PAINT WITH INTENSITY

BLUE RIBBON, Lone Star Art Guild 2009 Annual Convention, Professional Abstract/Experimental Division: "MONSTER: JOSEF FRITZL" (Pictured above, 30"x36" oils). Lone Star Art Guild, Annual Convention was held on May 9, 2009 at the Brazos Center, Bryan, Texas. This same painting was awarded "Best of Show" at the Kingwood Art Society's 2008 Fall show.

I am very grateful for these honors, and proud of them as well – but not for the reasons you might expect. To have two judges select this unusual, and somewhat disturbing, portrait from many excellent works was quite a surprise to me both times it happened. What that tells me is that I accomplished what I set out to do, which was to communicate a strong emotional message.

The strength of this painting has its foundation in a news story from May of 2008. As the father of three daughters, it was the most horrifying story within memory... and not one for the faint of heart. (The full story can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritzl.)

The short version goes something like this: In 1984 an Austrian man, Josef Fritzl, is unhappy with his 18-year old daughter's behavior. She has begun hanging around with boys, and going to parties. So he 'kidnaps' her, and concocts a story about her running off to join a cult.

Fritzl locks his daughter up in the cellar... where she stays for the next 24 years, enduring unthinkable cruelty, incestuous rape, emotional abuse and psychological torture. Fritzl fathers 7 children with her, and incinerates the body of one of the children after it dies without medical attention.

His acts were reported upon his arrest that May. The extent and details of his crimes, and the duration, and the unyielding sickness behind his acts, are beyond my comprehension. But the thing which moved me to paint his image was his statement to the press. He complained that the coverage was "completely one-sided." In his own defense, he told a German tabloid that he could have easily just killed his daughter and the children she bore him.

"I am not a monster," Mr. Fritzl said. He admitted to the details listed above. It later came to light that he served time for raping a woman at knifepoint. It was also revealed that he locked his own mother in her room for years, where she died a broken woman in 1980.

"I am not a monster," that was Fritzl's statement to the press. What else could I do, but paint? I sought to reveal his true nature in, "Monster: Josef Fritzl".

I had a couple of friends tell me they liked the painting, but that they prefer works with happier subjects. Fellow artist P.A. Mueller sent me an email in which she eloquently validates the reason to paint the bad as well as the good:

"Your painting  'Monster: Josef Fritzl'  tore my soul. In my youth I thought this was a bad thing... tearing my soul... but in my dotage I have grown to believe that when my soul is torn it is a good thing. With tearing there can be mending... stitching... strengthening of weakened areas. Of course your work won whatever prize was offered that day. Pure truth is what you offer. No filter. No sugar to sweeten the pallet. Raw and real and a challenge to not see... to not be seen. I lost an hour in his eyes alone. This is evil. I know evil. Met the bastard early in life. No mere concept this. Your growth is astounding. Higher and deeper and with so much to come."

As only a true artist could say it. P.A. Mueller calls me "her brother from another mother." She is one of the points of light I have met on my path through art.

A friend and respected artist, Susan Sheets, read this commentary, which prompted her to peruse my website. She then sent me these comments: "Oh Howie! Somehow I have missed the entire collection of your work. I suppose I have never seen it in an overall view, with canvases grouped as bodies of work together in their topics. Now I understand so much more about your work."

As an aside, that is the way to understand any artist's work. By viewing groupings of work a context is established, and the painter's unique 'vocabulary' can be deciphered. Susan continues, "Howie - your figure paintings are wonderful! They have angst and beauty tied together and portrayed handsomely by the figures in their poses, and the backgrounds are fantastic! Such visual excitement - I didn't expect this first thing this morning. I am so glad you brought me to your website. I really think the "Goddess Series" is going well and is a perfect vehicle for your work. The background in the Tarot card is fabulous - much texture and undulation of marks - makes me think of Munch but you integrate your figures into the fantastic backgrounds better. I see such incredible consistency in the emotion in your work. I don't know if it has always been there and I didn't get the impact until I saw the canvases grouped, or it is something you have mastered when I wasn't looking. I have to say when I first viewed your portraits, they always moved me. I had to go home and look at my work and wonder if I was lacking. You do inspire me."

View Susan's work for yourself and you'll see that, in no way is she lacking (http://www.susansheets.com). The quality of her work makes this high praise in my book, and I feel lucky to have Susan as a friend.

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On Display for the horse race fans at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie: "Who Is My Equal?" and "Regal Cadence". These pieces will remain on display through the end of the 2009 meet, and are offered for sale.

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The "2 Voices: An Evening of Art + Music" show on April 27, 2009 was a success despite the intense monsoon that the skies unleashed just hours before the event. I shared the musical stage with singer-songwriter Jorge Palomarez, a gifted lyricist, against a backdrop of my large abstract paintings. It was a wonderful evening for the two-dozen brave souls who ventured out... you are very much appreciated!

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Last Sunday, April 5, I did a two-hour demonstration at the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival based on my previous "Everything But the Brush" demos. I was so gratified by what one of my fellow artists, who was in attendance, had to say: "What a joy to see and hear and learn from you today! Couldn't stay to see you after and I miss the hug I would have given!! It was wonderful to see and hear your train of thought regarding your composition. Just after you added the orange Steve smiled and said, "Ah, now I see where he's going!" He got the perspective and we both marveled at the fact that you had a conscious plan upon addressing the canvas. That this color related to that color which related to.... To see the composition building and growing was a revelation to me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

The main message of the demo has in the past been to get "conventional" or academically trained painters to think outside-the-box, and to experience the energy that 'play' and spontaneity generate... but in her case it was the other way around, saying the demo made her realize, "I have on some level been longing to pry my way inside 'the box' and change who I am to what I would be as an artist."

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The "JUST FIGURES" ART CRAWL in The Woodlands, April 3-5, 2009 was a HUGE success! Estimated sales were between $5,000 - $6,000, and several artists (myself included) found new homes for their works.

This first annual "Just Figures" Art Crawl was the first event of its kind in The Woodlands area, and it was very well received. Hundreds of people streamed through the three galleries that hosted the event.

Thanks to Jessica of Chocolate Fountain Houston (http://www.chocolatefountainhouston.com/) and Eric Bean and Megan for providing dulcet tones of clarinet as a backdrop for the reception. It was a joyous event! 

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New works uploaded 12-02-08: "Umbrella Man" (portraits), "Illuminated Torso" (human form), and "The Blessings (Gen. 49:25-26)" and "Joyous Garden" (abstract). Take a look!

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Recent shows:

Sat., Oct. 18: Northwest Art League Show, 13726 Cutten Rd. (0.6 mi. north of FM 1960). The public viewing is from 1:30-3:15 pm.

Sat., Oct. 25,  Woodlands Art League Show, South County Community Center, 2235 Lake Robbins Rd. Viewing is from 1:30-3:15 pm.

Sat., Nov. 1, Kingwood Art Society show at the Rotunda at King's Harbor. Public viewing is from 1:00-3:00 pm.

These are all Lone Star Art League (LSAG) shows, as was the Tomball Art League show last Saturday. I was pleased to have won the Professional Abstract/Experimental division with "Wheat Field, Gachet" (pictured above). The judge opened his critique by saying, "This is a big painting." (He's right. It measures 72"x60".) He then said he would probably like it even better upside down. (I promptly flipped it, and accused the show committee of

hanging it upside down. Nobody was buying it.)

I received a First-Honorable Mention in the Professional Oils/Acrylics division for my 72"x48" horse painting, "Who Is My Equal?" (Apparently just being 'big' doesn't merit a blue ribbon.) I also got an Honorable Mention for "Enraptured". I will probably show the latter piece at one or both of the upcoming shows, as I would like to qualify it as well for the LSAG Annual Convention next spring, which requires a First-Honorable Mention

ribbon or better.

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Thanks to all of you who stopped by my booth at the Fall Market Street Art Show at The Woodlands that was held on Saturday, Oct. 4!

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Why do I paint? Because I want to make the viewer feel something. The process, and the effect, take many different forms, but the bottom line is that art should MOVE you.

A few months ago I sold an abstract figurative piece, "Abandon" (pictured in the "Human Form" collection) to a fellow artist, P.A. Mueller. She paints remarkable abstracts. Even more than most patrons, P.A. was in love with this piece. (In fact it earned me a title; in her words, I am her "brother from a different mother"...)

She and her husband Steve hosted youngest son Aaron and his wife in their home in the days following Hurricane Ike. Recently P.A. sent this note to me: "Want to share that 'Abandon' has claimed another heart. Aaron and his wife stayed with us off and on over the last few days. We were sitting in the living room one evening in the candlelight and he just started to smile. 'I'm going to have to buy that from you when we get a house and have someplace to bring her home.' When I saw him smile I knew who he meant. She'd gone and done it again!"

From what I understand, P.A. has moved 'Abandon' to several locations in her home... which I can relate to, as my cluttered walls circulate with a dynamic display of art. "He must have seen her ('Abandon') dozens of times, but this was the time she revealed herself to him. He'd been looking at her for a good half-hour before he spoke. He said it was just amazing how you had done 'that' (the technique I think) and had allowed her to slowly emerge and engage her admirers in such a slow and personal manner."

I was glowing as I read P.A.'s note, but she really finishes it with a tour de force of artistic flattery: "Before that night he hadn't understood why this one work had captured me. It was nice and all...but....  Well, he knows now."

"For me...well...that is genius. That is truth. That is magic. Thank you."

I am just humbled, and reminded once again that being an 'artist's artist' (i.e. most of my clients are artists) is really the highest praise, in and of itself.

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As many of you know, on Sept. 3 I delivered half a dozen pieces to Simply Art Gallery in Galveston, located at 2425 Strand. As I mentioned before, the owners (LeeAnn and Donna) are truly professional. Ten days after I joined their stable, Hurricane Ike pulled nine feet of storm surge into the gallery. Yes, some of us artists lost some work, but the real tragedy is that LeeAnn and Donna's gallery is now being gutted, and their dream is – for the time being – on the shelf. Please offer your prayers to them... they are good people.

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Thanks for making the Art and Music show at Sugar Cubed Coffee on August 29th a big hit! I've been looking at pictures and the names on the "Graffiti Wall", trying to figure out how many were in attendance... I quit counting at 80! It was quite an evening.

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