THE PADUCAH PORTFOLIO…10

The Portfolio express has been temporarily derailed by my wife’s illness.  She recently spent 5 days in the hospital recovering from a severe case of Salmonella poisoning.  (No, we don’t know where it came from.)  Fortunately she is now home and well on her way to full recovery.

But before I can get back into my routine I have prepare for next weeks opening reception for my daughter’s exhibit of her felted critters, paintings, and drawings.  This means it is time for my annual  “ clean up the studio, throw out stuff, and make space where none exists”.  Before I can set up Sara’s work I have to move some of mine out of the gallery.  Before I can do that I have to move stuff out of the studio so there is room for the work from the gallery.  And before I can dot that….you get the picture.  I can’t tell you how sorely tempted I am to give everything away, and start all over.

If my life wasn’t so good, I would complain!

The last thing I completed before this unexpected break:

The Colonial...markers and pastel

PAVAROTTI AND MOM

My mother was a big fan of Luciano Pavarotti.  She had a modest collection of his records and tapes that she listened to, and was delighted when Patience and I told her we had purchased tickets for all of us to an upcoming concert in Philadelphia.  

The concert was in a sports arena, which has since been torn down, and as we were walking up toward our seats my father, slipped and fell, face down on the concrete steps.  His face was bruised and bleeding; an attendant quickly arrived to help and offered to take him to a first aid station, to which my mother replied, “oh he’s ok, lets get to our seats”.  She had NO intention of missing any of the Pavarotti concert for a few bruises.

Yesterday I watched a Tribute to Pavarotti on a DVD, which included video of one of his concerts, and all I could think of was my mother, and how much she would have enjoyed the opportunities our new technology provides us.  It was another reminder of the good fortune I enjoy, that was not available to her.

1985

1985

 For "good measure" I have to include this photo of me from the early 80's when I still had hair and it was brown.

A Pavarotti Wannabe

THE PADUCAH PORTFOLIO…9 The delight of working with pastels

DOMES ON BROADWAY

I don’t know why I don’t work with this wonderful medium more often.  Wait…yes I do know why.  It is difficult to exhibit and/or store pastel paintings without framing, and as prolific as I tend to be, the cost soon becomes prohibitive.  But since some of the work in this portfolio is small, I am giving in to the pull of the pastels.

Unlike my precious work, I am working directly, with pastel pencils, on toned paper.  I love the way white or light colored structures jump off the paper when rendered this way.

I have completed several small paintings, and several more in the pipeline.

SLIM'S BBQ

FORMERLY HUGG THE DRUGGIST

PIZZA BY THE POUND

THE PADUCAH PORTFOLIO…8 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

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There are times I feel like the proverbial dog being wagged by his tail.  This project seems to have acquired a life of its own, which includes constant growth.  Just when I think I have the concept defined and contained, I discover a place, a structure, or some other unique subject that I simply cannot ignore.

My file of photos is approaching astronomical proportions, and the pile of drawings and paintings is not far behind.  Selecting what to include, and then trying to organize them is giving me a headache.

But of course, I’m a tiger, and the work goes on without any whining or complaining.  (The previous comments do not constitute whining or complaining; they are simply statements of fact.)

I’ve been spending some time in Paducah’s “Southside” discovering a bounty of fascinating places.

My task, through my artwork, is to make these places fascinating to you.

THE PADUCAH PORTFOLIO…7

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Three months into this project and I find myself faced with a new dilemma.  What is my priority, the art, or the subject (Paducah)?

The original concept was to create a book featuring art that was generated by my encounter with the city.  It would be a book to look at, rather than reading, and the primary focus would be the artwork.  But as the work progressed, and I visited more and more streets and neighborhoods in the city, the focus seems to have quietly shifted to “presenting” the city itself, albeit through the art.

It is a subtle, but significant change.  If the primary intent is to present my Paducah inspired art, then the subjects included are of secondary concern.  But if the goal is to present a picture of Paducah, then it is important that I accurately represent the city, and cover all significant areas.  

I have decided that it does not have to be an either-or situation and will work at being as inclusive as possible, keeping the focus on the art and accepting the limitations of trying to portray and all inclusive portrait of Paducah.  The bottom line is…I continue to paint and draw until …whatever.

Recent additions to the portfolio:

Jefferson St. Sampler

Kentucky Avenue shops

Lower Town Sampler

THE PADUCAH PORTFOLIO…6

Remnants of Paducah Past 

Anyone old enough to remember the mom and pop-shops and markets of the past will understand my attraction to these hollow remnants that remain scattered throughout the city.  You have to look carefully because sometimes they have been “made over” into something thought to be more suited for the “modern” age.

There was a time when people did not drive to supermarkets and malls miles away to do their shopping; every neighborhood had its own shops and markets to serve the needs of its residents.  Granted, nostalgia tends to make everything better than it actually was, but one thing cannot be argued…everyone knew your name, because they were your neighbors.

When I look at these abandoned buildings I see them as they might have been years ago, when they were a vital part of the neighborhood.  Imagining their stories and their history is as fascinating to me as their visual presence.  I try to evoke their past with my art.

11th st. icon...now

11th st. icon...as it might have been

Mr. In between

 This lonely building sits in nowhere land between Lower Town and Fountain avenue area.

THE PADUCAH PORTFOLIO…5 CHURCHES

My God, there are more churches in Paducah than people!  OK, that is a slight exaggeration, but there really are a lot of churches here, and that is a problem for me, because I have to decide which ones to include in the Portfolio.

Initially it was pretty easy, the obvious churches were the old downtown giants on Broadway and Jefferson streets.  That covered the Catholics, Methodists, Episcopalians, and the Presbyterians, but what about the Lutherans and Baptists?  I don’t want to be seen as playing favorites here.  So I expanded my mental section – “Spiritual Architecture” – and included two more churches, which I thought would keep me in reasonably good standing in the community of the faithful.  

Bethel Baptist Church

Lutheran Church on KY Ave.

Until yesterday morning when I decided to re-visit the Southside with my camera.  How could I not include either of these churches?

Burk's Chapel  AME Church

Nehemiah's Christian Church

Maybe the churches need a portfolio of their own.

Note...the size of the steeples bears no relation to the intensity of the faithful.