in New York City November 9th, 2015. It is fitting that this landmark event will take place in a building across the street from the United Nations as Ms. Goldberg has fearlessly traveled the world, car ving out new territory for both her artists and for a woman in what was formerly (and may still be) a heavily male-dominated arena. With the alacrity of a lioness, the grace of a panther and the tenacity of a mountaineer ever in search of new summits, she has reached uncharted heights.

Almost single-handedly she has changed the course of not only art history, but of the relationship of art and commerce. By bringing the works of the great masters — Picasso, van Gogh, Dali, Matisse among them — into the homes of millions via her inventive concepts manifested in the presentation of art as utilitarian functionality, she has accomplished what she set out to do: make the infinite beauty of art accessible to all.

From where, one wonders, did this vision emanate?

“Every time I see a new space of raw land or old white dinnerware or fabric for upholstery in a particular room, the ideas click and I seem to see what should be rather than what it is,” stated Ms. Goldberg. “My karma comes from the international flavors of the Mediterranean from parents who tasted the luxurious colors and styles of their foreign heritage. I have taken my worldwide travels and personal experiences from nature and put them all together in a melange that feels so right.”

As an artist herself, Ms. Goldberg brings to the company she founded in 1980 expertise in sculpture, painting and graphics, and a total understanding of mediums and tech­niques. "She

has the uncanny ability to glean the best part of a work under con­ sideration for licensing and instantly de­termine what approach to take and what media will be most suitable to expanding that artist's market,” commented Harris Shapiro, of Fine Art Acquisitions, whose galleries around the country offered many Marigold art products.

Marigold’s initial success was based on a combination of test marketing techniques, large-scale advertising and promotions and the expertise of its founder who studied art history and stylization at New York University’s School of Fine and Applied Art and Boston University.

S he completed her post-graduate work at the New York School of Interior Design where her life-long interests in design, color, fabrics, textiles and architecture were refined. After a successful decade of serving corporate and residential design clientele (specializing in art and artistic accessories) Ms. Goldberg became a consultant to several graphics concerns. In her new role, she was responsible for the publishing of over 300 prints, including the selection of hand-made papers and appropriate printing ateliers for each project.

Her work designing professional space led to concentrated efforts of her major loves — art, sculpture and artistic accessories.

Her vision and insight, however, weren’t strictly limited to art.

Early on in her career she decided it was time to create a subtle yet powerful representation of the role of the sexes and she worked with a sculptor to develop a collection in lucite and bronze to express her thoughts in three dimensions. “The man,” she said, “has always been and will continue to be the strength of the union, but the strength can never be complete without the passion and fulfillment of his Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 7

Her visions have no limits.

Marilyn Goldberg with Andy Warhol

woman at his side — each needing the other for completion of the dreams that an equal relationship can solidify.”

With that being said, we segue to the project that put Marilyn Goldberg on the map and paved the way for her inclusion into not just the Artexpo Hall of Fame, but into the very annals in which the great minds of inspired creativity will be immortalized.

In 1980, at the helm of her first business, Marigold Enterprises, Ltd., she conceived the idea to publish and distribute some 200 Pablo Picasso images from the many paintings inherited by Picasso’s grand-daughter Marina Picasso, his only “legitimate” heir (Picasso married her mother, Olga, a ballet dancer of great beauty. All the other descendants were from his many mistresses). When Ms. Goldberg decided to go into the business of creating such an artistic program based on Picasso’s images, she initially met with resistance from the heirs of Picasso, an artist to whose images she held copyrights on behalf of several international investors. However, when she personally presented the actual program, designed exclusively for sale in major museums and art galleries, Picasso’s representatives and heirs realized that her creation was not only acceptable, but represented the spirit of the artist’s work that was a tangible memory of the museum experience, and would bail Marina out of a very steep tax bill imposed by the French government.

“There was nothing to prove this could become anything,” recalled Marilyn in a recent interview. “In the US, only Mickey Mouse and Disney items were selling. I had to go to Japan, which back then was what China is today, where I could produce the scarves, watches, vases, ashtrays, candy dishes and candlestick holders which I then sold to small locations until suddenly Mitsukoshi saw the line. They flipped and invited me come aboard. I did on the condition that they had to make a museum on the top floor of their department store, which was the Saks Fifth Avenue of Tokyo, so people could see the original paintings and then see the estate-endorsed prints, signed and numbered by Marino Picasso.”

Marilyn was so dedicated to the tradition and quality of Picasso that in order to make these reproductions as authentic as possible, she engaged the finest ateliers Chroma Comp and Circle Fine Art (which ran a steam driven lithographic press from the early 20th century) and sought out Picasso’s long-time chromist Marcelle Salinas from Paris, who was the producer and platemaker for Picasso when he was alive to ensure the plates would be made the way he would have done them.

In addition, Marilyn went to Paris and bought the special craypas that Picasso used in order to color match his paintings and drawings 8 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

for reproduction. She gave those color samples to the printers. For even more accuracy, Marilyn researched what kind of pencils and brushes Picasso used to make everything as authentic as it could be.

Her product designs, presented at the Negresco Hotel to Marina and her representatives, in 1981, were ultimately approved by the estate of Picasso, and the final deal was done between herself and Jean Krugier, the exclusive dealer for the Picasso works inherited Marina Picasso.

The resultant “Legacy of Pablo Picasso,” a limited edition collection of never­before published Picasso prints, as well as the Pablo Picasso Boutique Collection, became the foundation upon which Marilyn Goldberg’s empire was built. No one (except Marilyn) imagined at the time that this Collection would become an overnight sensation that would launch the birth of a most important and vibrant new industry — branding — that could be used for the development of many products: jewelry, watches, bed and bath, furniture and upholstery, porcelains, glassware, fashion items, mobile phone covers, fragrances and cosmetics…even masterpiece baby wear and elegant baby bedding.

That first Marina Picasso exhibition/merchandising program took place at Tokyo’s famous Mitsukoshi department store where Marilyn insisted that a legitimate museum be created on its top floor so that the original Picasso paintings could be exhibited in a proper setting. Featuring a full spectrum of art-related gift accessories with exquisite packaging along with the prints exhibited for sale downstairs, it was a smashing success.

Another major breakthrough followed when the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, which initially was quite reluctant to change its drab gift shop selling mostly posters, postcards and books, placed their initial order after Ms. Goldberg left a basket of samples.

An attractive boutique was soon developed, a template for museums around the world to follow. Ms. Goldberg’s companies, Marigold and now Museum Masters International, has created art merchandise programs for renowned institutions such as The Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, the Mitsukoshi Museum, the Museum of Modern Art (New York City), The Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Royal Academy (London), The Hakone Open Air Museum ( Japan), and the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico City) as well as department stores throughout the world such as Henry Bendel’s, Bloomingdale’s of New York; Harrods of London; Gallery Lafayette Paris, and the aforementioned Mitsukoshi.

The Picasso scarves, first advertised in VOGUE, were in great demand, not just to wear, but to frame and hang. They are highly sought after collectibles even today. Tiffany quality dinnerware featured Picasso images on cups and saucers.

From that point on, Ms. Goldberg became recognized in the art world as the innovative force in the licensing and publishing business.

She was the largest exhibitor at the Artexpos in New York, Dallas and California and single-handedly brought artists from all over the world to the marketplace.

“Before Marilyn started her programs, the art business was without a focal point and museums were dying,” Gerald Leberfeld, one of the Artexpo founders stated. “She single-handedly put many museums back on their feet by creating a wide variety of items for their gift shops at all price ranges. There was no copying her; she was and still is one of a kind. Now there are museum gift shops even where there are no museums.” Adds Marilyn, “What amazes me when I look at our ArtExpo exhibits is the incred­ible mixture.”

Indeed it was. Marigold Enterprises Ltd., moved quickly from the Picasso success to the art of another international superstar, John Lennon. After the shock of his tragic murder began to dissipate, Yoko brought to Marilyn a few shoe boxes full of John’s doodles on

napkins and scraps of paper. No stranger to the art world, Yoko was a museum-exhibited artist in her own right and actually met John at one of her shows, at which the focal point was simply the word “YES.” John and Yoko then produced the notorious Two Virgins suite of lithographs, which featured the lovebirds stark naked from the front and back and was banned just about everywhere just as the Beatles were breaking up. Marilyn immediately saw the potential of these scribbles and became Yoko’s trusted collaborator in developing ways to produce and market this work. Staring with limited edition prints from John’s sketches, the John Lennon Bouti­que Collection was developed which produced a myriad of ancillary products. These products were so hot that buyers would line up at the old New York Coliseum doors hours before they opened to make a beeline to the Marigold booths to stock up on product for their clients and galleries.

Yoko called her “My partner in design.” All these years later, images from that first collection are highly regarded on the secondary market and very difficult to come by.

Between Artexpos and international forays, projects and ideas would fly around the Marigold headquarters with a flurry. If it were an artist’s studio, it would probably be Pollock’s or Picasso’s — packed with frenzied, yet highly organized genius. Canvases strewn about, many being work­ed on simultaneously. All eventually completed, and when exhibited they would sell out. At the helm of all this, Ms. Goldberg thought nothing of spending a week in Paris negotiating with Chagall and Matisse rep­resentatives about handling the licensing of the estates, then flying to back to New York for an hour and a half business meet­ing at the airport before catching a con­necting flight to Palm Beach to meet Yoko Ono for an opening of a show of John Lennon’s art, all the while keeping in close contact with the Marigold staff in New York, who were busy prepar­ing for another exhibition. Even today, Ms. Goldberg at the helm of Museum Masters International, keeps an equally frenetic schedule. Off to Milan for a Tamara de Lempicka exhibition, then to London for the International Marketing Expo, back to New York to sew up the next deal.

Marilyn Goldberg has synergisticly blended the world of fine art with mass merchandising. Creating previously untapped markets and expanded awareness for both artists and manufacturers, Museum Masters stands above all others in bringing together the best of two worlds. The merchandising of art, for Ms. Goldberg, goes handin-hand with the creative process. While curating exhibitions and developing product for Picasso, Erté, Dali, Keith Haring, van Gogh, Tamara de Lempicka, Warhol, John Lennon, Muramasa Kudo, Giancarlo Impiglia and bringing an ever-expanding new group to market, she is sought out by artists today not only for her expertise and contacts, but for her reliability, honesty and unflinching resolve to do her best for the artists and estates she represents.

For an artist of great renown, she created extravagant lines not only from their famous paintings but from “Borders, designs and concepts that I feel would have come from them if they were alive to envision these products. I meditate on the space given to me and suddenly the finished designs appears in my mind. I then execute them on paper so the manufacturers can conceive how the products should look.

“Visuals are the shorthand of art merchandising technology,” continues Ms. Goldberg from her posh and stunning Southampton, New York headquarters, decorated wall to wall and floor to ceiling with paintings, prints, tapestries, sculptures and a plethora of gift items that she created. Sipping afternoon tea from a Monet cup and saucer takes on a special meaning when one is sitting in front of the authentic Monet waterlily pond at her Villa. Same can be said for enjoying a can of Pepsi from a Sid Maurer-designed Marilyn Monroe soda can in a room of Andy Warhol tapestries and Maurer’s original Marilyn Monroe painting.”

Even as we go to press, barely a week before the London Inter-

Marigold’s collection of Giancarlo Impiglia signed and numbered prints for the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1984 was one of the first color advertisements to appear in SunStorm Arts magazine. Thank you, Marilyn.

national Licensing convention, Ms. Goldberg is typing out a contract on a computer for an artist she has been admiring for years, Juan de Lascurain. He is already highly popular but has decided the only company that could properly represent him is Museum Masters International. His motto is “Dream big” and Marilyn is right there with that. She sees him as the next Peter Max or Romero Britto. Another artist new to the Museum Masters fold is Kevin Kelly. His work is powerful, colorful, romantic and representative of the times. “MMI,” he says, “are indeed masters at generating international merchandising appeal and have done so with Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Tamara de Lempicka.”

This success is largely based on Ms. Goldberg’s own ability to work with artists as an artist. She brings to her work an understanding of the artist’s life, from attitude to style. The artist and the company become one and the same, focusing on what the artist does best and what the market wants from him or her. “I work with artists who have multifaceted talent and comprehend my direction to develop the balance and harmony of what the market place de­ mands.” Likening herself to an actress who becomes a producer, Ms. Goldberg notes, “As an artist, I un­derstand the life patterns of artists, from their uneven schedules to attitudes and style. We are a cor­porate entity that handles the business aspects of art on the artist’s behalf, which frees them to create and be financially successful in the process of creating a program, the artist and MMI form a reciprocal relationship with mutual goals.”

An an art teacher for the era, bringing the market into play when she works Marilyn has “a lust” for programs that are creative.

“When I’m 80 years-old, I’ll probably have three new programs on the fire, and still be hav­ing fun. I’m exhausted, but sleep is secondary be­cause there’s always another idea.”

Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 9

OPTIMISMO; EL ÁRBOL DEL MAÑANA (Optimism; The Tree of All Tomorrows) Oil on canvas, 72” x 36”, ©2015

ORLANDO AGUDELO-BOTERO Deep Roots, Great Heights “Since childhood, I have had a special connection with and understanding of those magnificent creatures known to all as the trees of nature. A rainy day in my life? Simple, I look for the presence and company of a peaceful tree and the sun shines once again, so as nothing else seems to matter. Eloquent with grandiose presence, poetic in the foliage and rhythmical in the variety of trunks, branches, flowers and fruit...one and all, I consider trees to be an inspiration to the creative human being which by nature's wonder, exist in me. By the works of a natural creative process in my studio which has been taking place for the last twenty months, these trees and our human condition, emotions and realities: brilliant, romantic and sad, have merged together to create a fusion which I call GROVE, THE INNER TREES." — Orlando Agudelo Botero© 2015 10 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

THE SPIRIT AND SUBJECT OF THE PAINTING By ÓSCAR JAIRO GONZÁLEZ HERNÁNDEZ Art History Professor, University of Medellín

When a painter decides or determines, in a rational sense, to dedicate his life toward the layering and very substance of the paint itself, it is resolutely realized from said decision and determination; this doesn’t occur for Orlando Agudelo Botero, who has always been possessed by the extreme need to paint, making painting his life and what he does, as we observe, by way of what

I’ve called him and his work of intuitional restlessness and, thus, that restlessness, which provides that character and content to his painting of a revelation.

It’s the dramatic relation between what is meant for life and what is meant for the painting which is constantly being solved (or not) in Orlando Agudelo-Botero’s painting, and it is there where a superior and powerful Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 11

PROCESIÓN DEL ÁRBOL DE LA VERDAD (The Tree of Truth, Procession), Oil on canvas, 48”x 48”, © 2015

“Love creates, the alternative should not be an option.” tension in which it is necessary to involve and apply the forces of rationality and those of intuition, which he creates and realizes by a medium of transcendental consciousness that he possesses and has constructed unto himself concerning the irrevocable destiny he has for himself and the painting.

It is a tormenting clarity and an unspeakable truth, but it’s also these same elements [of torment and unspeakableness] which make it more brilliant in its essence and whose transcendental truth is transmitted through his paintings.

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There are tensions and trances within the drama that come with being a painter and having the painting act as a form of communication with the outside world.

It’s as if an aspiration toward his destiny and that of humanity were untouched and indestructibly held him in it and, from there, his painting also performed the task for the construction of that new humanity he seeks and for which he paints.

Ever y artist, as E.H. Gombrich affirmed, makes his own personal history of art and it is he, who knows how to find and

thus construct a style which characterizes and differentiates him from other painters.

That is, that having illustrious and exciting relations in the sentient observation and critique of art history, being able to take the transformation of the same, and, from there, extract style and for the same reason then, we would be exposed to a new style.

This new style becomes evident when the painter settles himself (or doesn’t), he relates (or doesn’t) with other artistic styles. He knows how to trigger and suppress these qualities. He develops concoctions and new

combinations—extraordinary and unknown.

The new style, as Orlando Agudelo Botero also deals with, in his life and his painting, what we call, in them, the relentless style, which as mentioned, is immersed and internalized in his destiny as a painter. The painter provides a measure of his destiny as a painter and it begets a new destiny and adds meaning to his painting.

He has and will continue to go on that quest, certainly in this painting, which from its intricate symbolism and exciting asceticism, in color and line, in its form and content, in his spirit and matter, is realized in its possible and impossible movements, both visible and invisible, as their living work (so called by Rilke for Rodin’s works).

And this living work, we say because of Orlando Agudelo Botero’s painting, lives in it and makes us live; because he presents it to us, he proposes it, and encourages us as a result of the indelible and beautiful consciousness, which brightens, making his painting a revelation in areas we did not know or had not discovered, so it intensifies and becomes more powerful in the soft spot of each person.

And every painting is the result of a contemplation of humanity and its destiny, of the hope and bleakness of man, and how to dominate or transform these ideas in the serenity-inspired knowledge of oneself by way of his painting.

For that same purpose, the subject of this exposition, is innately related with that of Nature (physis) and within this Nature that is also ours, Orlando Agudelo Botero, has felt from his surprising life, full of astonishment both physical and metaphysical. The necessity to mediate with this nature, by way of the Great Tree of Humanity (of the Wanderers, of the Inner Trees, of the Genealogical Tree, of the Rebirth Tree, of Creativity) are within himself and us. From his life experience and through the painting, he reveals to himself and to us, the truth of the knowledge of life and painting as life, in an exclamatory way.

EL VESTIDO DOMINGUERO (Sunday’s Suit), Oil on canvas, 72” x 48” ©2015

CREATIVITY & ROMANTICISM

Creativity is a gift, a blessing and it is a joy… but it is giving birth and it is not free of anxiety, self doubt and anguish, sometimes pain. The fusion of these take me to a state where matter is replaced by essence.

There is a great deal of difference between “Creativity” and “The creative process.”

The first one is the gift, raw and omnipresent … the second one involves the use of that gift which should take the artist through labyrinths, dark or light...passages of romance and idealistic moments expressed to the best of one’s abilities…and in that process, I feel an overwhelming richness of emotions; some delightful and bright and some darker, somber, sobering and draining in so many levels…

Creativity is not always supposed to be a walk in the park…at times, it is even more difficult than the realities outside of the studio.

This is my own experience during my process. Whichever emotion, light or not, it is a part of life and subsequently, part of the process we call creative, an emotional, intellectual quest and then, a natural and sincere expression...released.

Romanticism is and always has been a radiant light in my life which has allowed me to see life, human beings and our planet under a crystal prisma which reveals the natural beauty in all.

Romanticism potentially could lead to idealism and to the realization of new cycles and realities.

Love is the strongest force and power that we posses; it allow us to conceptualize, to construct ant to realize our human potential.

Love creates, the alternative should not be an option.

— Orlando Agudelo Botero©2015 Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 13

Ljubomir

MILINKOV

“Dalissimus,” 1997 acrylic and oil 39⅜” x 31⅞”

For further information about the works of Milinkov, e-mail milinkovl@free.fr 14 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 13

Hung Yao – Snapping The Line

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he beauty of New York’s long-running Artexpo is the his line yet a certain necessary delicacy permeates throughout his international flavor of the Fair. Over the course of its art, presenting a vision as of yet unseen in oriental and western art. long history, artists from all corners of the map have It is a visceral onslaught of thought, tied together by the infinite participated adding to the allure of the city known order of a straight line, created by the artist via the machine he built as The Big Apple, oft-referred to as the “Art Capital to launch paint or ink onto a canvas or paper so that is shot out as of The World. In 2015, one of the featured exhibitions was preif from a cross bow whose arrows, instead of being points, leave sented by ARTOSItheir mark as a flat NO, an amalgam reline across the imferring to China, the age. The line is not ancient-to-modern necessarily perfect history of China, the — it breaks up culture of China, or and is sometimes the Chinese people. reminiscent of an Covering a complete antique Caslon aisle at the show, Arfoundry font — tosino hosted a varied yet it never loses and powerful collecthe artists’ intention of artists whose tion that it conwork is also displayed form and live up at their 37th Street to his “snapline” gallery in the heart of standard. mid-town New York, From the which will present a dawning of civilisolo exhibition of the zation, human beThe spirit of creings have sought ating art runs rampant to commemorate in the works of Hung their lives and Yao. His original style circumstances of tension, burst and through art. Pacatapult — “Snapline” leolithic paintings, — questions, reconfrom the caves of siders and revitalizes Lascaux, France, the aesthetic concept are embedded in of “line” in Chinese the cosmic conart history. He takes sciousness. Many “snapline” from anartists, notably cient Chinese archiElaine de Kooning, tecture and the craft whose husband of carpentry as a tool Willem was the and method of artistorch bearer of the tic rebellion — inAbstract Expresstrumentalized and sionists and who not hand-drawn —to was a celebrated form an intense tenartist in her own sion with other inkright, brought her wash elements, such interpretations of as ink and paper. these progenitors Rare is it that of all art to the foreyou find an apt use front in her penHung Yao for the word “genius” ultimate series of and perhaps the most paintings. Hyung accurate definition of that oft over-used and misapplied term is not Lao, through the use of powerful and subtle brushstrokes, limns inalways relegated to those who deserve it by being so far ahead of spiration from what was, one could say, written on a cave-dwellers their contemporaries. Few artists at work today are more deserving wall, but masterfully compounds the issue with his colorful geometof the term than Hung Yao who not only has created his own lanric additions, bringing to mind Joan Miro at times and also referencguage through form, content and design but also created his own ing the color field panoramas of Esteban Vicente, Ellsworth Kelly tools with which to convey his vision. and Mark Rothko who integrated black forms with brushy swirls On view at the Artosino Gallery, a clean, well-lit room that of color. Blurred edges, separated color blocks, and beginnings of shows art to its full advantage, Yao’s presentation is cutting edge yet rectangular registers can be seen, as well as some experiment with dedicated to tradition. His snapline technique successfully melds size and scale. Far from being merely abstract forms, however, these East and West concepts to blend modernity technique with ancient. motifs are objects imbued with life force — “organisms,” he called Operatic in scope and feeling there is bombast in the power of them, “with the passion for self-expression.”

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JAMIE ELLIN FORBES PHOTO

Artosino Group at Artexpo New York, 2015

With their Chinese effects, at first glance, one would surmise that Hung Yao’s paintings were modern ink paintings. “The description saying it was an oil painting surprised me,” writes Chu Ko, in a catalog accompanying the exhibition. “Stepping on the international stage with modern Chinese-style oil paintings brought in the future in which a truly international culture was about to appear. Such cosmopolitan human culture did not exist though Chinese oil paintings has been around for one hundred years. Artists created oil paintings of Eastern style, so Western artists also could do the same — not restricting themselves to oil paintings. Was that the supremacy of oil painting? The era of one world might come early.”

Hung Yao was born in 1939 and graduated from the Central South China Fine Arts Affiliated Middle School in 1958. In 1962, he graduated from the Department of Painting of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. He was a student of the Lingnan Style of Chinese Brush Painting master Guan Shanming and those lessons have stayed with him throughout his career.

His powerful monochromatic imagery is reminiscent of Franz Kline while never losing the continuum of his own culture. Ink, or rather oil, may appear splattered on the canvas but each element seems to coherently placed, carefully thought out, compositionally sound and offering space for the viewer flow into the work.

In delving further in to the synergy of the EastWest analogy, one discovers even more his capacity to, as the poet Eli Siegel often expounded, create beauty by making one of opposites”, a founding tenet of Aesthetic Realism. Upholding his artistic integrity is of utmost importance to Yao and he expresses this through his soulful renditions of pure abstraction that in combination with the tension and tactility of lines on the material presents the fluidity of inner space.

Hung Yao Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 17

Quiet Bamboo, ink and color on paper, 30 x 33 in, 2015

“Soaking myself in the joy of art, feeling the charm that I had never felt before, I wept.”

In China, there is an explanation for life that is, according to Germain Roesz, chairman of the Europe-China Cultural Exchange Association “nothingness, namely breath or ‘Chi.’ With the development of scientific studies, we gradually understand that the nothingness is the source of energy that functions to ensure our activities.”

These elements are apparent in most of Yao’s paintings, though he can be playful (and historically accurate) as in his 1986 work, Termination of Easel Painting Part I in response to Kasimir Malevich’s White on White (1918) — in which a tilted white square against a white canvas symbolized “the end” of easel painting. 70 years later, Hung Yao pushed the minimalist concept one step further by casting a white dot on a white canvas thereby continuing easel painting.

“Senior artists such as Hong Yao have lived through an era of trial and tribulation,” notes Prof. Sun Zhen-Hua of the Chi18 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

na Academy of Art. “What they have experienced and what they have felt cannot be expressed in thousands or tens of thousands of words.” Artexpo, it must be noted, was one of the first venues for Chinese artists as the reins of the Cultural Revolution loosened. Ting Shao-Kuang, one of the Yunnan School artists who was brought to Artexpo by Ron Segal in the 1980s and who rose to international fame, tells of having to paint all night and burn his work before it was discovered in the morning. One of his associates was taken away and returned a few days later — his hair and beard having turned white from the experience.

“Snapline,” continues Prof. Sun, “is the symbol of Hong Yao’s spiritual world. It symbolizes the resistance in the heart of the artist and the myriad relationships of repression, struggle, privations and protest in the outside world.” — VICTOR BENNETT FORBES

THE FOUR DAVIDS © MICHAEL CARTELLONE

MICHAEL CARTELLONE omewhere around his twentieth birthday, Michael Cartellone and his dad packed up the family van and drove to New York City where Michael and his worldly goods were dropped off at a friends’apartment in the pre-gentrification days of Harlem. The young man was ready to start a new life and after a brief stint as a painter in the art department children’s clothing company, he received a call from the manager of Tommy Shaw, a singer who was embarking on a solo tour after a very successful stint as

f ront man for STYX. In a true rock and roll fantasy, two weeks later, Michael found himself on stage at Madison Square Garden drumming behind Shaw as the opening act for Rush, playing to sold out arenas. This was 1988 and after the tour concluded, a record company executive had the idea to bring Shaw and Nugent together to write. Michael was the drummer for that very successful aggregation, Damn Yankees. The band had a strong concert following, and their second album went platinum. During their hitmaking years of 1989-96, they scored a double-platinum success with their 1990 self-titled debut album and a No. 3 hit with ‘High Enough.’

The all-star band of world class virtuousos reunited in 1998 in the hopes of recording a third studio record, but the material ended up on the members’ various solo projects. The next year, Michael joined forces with another powerhouse band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, who managed to keep the music alive after a tragic plane crash in 1977 took the life of their heart and soul, singer Ronnie Van Zant as well as guitar hero Steve Gaines, his sister vocalist Cassie Gaines, their assistant road manager and the pilot and co-pilot. Other band members and road crew suffered terrible injuries. The beloved band was at the top of their game with Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird among their classic hits and a new album was released three days after the crash. Today, their music and spirit lives on, building on the past, living in the present with endless world tours and major concert events. We caught up with Michael, who is an accomplsihed painter, at his apartment in New York City for a video interview.

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Camden, NJ, July 2014: “This is my favorite moment in the show... the Military Tribute Video during Simple Man ... that is my Dad’s WW2 photo on the screen... I love you and miss you, Dad!”

Celebrating the life of Ronnie Van Zant 1948-1977.

“Ronnie was a true poet… a brilliant songwriter… who will live on forever in all of our hearts. God bless you, Ronnie.” — MC

By VICTOR FORBES “1890s New York scene with three heroes: Houdini, my dad Joseph and Charlie Chaplin.”

Music, Art, Magic & A Century of History are the hallmarks of Michael Cartellone’s life and career, separate yet indelibly intertwined. Certainly a life blessed with success, love and happiness based on years of hard work. He is regarded as one of the top rock drummers in the world keeping the beat for a band that represents survival, hope and power despite unspeakable tragedies. The Lynyrd Skynyrd catalog and spirit will live forever in the annals of music and while there is only one original member left, the spirit of the music transcends time. But somebody has to keep the beat and that somebody is Michael Cartellone.

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FINE ART: Hello Michael, it’s been a while.

MICHAEL: Yes, it’s been a few years.

VF: But I want to tell you your growth as an artist over these years has been remarkable.

MC: Thank you VF: It must be very satisfying. We know all about your other career - in the music world which is top notch — MC: My night job.

VF: Tell us about your new work, “The Four Davids.”

Visiting van Gogh’s gravesite

“I’m going to keep painting worldfamous recognizable statues within the context of a recognizable art style.”

MC: The Four Davids are my series of paintings about 100 years of art history. I took Michelangelo’s “David” (have you seen it? Have you been to Florence?) You know how powerful it is when you turn the corridor and see him at the end of the hallway in the arch. It takes your breath away. I was so moved by that I thought I needed to do something in tribute; to paint this statue and it took a few years just trying to come up with how to do that. I simply could not come up with only one way to do that.

VF: So you started with van Gogh?

MC: I came up with the idea of painting him four times, and then I thought, well, if I am going to paint him four times, maybe four different style, four different art styles, maybe four eras of art, so then I started doing some art history research in depth and created a list of about 20 different painters/eras and whittled them down to four. The four painters who were of inspiration were van Gogh, Picasso, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol. Upon looking through their body of work, I wanted to find images that they had done that I thought would be interesting to use as a starting point.

VF: And then…

MC: (For example) Let’s use the inspired van Gogh piece for starters. That was from a portrait he did in 1889, a very recognizable portrait. I have a coffee mug of that portrait on my art table in the other room. In essence, by utilizing the look of van Gogh’s self-portrait, I pulled him out of it and put David in place and painted David exactly in the way that van Gogh had painted that self-portrait. The same colors, all the swirls, the light, the shadow.

Everything was matched — van Gogh’s face to now David’s face.

The Magritte Condition

VF: Was it a scholarly experience or was it emotional ?

MC: Both. That painting in particular was a mountain to climb because it was so incredibly different stylistically from the way that I normally paint, which is more realism with a slight Pop colorful quality to it and none of that applies to a description of van Gogh so in essence, I had to throw everything away that I had really learned and what was instinctual to me as a painter and start over which was an incredible experience.

VF: And this is your new path?

MC: Yes, it’s been wonderful, Victor, because it has, with the Four Davids, enabled me to then paint in four styles that I never painted in before which meant I had to re-learn with each successive David a new way to paint. Living here in New York, of course, I have access to work of all of the above. So I was going to MoMA and looking at “Starry Night” and I’m matching paint colors and getting my face right up to it and looking at the thickness,and the texture and the brushstrokes then I would come home and work on my David. The reference material was incredible. So there was a lot of thought, a lot of research throughout. Before, during and frankly since. It has now created this whole new path of art I’m going to keep doing this. I’m going to keep painting world famous recognizable statues within the context of a recognizable art style. In essence, kind of mixing the two mediums — painting and sculpture.

VF: In addition to the Four Davids, that Magritte piece is quite a production.

MC: Thank you. “The Magritte Condition” I painted directly after the Davids. That was the very next thing that I did. Renee MagFine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 21

Sweet Home … Yonkers. Michael and his wife, Nancy.

ritte has always been one of my favorite painters and the “Magritte Condition” utilizes many of his well-known, tried and true themes and combines them together into one painting, putting a kind of contemporary spin on it. I should mention that same contemporary spin applies to the Davids. Even though those paintings are really a double homage (a homage to Michelangelo first and then whoever the painter of inspiration is secondly). What I am intending to do with the Davids is have the viewer realize I am tipping the hat to the masters, as it were. But then with my new works taking the viewer into a new kind of place that hasn’t been seen artistically.

VF: Seems like you’re setting it up like what they used to call record albums.

MC: I am, yeah (laughter) VF: Where Side One would get you involved and the last song on side one would make you want to turn it over to get to side two MC: Exactly to keep going. Too bad they’re not albums anymore, it’s a digital chip.

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VF: Vinyl’s is coming back MC: As vinyl should. Nice segue to the music business VF: Let’s talk about this for a second. Here you are a very sensitive handsome young fellow making these paintings MC: Handsome, young (laughter) VF: Why not? You played with two of the hardest rockin’ bands that ever set foot on the earth. A Jekyll and Hyde thing. I can only imagine you back there behind The old Amboy Duke (Ted Nugent) and the Lynyrd Skynyrd guys. How do you balance the two in your life?

MC: Balance is truly the key. Ever since I was a child I was painting or drumming. They have coexisted in my life. Art school, and music school throughout my youth. There always have been these two halves of the whole and it’s very difficult for me to separate them. In my mind, one could not exist without the other. They feed off each, they enhance each other, they motivate each other and balance each other. The night job — the drumming — is loud and public and in front of a lot of people and the painting is

Carnevale di Venezia

quiet, personal, introspective. So that, in essence, does give me the balance and I carry painting supplies during the tour and paint in hotel rooms during the day and then play that night. So it truly is a beautiful balance.

Could you tell us about your interest in Houdini and Charlie Chaplin and your collection of their artifacts?

MC: Sure. Chaplin and Houdini both are lifelong fascinations of mine. I was a magician when I was a little kid and I saw a Chaplin film in a film history class when I was young and maybe I was born in the wrong era. I think I was supposed to be from the Golden 20s and maybe I was, maybe I came back. There has always been magical thing about the twenties for me. So much so that the painting “New York” It is a 1920s era New York City street scene. In this painting I put my three heroes — my father, Houdini and Chaplin. I have a lifelong admiration for both which has turned into a bit of a collectible thing for me. I started by getting books and movies and now there is a Chaplin cane and a set of Houdini handcuffs hanging in the other room.

VF: How did you find them? Did you go to Las Vegas and visit the Pawn Stars place?

MC: (laughing) You know what? They actually find you when you start poking around and you find yourself looking at this kind of little collectible world. You very quickly and unknowingly get yourself on all of these mailing lists. I didn’t seek out either of those, they just kind of flopped onto my lap one day.

VF: Those are some nice shadow boxes. The were a specialty of Tony Curtis.

MC: Yes. The Houdini movie, 1953.

Classic. It was my introduction to them both.

VF: He was also a very good artist.

MC: Yes, a very good artist. I’ve seen his paintings, of course. I did not know he also made boxes. I did a painting of him — a scene from “Some Like It Hot” (at left) — in conjunction with my 20 year music equipment endorsement with Remo drumheads.

VF: What do you have coming up?

MC: An exhibition that begins December 7, 2015 at Soho Contemporary Art, 259 The Bowery in New York City.

To see more about Michael, check out his website www.michaelcartellone.com Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 23

JEFF VERMEEREN Abstraction Unbridled

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By JAMIE ELLIN FORBES

ITH VARIOUS METALS AS HIS CANVAS and a combination of fire, ice, pressure, and a wide range of unstable chemicals as his media, Jeff Vermeeren creates unique, dynamic, sculptural and painterly works of art. His recent collection, comprised of such titles as Halcyon, Raging Whirl, Incubus, Antaxia and Passion, rocked Artexpo New York and jump-started his career.

The work of the artist is to envision. Vermeeren also enables the opposition of the compatibility between the two forms of media, fire and metal to reveal the face of the spontaneous imagery he intends through his guidance of the process when creating his works.

Something magical happens. The liquid quality of the paint is captured, as if splattered, then tempered for color and texture by the fire, the image then frozen in the moment of Vermeer’s choosing. The gamut between color hues is run, the cooler blue tones produce an icy feel to the images, clear and clean. The reds, oranges and umbers from yellow through gold flow into a cauldron, yielding from the vat powerful images of change.

Like the medieval alchemists, Jeff is looking for the philosopher’s stone — gold — which is found in the mixing of paint with fire. The mystery and the alchemy are merged in his artistic vision via use of the material to produce the cool blue vision.

Works such as Incubus provide a warm cascade, a swirl of color for the viewer to enter into. A personal experience for each, providing the optimum essence of abstract expression within the image to be observed…played with. The colors are clean, the process providing dimensional depth. One can walk in the point delivered to the imagination and see for oneself any thing revealed to the individual psyche.

Pollock may have dreamed of this freedom found within the mixing of elements and color by Vermeeren.

The essence Pop works exampled in the girl with sunglasses offers a suggestion

by Vermeeren of the opportunity to personally fantasize within his abstracted works, and a flirtatious fascination for what is held in the forging fire. The girl is crisp and sharp and a contrast to the abstract reflection in her glasses, compositionally providing a fun pop feel to the piece.

The blues which emerge from the installed wall hanging (in blue) belie the process. This should be ice captured or the blue ray glimpsed meditatively within the most searing fire. This would indeed make one of the opposites of the experience.

Again, there is a freedom captured and shared in all of Vermeeren’s works, possibly offered through the media of fire applied to metal not available to other forms of artistic applied media. The artist marries the process of his imagination to the possibilities revealed in scientific explanation, images or theories depicted as image. The imagery taken as the three-dimensional view of ALMA’s observatory shots of the carbon gases being emitted by the nearby stars in our galaxy look like the artistic captured images offered by Jeff in many of his works. The universes is seen and sliced into a small section of agreed union between art and science.

As Matta’s mid-20th century woks resemble the photons and other atomic fragments projected as art image, Vermeeren’s fire of the mind pierces through time and allows for his galactic glimpse into the process of energy moving in the cauldron.

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Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 25

The Fine Art interview — Jeff Vermeeren “I Just Have To Mold Myself To The Work” The Vermereen Principles (and principals) of Extreme Abstraction first came to our attention at the 2015 International Artexpo on the Pier in New York City in April of 2015 at which Fine Art Magazine shared a corner of the exhibition hall with the aforementioned ( Jeff ) Vermereen and his able compadre, Dustin.

From a distance, a cascade of color emanated from their stall (a singular 10’ x 10’ booth), but none brighter than Vermereen himself, radiating that northwest Alberta vibe, surrounded on three sides with a panoply of his brilliantly colored and composed creations, wearing vibrant outfits that paled in comparison to his striking blue eyes and helmut of orange hair coupled with the phsique of a man who gets at it wholeheartedly.

Tell us about your Artexpo experience, we recently asked him over the phone from The Adirondacks to Western Canada.

“It was fantastic. Honestly, it was a blast. They contacted me a week before the show opening and next thing I knew I was on an airplane to New York City. Only a year or so before the Expo was when we built the website so I didn’t know what to expect. During the opening night, 25 gallery owners gave us offers to exhibit. They all wanted to work with us, which is really neat. About 125 galleries in all stopped by. Eric [ ed. note: Smith, Director of Artexpo + other fairs produced by Redwood Media Group] and I are talking about doing a piece for his new fair to coincide with Coachella this spring- the front sign. Opportunity is massive. He then asked me to create some electric guitars, maybe do 10 limited edition guitars for Eric to give as gifts to guitarists… Don Oriolo [Ed. note: who was at the adjoining Fine Art Magazine booth] and I have already created a new suite of Felix The Cat pieces and are working on guitar collaborations. Photo -shoots, getting crazy....

“We met thousands of peole, I don’t think I’ve had so much fun. It was neat showing off my work and people could see the creative side of me. I was one of a kind, the only one doing what I do on metal. A lot of people came though and said they’d never seen this kind of work. Is it glass? ceramic? Metal? People were just guessing. That’s the magic in it and these kind of art pieces are magic, a whole new look to the art world.”

What prompted this mode of expression?

I do demolition — projects big and small. Everything from sledge hammers to taking full buildings down. Once you demolish a building, you can’t come back and take down the same building. Neither can I make the same painting. I wanted to go from destructing to my creative side. I had a bit of free time and my hobby evolved into painting and it rolled into my passion and my passion grew and now this 26 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

“Plunge” is featured in this dramatic view.

“Red Paint”

is something that is over-taking the demolition side My creativity comes out and my passion goes to the art work.

How did you develop your art-form?

Most of the series I do is with aluminum, for technical reaons.

I also work with copper. Initially, I have a vision of what I want to see and as the piece is going on, that vision may alter. What makes it so unique is that the paint is a very fast process that changes so rapidly that my vision from beginning to end of the process — with all coloring — changes what I am trying to do 50 times. Sometimes it works out ten times better than what I thought. I just have to mold myself to the work. These are not a landscapes or portraits. I go into it saying these are the colors I can use, this is the style I can use. Let’s see what is created.

So passion and creativity are taking over?

I’m a strong believer in knowing I can fail at what I don’t want to do, so I might as well take a chance on something that I love.

And now you’re riding the wave.

One of my things is I’m a very one-of-a-kind kind of guy. I don’t want to be going into a restaurant wearing the same shirt as anybody else. These works can’t be duplicated. The same color lines, or even how the bubbles develop and grow as they are being created would be impossible to do the same way twice.

Seems like you have carved out quite a spot for yourself in the art area in very sort space of time.

Before this, I started businesses and sold them — things like that. If I feel that something is not working, I will change it in a moment. My first pieces were ridiculous, goofy looking. If you watch how my art evolves, what materials I use inside and how the textures change, you would see that I’m doing stuff now that I didn’t even have at the Art show a few months ago. If I’m not pushing forward, I’m moving backward and I do not take any negativity forward with me. The art is always evolving, always growing. If I did what I did yesterday, I’d only get the same results.

— VICTOR BENNETT FORBES Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 27

Raging Whirl

Auric Rise, 24” x 48” 28 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

Pharos

Jeff Vermeeren is proud to participate in numerous charities.

A portion of proceeds from his creations are donated to those involved in helping children who are battling life-threatening diseases.

Visit Vermeeren Fine art on the web http://www.vermeerenfineart.com/ & Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Vermeerenfineart

Flaxen of the pale yellow color of dressed flax

Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 29

THE PROCESS

“Very few are done with paintbrushes, most are made with a variety of spray guns that range from half-size up to 16x. This makes the colors flow and split nicer so that there are less bubbles, more shine, more glow. During the process of coloring, all my pieces are set on fire maybe two or three times. I also freeze a hand-full of them so that I get a diferent look as the chemicals change. In every color there are millions of shades. When you heat and feeze them, that’s when the shades come out. That red will split and you will see tons of different layers as more colors are joined to the original layer. It changes everyday depending on lighting or personal moods. I see something different every day. I used to paint cars when I was a teenager. Today I use 15 different kinds of paints working in my industrial facility. Each piece is a 3-4 week process from thought to shipping. I do all the colors, mixing of the paint, spraying — that’s all a piece of me.

I can’t recreate what I did before even if I tried.

That’s the joy in it. I take the things I learned from a particular piece and use it in a new one.”

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The process

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“I had an amazing experience at Heritage Heights School. The children were very excited to learn about Abstract art.”

The Vermeeren family 32 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

Show Director Eric Smith, Jeff Vermeeren at Artexpo in New York City, April 2015

Initial phase of first guitar for the Coachella Festival

Jeff Vermeeren and Don Oriolo with one of their Felix The Cat collaborations for Dreamworks.

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Art Basel stages the world’s premier art shows for Modern and contemporary works, sited in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong

Ron Burkhradt 34 • Fine Art Magazine • December 2015

PHOTO BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES

PHOTO BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES

Kong. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, which is reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. In addition to ambitious stands featuring leading galleries from around the world, each show exhibition sector spotlight the latest developments in the visual arts, offering visitors new ideas, new inspiration and new contacts in the art world. For further information please visit: artbasel.com

PHOTO BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES

Marc Spiegler, GLOBAL DIRECTOR Art Basel director, Marc leads a symposium at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2014.

PHOTO BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES

Since 1970, Art Basel’s goal has been to connect the world's premier galleries and their patrons, serving as a meeting point for the international art world. Now, over forty years later, its three fairs – in Basel, Hong Kong and Miami Beach – rank as the premier shows of their kind, presenting 20th and 21st century art with a strong curatorial perspective. In Miami Beach, 267 leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa show significant work from the masters of Modern and contemporary art, as well the new generation of emerging stars. Paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, films, and editioned works of the highest quality are on display in the main exhibition hall. Ambitious large scale artworks, films and performances become part of the city’s outdoor landscape at nearby Collins Park and SoundScape Park.

PHOTO BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES

Sunflower, Richard Pousette-Dart at Art Basel Miami Beach

Rirkrit Tiravanija

Atmosphere at Art Basel, Miami Beach Fine Art Magazine • December 2015 • 35

Carol Valone & Bert Seides

Group shot in front of the restored Ketcham Inn, Center Moriches, New York

THE KETCHAM INN

Bert Seides Vision of Creativity & Preservation

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he Terry Ketcham Inn Restoration Celebration had several hundred happy party goers in attendance last July 3rd, to see the reflections of over 300 years of South Shore Long Island history brought to life. The careful selection and overseeing of detail by Bert Seides makes for museum-quality viewing for visitors to the restored Terry-Ketcham Inn. Once a stage coach stop connecting travelers from Manhattan to Sag Harbor from the 1800s on, today it is a living history Museum under the auspices of the Foundations’ President, Bert Seides and Board of Directors. Sponsors Martha Clara Winery, Weiss Nursery, Netty’s Bakery, Atlantic Seafood, Alice Schaub, Belle Brown, KC Collections and Carol Valone all made the evening a tremendous success. The twenty five years of community effort on behalf of all volunteers added to this a memorable occasion.

Bert’s efforts to bring about a place of historical cultural preservation has united Center Moriches, what was once the New York theater districts’ summer playground. I used to walk my dogs Fluffy and Pearl late at night down Montauk Highway where the billboard fundraising thermometer was a slow rise. Two generations of 36 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

Zelda Seides with Bert

Bert Seides, Linda Stucchio and Thomas Cardoza

Loren Christian & Bert Seides

Frank & Chris Zambella with Bert

PHOTOS & STORY BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES

Diane Schiwindt in the Inn’s kitchen

household poodles later, the Inn is complete. At times I, like others, thought Bert’s vision may not make it. After the Havens house was completed and the landscape began to change, the energy displayed as manifested.

The beauty and charm of old Moriches began to reemerge, making the bend into the Tryrell River and East

Ellen &Tom Williams with Bert Seides

Moriches one of the most beautiful on this stretch of road that runs all the way to the Ponds in East Hampton out to Montauk.

Applause to Bert for having this vision, leading others to join him and having the stamina to complete this job. I for one am looking forward to the

proposed Fine Art and Crafts center and the vision planned for the music, dance and theater waiting in the wings to emerge as a place where young and old may come to see and express themselves culturally in an environment of creativity and preservation.

ARTISTS OF

THE YEAR

Ed Heck’s Random Acts of Art can be found almost anywhere

ED HECK DonOriolo’s Felix is all about LOVE

DON ORIOLO

D T

Ed Heck and Don Oriolo accept Fine Art Magazine’s Artist of the Year Award

he paintings of Ed Heck first came to our attention a couple of decades ago when they were in the window of Tom Winer’s gallery on Columbus Avenue on New York’s Upper West Side — Seinfeld territory. They were cute, simple renditions of a very particular spotted dog, a canine who (we found out later) is a compendum of the dogs Ed has known. These paintings began to fly off the wall and Ed left his safe and thriving career as a painter of dinosaurs at New York’s Museum of Natural History to venture out as an inidependent artist. We have watched Ed avoid extinction continued on page 40

By ALEX TIRPACK

on Oriolo’s professional career can be dizzying, but the man fondly known as the “Felix the Cat Guy” wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, anyone who is familiar with the Felix cartoon character knows the cat is always reaching into his “magic bag of tricks” to find the next tool or gadget for the task at hand, and in many ways this signature action is symbolic of Oriolo’s professional and personal life. Don is an artist, a fixture in the music publishing and recording world, an owner of his own guitar manufacturing company, and a philanthropist — all the while his creative mind seems to have a never-ending bag of tricks to reach into for the next project on the docket.

When Oriolo’s father Joe —the modern-day Felix the Cat cocreator — passed away in 1985, Don took over the franchise and immediately sought to bring the iconic cartoon into the new era of media. By implementing modern licensing, merchandising, and marketing strategies, Oriolo launched Felix into a global market, complete with movies, television series, and even video games.

Under his watch, Felix became the number one licensed character in Japan. The goal, of course, was to get Felix out to a new and broader audience and to share the beloved cartoon character of Don’s youth with new generations around the world. Simply put, Felix the Cat has been Don’s “creative muse” since he was a child, and Don just continued on page 38

Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 37

Don painting in his studio

Don’s compassionate nature doesn’t end with his fellow humans couldn’t help but propel that happy-go-lucky charm onto any and all mediums in hopes that it would spread the same joy to new and old fans alike.

Don’s artwork in every medium can be found in galleries all around the world.

His third painting book, Another Book of Felix the Cat Paintings, was released via a book signing on November 22nd at Macy’s in New York City. Don is a prolific painter, cartoonist, and writer. He paints several paintings a week and dedicates them to his deceased brother and sister.

But drawing, writing, and producing various Felix projects is only a slice of Don’s professional life. Don has also had a fantastic career in the music publishing world, having worked as a head publishing executive at a number of recording studios, including RSO Records, Twentieth Century Fox, and more.

He signed heavy hitters such as Meatloaf, Jim Steinman, and Lisa Lisa, and is credited with writing Jon Bon Jovi’s first charted single. His hard work in this business has allowed him to enjoy a number of ASCAP and BMI awards, and he was named Country Music Publisher of the Year two years in a row. Never one to keep his good fortune to 38 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

himself, Don now passes along his expertise in the music industry to up and coming artist and musicians. Recently he’s worked with a young R&B musician from the Bronx named Qeuyl, showing the young man the “behindthe-scenes” nuances of the music industry.

Don’s love for music doesn’t stop at the recording industry; he also owns and operates the Oriolo Guitar Company — a guitar and ukulele manufacturing company that juxtaposes cartoon-inspired aesthetics with world class luthier quality. Featuring Felix the Cat and other illustrations ripped straight from Don’s sketchbook, the guitars are unabashedly Oriolo creations, and that’s exactly the point. Speaking recently about the instrument designs, Don said, “I wanted to put fun back into playing guitars, so when you look down at it as you play you go, ‘Oh wow! Cool!’ Putting fun back into playing the guitar, that’s what it’s all about.”

Don has used his love of music and the Oriolo Guitar Company as means to spread the joy of music to those who most need it. The Oriolo Guitar Company is a proud sponsor of the Guitars in the Classroom nonprofit organization, a charity organization that promotes using music as an integral

educational tool for all aspects of 21st century learning. The company has donated dozens of instruments to the charity and Don has personally visited the students that have received his guitars.

The Oriolo Guitar Company is also a sponsor of the Pihcintu Foundation. A nonprofit organization based out of Portland, Maine, the Pihcintu Foundation focuses on teaching musical choir to immigrant children from war-torn countries. By giving these children the gift of music, the Foundation helps these kids restart their lives with something positive after witnessing unspeakable atrocities, a cause Don is incredibly passionate about.

Maybe it’s due to his love of Felix the Cat, but Don’s compassionate nature doesn’t end with his fellow humans — he’s also a huge animal lover and has recently started a horse rescue barn in his hometown of Lafayette, NJ. Named after a nickname his father had given him when he was younger, the “Blue Arrow Horse Farm” currently houses a half dozen horses, and additional stables and facilities are under development to make room for more animals in need of a loving place to call home.

George the Horse

The Spirit of Felix Don Teaching Kids

Don with his Dad, lower left Left: Don with his custom designed Felix guitars Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 39

Pray For Paris Pigeon

“We hope to expand this program to hospitals across the and, in fact, soar to international acclaim and recognition. All the country.” while, Ed has parlayed his success into not only random acts of art, More recently Ed became involved with The Felix Organizabut random acts of kindness on many levels.Teetering on the brink tion, which works to enrich the of international superstardom, a lives of children in foster care. la Britto and Rizzi, Ed uses his “This is another organization popularity to bring attention to a where I saw a great cause with myriad of causes, mostly involvgreat people trying to do good ing the needs of children. and was glad they approached Often asked from to donate me to be involved.” One program art works to different charities — Camp Felix — sends fosto help with their fundraising ter children to the country for a efforts and events, he finds it camp experience each summer. “I “a privilege to have my work be went to the camp last summer,” useful in this way and for me continues Ed, “and painted with to be able to be a small part in the kids in the art program. I fell helping these charities.” in love with these great kids and Although he donates to I will be back again this summer. many charities each year for We are launching a campaign all sorts of causes from animal with a t-shirt I designed called shelters to various health issues, ‘Rock On With Felix And Send some form a deep connection.

A Kid To Camp.’ We hope to inOne such charity is Artworks, clude more kids in this program “I was originally approached by in coming years.”

Artworks founder and ExecuRecently, Ed was asked to tive Director Daniela Mendeldonate some work for a charsohn when she first began the ity event to benefit a little girl foundation about 13 years ago named Eva. The Eva Fini Fund and I have been working with at RSRT was started by the parthem ever since on a program ents of Eva who suffers from Rett we started called ‘Surprise! SupSyndrome, the most physically plies’ that delivers custom-built disabling of the autism spectrum, mobile art carts to children predominantly affecting girls. suffering from chronic and life Symptoms usually manifest bethreatening illnesses.” tween 6 and 18 months of age, The carts are placed in when a frightening regression hospitals throughout New Finding a spot in the studio for the Artist of the Year award begins. Children lose acquired lanYork and New Jersey and used guage skills and functional hand use; movement deteriorates as other in pediatric rooms daily where children are able to work Rett symptoms appear. The Rett Syndrome Research Trust is an with the art supplies. An Art Therapist is on hand to enorganization with a single focus – to make Rett Syndrome the first gage the children in diversionary and therapeutic activities.

40 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

The End Is Near

Go Boldly (Live Long and Prosper)

Song For Alicia

“While you do what you do, you can also help others at the same time.” reversible brain disorder. “I am donating a painting of my version of the Eva Fini Fund logo, a star with wings. I hope to get a little more involved and go a little further and raise as much as I can by offering to keep painting these winged stars until they find that cure and Eva can use her hands to paint one herself.”

From the beginning of his career, Ed has been involved with many organizations and his work and positive energy has served these causes well. A goal he set for himself this year is to make efforts to work even more with charities and do more. As part of this effort he started a project — Random Acts of Art. “This will not only provide me with a sort of umbrella for all the charity work I want to do but at its core is just a way to try and do good in general.

I recently read a business book that talked about ‘Doing good while trying to do well’ which basically means that while you do what you do, you can also help others at the same time.”

With Random Acts of Art, Ed leaves small works of his art in public places for people to find and keep for free. “All I ask them to do in return,” he says, “is take this act of kindness and pass it on by doing something kind for someone else and keep it going.”

Fifty Shades of Orange Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 41

With Love, Compassion and Dedication, The Hampton Classic and ASPCA Rescue Last Chance Horses and Dogs

“I’m a wild Mustang who was rescued!”

“I love the Classsic! I jumped and had a great rider!”

ASPCA AMBASSADORS FOR EQUINES - Jill Rappaport, Georgina Bloomberg, Shanette Barth Cohen

ASPCA Rescue Ambassadors Brianne Goutal, Regina Bloomberg, Jennifer Gates

BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES The ASPCA riders and great equine Champions came together with compassion, responsibility and caring to rescue horses from slaughter houses and kills at the Hampton Classic, which celebrated its 40th year, August 23-30, 2015.

More than 90 corporate sponsors drawn from virtually ever y sector of the business world — fashion, finance, luxury brands, publishing, real estate, such as: Longines, Douglas Elllman, IHeartRadlo, Land Rover, Jaguar, Royalton Farms and Campbell Stables participated citing a few.

With love and dedication 42 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

Jill Rappaport of NBC TV and Georgina Bloomberg as ASPCA Ambassador, supported the ASPCA and the Project Sage Horse Rescue, based in Northport, N.Y., (founded in 2010 by Brittany Rostron and her cousin Steven Katz) all took part in the adoption day festivities and demonstrations.

“They have the same heart and soul as the horses competing here at the Hampton Classic.

And I believe that they know when they’ve been saved and they’ll thank you every day for it,” commented Ms. Rappaport, Grand prix rider Georgina Bloomberg implored the more

than 100 people in attendance, “This is you’re chance to learn some of the issues facing animals and to make a difference. It’s your chance to be a voice.”

The horse lovers come to the classic to be part of what is a truly amazing experience uniting one of the world s oldest domesticated animals with man.

Passion of the soul ignites while watching, the beauty of the horses and riders demonstrating their finely tuned communication between horse and man. This is where art, beauty and athletic line merge into a show of magnificence. The best of the best are showcased and seen in a very exclusive environment. All the while the organizers, Marty

Bauman, and Shannette Barth Cohen, bring the focus to local champions, young, disabled and finally the neglected, forgotten unglamorous animals making the Classic horse rescue and ASPCA efforts of long-lasting importance.

T h e Ham ptons I nte rnational Classic is the largest horse show in America. I originally went to cover the people and fashion anout seven years ago. It was to my great surprise late in life I was caught up in a love affair with these horses, their beauty, grace and intelligence shining through as efforts between human and horse arise to be the best in their field. Noting beats the mastery

Gimme Shelter Rescue of Sag Harbor

More Hats

James Lipton, Actors Studio

Leslie Weiss Marty Bauman George and Ami Kane with Public Relations man John Wegorzewski

Congressman Peter King and grandson Elisa De Staphano, News 12 Long Island

Shanette Barth Cohen

of a horse and rider topping the final hurdle.

I have walked the stalls to speak with the stable owners, seen the grooms people, met the dogs and watched the families grin with pride and saw disappointment. Over this time all animals have been loved.

Brushed with love, dressed ( hats on, manes braided) ridden, and showered with love.

My efforts this year were focused on the horse adoption day efforts as all stood in the hot field, relaying that these horses have this last chance to

be given forever homes. Brought to light was the US Government (according to the speakers) use of helicopters to round up the wild Mustangs. Wild Mustangs are not exempt from hunting. Once corralled by the government theses horses have two tries to be bought at auction, finally a third last purchase oppertunity while being led to the slaughterhouse.

The dedic ation, lov e and compassion of the Hamptons Classic and the ASPCA give these animals a second chance.

Some of these pictures are of these lovely animals.

PHOTOS BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES

Making the jump

“Just ask me,.I love being at the classic.”

Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 43

National Museum of Catholic Art and Library Celebrates Love, Families Ambassadors, Senators and Congress Members, Roman Catholic clerg y, artists, business leaders and patrons of the arts, gathered under the Patronage of the Ambassador of Italy to the United States and Mrs. Claudio Bisogniero, and under the Patronage of the Order of San Martin’s G e n e r a l Pr i o r, Pr i n c e Lorenzo Maria Raimondo de Medici, from Rome, to celebrate this year ’s springtime gala, “Celebrating Families and Love is our Mission” on the Feast Day US Ambassador Raymond Flynn presents of Our Lady of Fatima. The NMCAL Award to Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia. event was a huge success.

Christina Cox, NMCAL Founder received the Pope Benedict XVI Medal Award from the Pontifical Council of Families from Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia for her work in the arts and service to the Roman Catholic church.

The event was held at the Embassy of Italy in May, hosted by the Board of Trustees of the National Museum of Catholic Art and Library, Honorary Gala Chairs US Ambassador Raymond and Catherine Flynn and Gala Chairs, Christina Cox, NMCAL Founder and NMCAL Chairman, Timothy Barton and President JMJ Development of Dallas, TX, art fundraising to support a new museum near Catholic University of America.

The NMCAL’S Lifetime Achievement and Humanity Awards were presented to Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, James Nicholson, Former US Secretary of Veterans, Former US Ambassador to the Holy See and Former Republican National Committee Chairman, was presented a Lifetime Achievement and Veterans Award and Thomas Prasil, Former, Senior Vice President of Investments at Paine Weber, UBS was presented a Lifetime Achievement and Art Benefactor Award.

The Environmental, Peace and Justice Award was presented to Daniel Misleh, Executive Director, and Catholic Climate Covenant.

Monsignor Walter Rossi, Rector of The Basilica of The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception said the heart-warming invocation.

NMCAL Patron of the Arts Award was presented to Johnessco Rodriguez. Long Island artist, Steve Alpert received the National Military Artist Award. Luis Peralta received the Portrait Award for his canonization painting of Archbishop Oscar Romero, and Paul Gatto will receive the International Artist Award for his painting of “The Morsel” and his many religious artworks donated to NMCAL. We had a special unveiling of “Michelangelo’s St Peters’ Pieta”, a life-size marble reproduction sculpture from the Vatican Observatory, which was donated by art collector Thomas and Sandy Prasil.

The National Museum of Catholic Art and Library, Board of Trustees will be building their new museum in “Little Rome” in Northeast Washington, DC. Their museum is under the Patronage and protection of “Our Lady of Fatima.” Christina Cox, Founder and Nicholas Koutsomitis NMCAL architect are planning the new and exciting art galleries. Timothy Barton, NMCAL Chairman, is navigating the building, development and financing of the museum property. The NMCAL also plans an outdoor sculpture garden, visitors center and Mary’s Rosary walk.

44 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015

Christina Cox, NMCAL Founder, James Crowley Esq ( Middle), Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia

NMCAL Board Members JimPinkelman & Timothy Barton, NMCAL Chairman

Brother Joseph Britt, Luis Peralta Del Valle, Amanda Stephenson, Pauline Stephenson, Oscar Del Valle, Lilliam Del Valle

Honoree Ambassador Jim Nicholson, Suzanne Nicholson and Tim Flangan

VIP Unveiling of the St. Peter’s Pieta by Michelangelo Donated by Thomas and Sandy Prasil Monsignor Walter Rossi

Knights of San Martino, left: Lorenzo Ferrara, David Newren, Patrizia Puzzovio, Prince Lorenzo de Medici Frank Esposito and Milton Jackson of the Smithsonian, artist Steve Alpert.

Johan Schotte , Honoree Daniel Misleh, Lonnie Ellis

The museum will be located Catholic Family” and the reign and near the Catholic University of work of Pope Francis.

PHOTOS BY JAMIE ELLIN FORBES America and the Basilica of the NMCAL website: www.nmcal.org National Shrine of Immaculate Conception. Exciting exhibits like “Catholics in Washington, DC” which will display photos and artifacts from the historical sacred sites, Catholic Men of Faith, Catholic Women of Faith, President John F. Kennedy, Catholics on Capitol Hill and Papal visits to Washington, DC. Art galleries include “New Saints” canonized in Peter Miller, Johan Schotte , Johnessco Rodriguez, the last century, a gallery on “The Ambassador Nicholson, David Newren, Christina Cox

Dorothy Alpert, Steve Alpert and Susan Dyer

Monsignor Walter Rossi, Archbishop Paglia, Thomas Prasil Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2015 • 45

Author Gwen Reasoner and artist Loretta Shadow Owens at Old Post Office Museum book signing and exhibition of original art from Where Did the Day Go?

GWENDOLYN REASONER

On A Mission From God

“The earth was formless and void...and God said, Let there be light.”

(Genesis 1:2–3)

By Victor Forbes “With the pen of a ready writer” (Psalm 45:1) Dr. Gwendolyn Reasoner, Ph.D., sat down at her desk after a startling dream awoke her in the midnight hour. She began to transcribe the words inscribed on her heart by none other than the Creator of the Universe, God Himself. In this night vision that was much too intense and detailed to be a mere dream, she was given a mission clearly authorizing her to be the messenger to tell the world about the goodness of God and the infinite love and mercy of Jesus Christ. This was to be done in the form of a book to be composed primarily for the young but suitable for all. It was to be hip and modern — yet eternal — in its message. It was to be the story of Creation: all seven days compressed into 40 pages of delightful prose, enthralling illustrations and the simplest of prayers. Where Did the Day Go? is the stunning result.

Guided by The Spirit, Gwen saw how something — the Universe — was created from nothing. “An impossibility for all but not for the Almighty,” she said in a recent interview from her Southwest Louisiana gallery and headquarters.

“In 2010, when I had that dream, I had the outline and story line done in 30 minutes. I saw the basic progression of the book, and the illustrations as well.

I could clearly see all of the paintings — they were all about the Creation.”

A well-respected author in both scholarly and art literary circles, 46 • Fine Art Magazine • Autumn 2015

Gwen had never written a children’s book and knew she needed to come up with the perfect artist for this anointed project. Gwen cleared her business calendar and set aside time to refine the text. She was committed to however long it would take to complete the story.

Her methodology was to pray to God for that first day’s material, and that’s all that would come to her. “I told the Lord,” she recounted, “I’ll meet you tomorrow,” and by the end of seven days she had the entire story. “The message came directly from God to me. It was incredible. I couldn’t go past that one day.

I would have to shut it down and the next day I came back to work and He gave me just what was needed. I had it all. The book was finished.” Even more incredulous, if such a thing is possible, was the way the paintings came into the picture.

Somehow, in considering what artist to use, Gwen thought back to her early art gallery days, owner then and now of Re Vann Galleries, a thriving business on New York Avenue and The Boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ. At the time it was a real-life boomtown of Monopoly board fame with casino gambling, major concert halls and the Miss America Pageant. It was the East Coast’s version of Las Vegas. “ The galler y business is awesome. It’s been a great ride for me. I love it and this is my 41st year selling art. On a good day in Atlantic we would have 2,000 or 3,000 people in our gallery We had long hours as the people in Atlantic City weren’t that much into sleep.”

One of those people was Loretta Shadow Owens, of Ruston,

Louisiana, who stopped in at the gallery with her husband while in town for the Miss America Pageant in 1990. Miss Louisiana was a friend of theirs so they came up for a week to see the pageant during which time they came into the gallery. “ Gwen recalled meeting Loretta in her gallery all those years ago and liking the small photos of her art. I showed her several Erté sculptures and we became friends. That they were from Louisiana and I was there was just gravy. She came back the next year and I sold her several more Erté bronzes and Loretta showed me photos of a few of her small works of art saying, ‘My life started at 40 because that’s when I started painting. It is a spiritual experience for me” A stalwart record-keeper, Gwen was able to track down the artist some three decades later and describe what she was looking for to illuminate her words. “During all that time, I only had the photos,” said Gwen. “I never saw any of her art in person. When I called her, she told me she had been doing all these paintings but putting them in her stock room so nobody could see them. She didn’t know why she was hiding them or painting them, but after I described the story to her and she described the paintings to me, it all made sense. It wasn’t the finished book, but it was a great start. I knew it was from God,” continued Gwen, “She already had those originals done, and we only needed a few more paintings. She had to paint God’s hand holding a paint brush, which I asked her to do as I saw that in my dream — it was all so vivid — and that was one of the few things she had to add. She already had a vision, and she didn’t know why.” Gwen went on to tell her it was all about The Creation and how “God wants me to be the messenger for this project.” Loretta responded instantly: “I’m in. I have 40 paintings done in my stock room, where no one has ever seen them. I knew I had done these for some reason, but never showed them, never talked about them.

Now I understand how Jesus led me to do them. I would love to do this project because it is led by the Holy Spirit.” Adds Gwen, “I knew then that God had prepared the road for us, prepared the journey. He doesn’t always call the equipped, but equips the called.

He chose us and put us together.”

But even with her great education, her many scholarly papers and the hard cover books she produced as a gallery owner on the famous artists she represented (among them Erté and Peter Max), Gwen still had trepidations. “First of all, I told the Lord, ‘Lord, I’m like Moses, I can’t do this.’ I said again, ‘Not me, Lord. I’m a gallery owner, I’m a businesswoman.’’’ But her love of the Lord was the deciding factor and she told Him, “The only way I can do this work is if you open the doors. I’ll walk through them, if you open the doors.” Finding Loretta Shadow Owens and her secret stash of Book of Genesis themed paintings was such a door. These paintings surround and bestride the text in glorious color, a flash of Fauvism here, classic but totally original naiveté there. Her renderings of solar systems, the Garden of Eden, menageries of brilliantly colored birds and mammals, even God asleep in his heavenly hammock, surrounded by angels, birds, sun, moon and sky with the words “And I blessed the Seventh Day and made it holy” create what can only be described as perfection. As Gwen says, “If it is, it is because it was created by the Master.” When she handed her final manuscript off to be edited, the proofreader came back and said “I only see two commas that may be changed, and that is entirely up to you.’ How,” Gwen asks, “do you edit God?” As the book in her spirit began to manifest into ink on paper, Gwen and Loretta made a commitment to have it done professionally, with a team of graphic designers and a top notch printer. “To really have a book that would make God proud, we worked on it for three years and flew up to Canada to have it printed. We were on press every day, looked at every page, and watched the process from start to end. We had a conversation with the staff before starting and I

Author Gwen Reasoner at Historic City Hall Opening Reception, Nov 6; with her National Award Winning Book, Where Did the Day Go?

told them the history of how this book came about. They were so attentive, and promised to do everything to make this as perfect as a human being, a staff or team of great printers could. We went in and just knew that God had His hand on the printing process and put it all together.

One of the first reviews came in from Ann Powell, of ARP Editing, Dallas Texas who w rote, “W here Did the Day Go? is a gorgeously illustrated ‘hip kids’ version of the Genesis account of God creating our wor ld, one day at a time, and the ensuing temptation and fall of man. Endearingly quirky but Loretta Shadow Owens recognizable flora and fauna romp in glowing Technicolor across pages of God’s running commentary on His daily handiwork, couched in kid-friendly jargon in a style that is relevant but not irreverent. This is a user-friendly, largeloving God who continually asks the reader for responses…Some are provided, in the form of short, spontaneous, single-sentence prayers, including a final one accepting God’s offer of rescue from the effects of the fall…”

On the heels of that accolade, Where Did the Day Go? was awarded the 2015 National Illumination Book Award, Silver Medal for the Best Keepsake/Gift/Specialty Book by the Jenkins Group.

With the motto “Shining a Light on Exemplary Christian Books,” the Illumination Book Awards are designed to honor the year’s best new titles written and published with a Christian world-view. In addition, Where Did The Day Go? was named the Gold Winner in the Religious Non-Fiction category of the 2015 National Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Catherine Goulet, Awards Chair at the National Awards Reception held on May 27th at the Harvard Club of New York City presented the Gold Metal to Gwen who attended the prestigious gala awards reception held at the landmark location in NYC during Book Expo America. Reasoner was personally autographing the book at the Book Expo America in NY on Friday, May 29th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. “The book signing was overwhelming. Book buyers, librarians, media and industry professionals were lined up by the hundreds to obtain a signed copy.

When people see those award seals on the book, they grab them.”

Gwen returned home and immediately the book started selling Fine Art Magazine • Autumn 2015 • 47

Author and Artist at Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center Exhibition Lake Charles, Louisiana

itself. “As holiday time came around, we thought we’d have a prepreview. We had about 200 people come in and fellowship with us and right then a tornado came through the city of Ruston and took out the electricity. All we had were some candles on hand and power from a small generator. Despite 80 mph winds and pouring rain, we sold the book by candlelight. We knew God had His hand on the project without much advertising or promotion. God has given us this tool to promote His Word.” At another event, the Southwest Louisiana Family Book Festival at the Central School for the Arts in Lake Charles, there were 500 people in attendance and Gwen presented the Illumination Award she received to Mayor Randy Roach, the City of Lake Charles and State of Louisiana so that they could display it at City Hall for all the people to enjoy. “It was a real family affair for the people with about 30 or 40 local artists & writers.

We had paintings from the book on exhibit along with the book.”

Gwen is at the point where some would be thinking about retirement. “I’m planning to slow down,” she says, “But never retire.

I will always continue with my love of music and art. In the world of business you have to keep reinventing yourself and you have to be on the cutting edge of today’s technology and the art investment trends, including the primary and secondary art markets.” Gwen brokers art if her clients want to trade up and also handle estates filled with porcelains and paintings as a certified appraiser. She also wants to do more missions work, and keep Where Did The Day Go? going strong as sales proceeds are benefiting hungry children through a charity that puts actions to work called Feed the Children. Where Did The Day Go? is also designed to feed hungry children’s minds and bodies so they will have hope for the future. The book teaches all children to do the right thing and help them realize how God sent His son to save each and every one of us, young or old. “This isn’t just another story,” Gwen concludes. “It’s the real story from Creation to Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden of Eden and illustrates an awesome canvas of God’s love for his children.

Everybody tells me the same thing: ‘When I hear you speak this, I get cold chills down my arm. I want a book.’ They come back and buy several more. They cry for joy ‘I don’t really understand the scripture like I’d like to.’ They tell me that Where Did The Day Go? is so user friendly that they ‘get it’ now. One reader in Florida told me she reads it every day when she gets up to drink her coffee.

“I am so grateful to make a difference. Glory be to God, I give all the credit and thanks for empowering me to write and share His eternal message.” The message that Gwen and Loretta convey asks 48 • Fine Art Magazine • Autumn 2015

Southwest Louisiana Book Festival

“Are you believing God for something that seems impossible?” The answer is simply “We serve a great and mighty God and He can create something out of nothing! He can make a way when there seems to be no way. Before God spoke the world into existence, it was formless and void. If God can make the world out of nothing, He can take the empty places in your life and create something beautiful, too. He can speak light into your darkest hour. He can take your formless dreams and give them shape. He can resurrect your dormant gifts and talents! He can make your crooked places straight! Trust Him in all things because He can make something out of nothing!”

An exhibition of original artwork from the book is currently on view at the Lake Charles, LA Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center through Dec. 31, 2015. The book is published by In His Shadow Press and costs $ 20.00. For more information call (800) 821-4278 to order or email: InHisShadowPress@aol.com

Gwen presents 2015 National Illumination Book Award to Mayor Randy Roach - Lake Charles; pictured: Lena Roach, Mayor Roach, and Gwen

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