NESBITT PAINTING

Added a nice piece of folk art to my small collection, an oil on glass (with some reverse painting as well) by NYC artist Ron C. Nesbitt. I very much liked it and was able to get it for far less than I was expecting. I feel so lucky. He apparently specializes in crowded street scenes and baseball scenes, as well as black history pieces. He works along Vanderbilt Avenue in New York City. I've seen a few examples of his work, and really like it. There supposedly is a short documentary film about him that I must track down. I feel very fortunate to have scored it. This one seems to have been given to a friend (or perhaps a friend bought it). I hope the family didn't discard it thinking it was not of value, but I'm glad it landed in my hands. I think it may have been intended to have some light shine through it, like stained glass, though I am reluctant to take it out of its current frame and backing.

CHIMO ART

AUGUSTA

Chimo and I took a day trip to Augusta after we finished with Scout Sunday. Even though it was a cloudy, drippy day, we really liked their riverfront. We also made a quick visit to the Morris Museum of Art, where we were surprised to find a painting we were already familiar with by Jonathan Green. Really wonderful. Many nice pieces in their collection. We drove back through Aiken, whoich is a nice little town.

JACKSON POLLOCK

I don't really love Jackson Pollock, but I still have been intrigued with his work. People always tell me I have to go see his drip paintings in person to appreciate them. Nevertheless, when I heard they were showing his famous "Mural" at the Columbia Museum of Art, and it was free, I had to jump at the opportunity. His effort to create this piece was featured in the biopic POLLOCK, starring Ed Harris (who was wonderful). At first I was hesitant when I looked at it, but then I started to feel it, felt the strokes and could (probably incorrectly) discern figures. Some people say it is people marching, and Pollock himself said there were animals, but for me it seemed as if it was a crown of people almost dancing en mass, somewhat fitting for a painting done in New York City. It hung first in Peggy Guggenheim's home (she commissioned it) and it was later given to the University of Iowa, which now (because of a serious flood) must send it traveling around the world until they can complete a new museum to house it permanently. After viewing the piece I attended an informative lecture by curator Catherine Walworth, which helped me even more appreciate "Mural." They have done some wonderful work expanding and re-configuring the CMA and we are lucky to have such a good collection. Pollock himself has had a long association with the museum and art community here, and gave the museum many pieces that we would likely never have been able to see, so we are are very fortunate. The selfie did very poor justice to the work, probably to shame me for even considering my face near it. Take some time and go visit the museum (and support it as well) if you can.

CHIMO DOODLE

On a small scrap of paper Chimo doodled this little scene (blown up here a little so it can be seen).

GREENVILLE COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART

Probably my favorite art museum in South Carolina, largely because it focuses on native artists, as well as a strong Wyeth collection. Chimo and I made a day trip up on whim. Nice collection of Anna Heyward Taylor, who was from Columbia. Awesome carved birds by Grainger McKoy. A nice collection of works by the grandson of N.C. Wyeth and son of Andrew Wyeth. They had some William H. Johnson works, many of which we had seen in Charleston not too long ago. I liked the Sidney Dickinson exhibit. Here are a few pictures of the art there. I highly recommend people check it out. It is free, by the way,a nd there are other museums in the same block, as well a nice shopping district that extends down to the park and falls. The last picture is an illustration by NC Weyth used in a book, I think:

CHARLOTTE

Chimo and I took a road trip today up to Charlotte. We visited the Museum of the New South. I thought the permanent exhibit was pretty good, especially the recreations. I've seen better, but it wasn't bad. Was disappointed in the special exhibits. . . Text rich and artifact poor. Then we walked through the city, with Chimo gawking at the tall buildings. There was a cosplay convention going on, and some of the people were fun to look at. Then we checked out one floor of the Mint Museum of art. A really interesting and troubling collection of photographs by Mexican artists. Many good paintings. Saw a Warhol, Ansel Adams, Rockwell, and many others. Didn't like most of the modern stuff, especially the abstract. Walked back to the car. Freaking $21 for parking. Cost more than our dinner. The we attended a smooth jazz concert at the really excellent Freedom Park. We had a great time.

CHIMO ART

CHIMO ART

On Friday last, while his ceramics

teacher was out, Chimo opted to do a quick acrylic painting on posterboard. This is the beautiful result, I think he has so much talent.

FLOATING CHICKEN HEADS

Did well at the auction, surprisingly. I thought I had no chance at a box of miscellaneous items that included two smaller Ernest Lee (Chicken Man) paintings. But for some reason people were not watching, and I got them for $14. Made me giggle for quite a while. Here I am with my newest, which I call "Floating Chicken Heads." There was nothing really great in the rest of the lot, but it didn't matter. I am very happy.

CHIMO ART

Chimo did this little drawing on a two-inch strip of paper, and I loved it. I put it on the backside of my computer monitor at work.

CHIMO SKETCHING

A few sketches from the artist known as Chimo.

CHIMO ART

Chimo gave me two pieces of his pottery creations, one for my birthday. The clay "box" is of a head (which is funny, cause the crown piece of the Tidd coat of arms, that also would be displayed atop a knight's helmet, was of a servered head). The "hair" comes off. One person asked if it was Obama. The birthday present was a lovely disc featuring a coy fish and waterlily pad. I really like it. It wa smade with some technique where you have layers and scratch off to reveal the art.

GOOSE

Among the discarded artistic renderings, mostly sketches, that Chimo threw away after bringing some of his artwork back from school on Friday, I discovered this tiny drawing of a goose smelling a flower, and I really liked it. So I cut it out and put it in my billfold. It is only about an inch square.

UKRAINIAN COSSACK PAINTING

I have some friends who will immediately counter my assertions, claiming that this oil painting is Russian, but for me this looks like a stereotypical Ukrainian Cossack village celebrating a marriage. Note the bright red pillowy pants and blue hats. Note the colorful wreath of flowers on the bride's head. The good-luck storks on the chimneys. And the church in the background looks like St. Michael's to me, white walls with golden domes. No matter, it spoke to me and I had to have it. If anyone can identify the painter, Traslova, please let me know.

BASQUAIT

Modern art, as well as other contemporary endeavors, has often deeply bothered me. Yes, quite often I view a modern painting or sculpture, even the most abstract, and will like the look and appreciate it for some reaction in causes in me. But frequently I am convinced that there is a lot of deception going on, some unholy collusion among artists, critics, and brokers designed to promote work that is not worthy so that money flows into pockets of the conspirators. There doesn't seem to be many masters about any more, and realists are shunned as too traditional, despite the fact that they often produce beautiful work. My favorites include Hopper, the Wyeths, Mary Whyte and a host of others (Audubon, Chuck Close, Copley, Homer, O'Keeffe, Rockwell, Tanner, Whistler), and I can enjoy even Pollocks and Harings (and many other styles and pieces). I often love primitive art. But many I don't admire as much, such as Motherwell, Warhol, Nagel. It often depended on the piece. If there is no visual evidence of strenuous work or thought, at least relatively available to the viewer, then I suspect a con is afoot. A canvas painted a single color or inexplicable weirdness (concept pieces), then I am not amused. Often the most-interesting things about some art is the unusual title given it.

One of the most troubling for me was Jean-Michel Basquait, who was the same age as me, though he tragically passed at 27. He was basically a bright young soul swamped by fame, a hustler and conman swept up in the New York avante garde (that used him and helped destroy him, though ultimately one can only blame Basquait). Clearly his appealing physicality and sexuality attracted many admirers of both genders(fellow artists, dealers, and the in crowd), eager to advance his fame. It didn't hurt to associate with major stars, such as Madonna and Warhol. Most of his work I don't like much, but I admit many pieces draw me in, their cartoonish and jarring imagery amazing, their compositions engaging, almost hypnotic. Much of it seems hokey, using text and references to historical events and people, but in a way that feels superficial and fraudulent, as if he were hoping to make it more significant than it warranted as just a piece of art. His style was childish even, though some pieces just knock you over. I wonder how much of his work will be applauded two hundred years from now. Perhaps some, because of his impact and popularity historically. I love Obnoxious Liberals (1982) and Riding With Death (1988), and many others. Surely there is a lot in his paintings for the intellectuals to ruminate on.

ART IN HICKORY

Who would have thought a small North Carolina town could deliver quality art? Went up to Hickory, for another reason, but while there decided to look around. And what I discovered was a community dedicated to the arts. They had transformed their old central high school into a center for art and science, with sections of the building blocked off for an array of interests, from a planetarium to aquarium, literature and culture, symphonic and choral music, and many other things. Nearby is a wonderful library. Mush of what I saw was designed to inspire children. My trek there focused on art, and I was not disappointed. The main attraction was a collection of photographs by Steven McCurry, best known for his National Geographic cover portrait "Afghan Girl." Many wonderful shots from his career in Cambodia, India, the Middle East, and other places. There were some nice pieces by William Starkweather, who mainly worked in watercolors and oil. They had about twenty of his works. There was a wonderful collection of Glass and pottery pieces, many quite whimsical. The work of Joel Urruty was on display, but I am not a fan of most modernist work, and didn't see much I liked in that collection. There was also a lot of interesting folk art. If you get the chance, take advantage and visit the Hickory Museum of Art.

QUILTS

Quilts, to me, are far more than utilitarian pieces of bed wear, but are often gorgeous pieces of art. And an exhibition mounted by the main branch of Richland County Public Library displays this fact incredibly well in a large collection of colorful quilts sewn by local ladies, using scraps left from other projects (although just how do you know?), and the result is wonderful. The quilts are mostly hung on the lower floor, near the children's wing, as well as around the escalator. Amazing pieces, some whimsical, others displaying unusual collections of colors and patterns. If you like quilting, you should stop in and take a look.

ART

Herewith a shot taken from the LPP website that shows me at my desk, behind my monitor, with my sons' art on the wall behind me. There are also some molas (mostly just above my head), a nice silvered icon, and to the left is one of The Chicken Man's (Ernest Lee) creations, which I love. I own five of his pieces.

WATERCOLOR

I love all kinds of art from sculpture to paintings, and marvel at oils and pastels, but what truly amazes me often is a really good watercolor, especially when they can somehow manage to have deep detail and wondrous color. There are several South Carolinians who excel in the medium, with examples of their work scattered about the state. The following paintings are from the Florence County Museum and would be good enough alone to attract viewers to this collection, although there is plenty more in there besides. I hope I have infringed no rights, but people should really go see these works.

This one is by Charleston painter Mary Whyte, whose work is simply amazing. You can still buy her paintings as I think she is still active (and I recently saw some in dealer pages in local magazines). No doubt it will cost you a pretty penny, but if you have the dough it will be well worth it, once you see her talent. In fact, I have recently seen examples of her work in a lot of Charleston and art magazines, so you should really check her work out.

Equally good is the work of Stephen Scott Young, another active painter, I think from Florida or Bermuda, and whose paintings are also extremely expensive.

And while you're there make sure to check out the retrospective on W. H. Johnson, from his first stills to his primitive period. A really wonderful, historical painter from Florence, whose paintings are shown globally.