Art For The Masses

A good 500 years after the renaissance, this iconic image still pervades our daily consciousness and will probably continue to do so for another 500 years.  I was extremely lucky to have found my one and only version of Leonardo's Mona Lisa in an 18"x24" version from a thrift shop in Upland, California yesterday.  As soon as I saw it, I know paying $30 for it was definitely worth every penny.  Here's why. This acrylic version is done using the traditional paint-by-numbers technique from a kit available at any crafts store by a person of indeterminate age.  While I have never done a single paint-by-number piece, I believe that with patience, a bit of a steady hand and a drive to make art is all one needs to accomplish something like this.  The merging of this iconic image with a modern (ok, 50s maybe) technique is a truly art for the masses.  I knew I was destined to get this piece because as I was waiting in line, getting ready to pay, I looked outside and just across the street, painted on the building (that housed a custom framing store) is another image of the Mona Lisa.

The Mystery Of Six Portaits

The antique dealer said they are from the 50s and that she bought them from an estate of an art teacher in Beverly Hills.  Judging from the style of the brush strokes and technique, I think these are from different student painters.  In fact, two of them have a white unpainted portion of the canvas, suggested some unfinished student work.  Only one was signed on the back "Sheffield '57".  It does make me wonder whether it's the students or the teacher who's really good because these are very well done oil portraits.  The other thing I wonder is why the students did not sign their works.  Are they unfinished and the teacher just took them?  Student artwork not belonging to the originator is unheard of these days but who knows what the practice was back in the 50s.  Are these from live models or photographs?  Are these subjects still alive? All these questions just keep on adding on to the mystery of these portraits.

Oil Portrait

Something about portraits done in oil just capture my attention.  I found this at an antique store in Pomona last weekend for $25.  The framing alone would cost that much but this painting of a woman, who looks between 20 and 30 years of age is very striking.  There is the all-black top that she is wearing and that sliver of a red chair on her back just projects a certain melancholy about her face.  What was she thinking at the time she sat?

Found Paintings

One man's junk is another man's found art.  To my surprise, I found these two acrylic paintings in the "Free" pile in my Pasadena neighbor's front yard.  Geometric and apparently done with masked patterns using some form of tape, these 16"x20" paintings are interesting and retro cool.  Looks like they were done back in the 60s or 70s given the yellowing of the canvas and the wooden frame.

Three Found B&W Prints

 I was supposed to work until 3 pm but we got called off so I had some free time.  I got these three untitled and unsigned 9"x6" silver prints today from a dealer at the Pasadena City College flea market.  There were several other prints (mostly fashion and nudes) but these stood out.  Haven't been to PCC is at least 6 months and as usual, I find interesting stuff.

I'm calling this set "The Tattoo, The Revolver And The Veil"

Found Photograph

It was a pretty beat up copy, 1977 printing. Scotch tape on the binding and brownish paper from years of oxidation. The lady wanted $3 for it. Sure, for a classic, that's a bargain. Two things of note about my copy of the Sontag classic. It had Art Center College of Design library markings on it ("that" famous Pasadena art school) so it was obviously a way overdue book. The other thing was the bookmark that was inside the book - a black-and-white proof containing two images of a nude holding an apple. (I ended up using the tiny picture as a model for larger canvas painting.) Inspiration comes from unexpected places.

Through The Discard Piles

I always look forward to the first Sunday of each month where I spend a couple hours scouring the vendor booths at the Pasadena City College Flea Market. For a collector of "found" photographs, spotting a single image that speaks to me out of literally thousands of items that I flip through is what makes the effort pay off. Paying only $20 for an original vintage print is even more satisfying as with this photo that I found yesterday. On this particular day, the young couple walking in tandem is a metaphor for the kites flying in close proximity to each other. The landscape is empty except for a few cars parked in a field and structure in the distant background. Could easily be late 70s judging from the style of cars. As I look through this, I find that this particular image seems to tell me all that on this particular day, just this day, maybe, everyone's worries will be forgotten even for a just a brief period of time. Funny thing though is that I feel exactly the same way every first Sunday of the month as I look for treasures in the discard piles of life.


(Originally posted on Multiply 4/7/07)

Found Polaroid

"She wore ... blue vel-vet." Movies have soundtracks and so should photographs. This polaroid, I found at the PCC flea market sings that tune every time I look at it.

Vernacular Photograph of PCH

PCH being Pacific Coast Highway. This is the area west of Santa Monica before pedestrian bridges were built that allowed people to cross safely to the beach area. Interstate 10 ends just south of where this photograph was taken. Close inspection of the cars place the photo around the 1940s or even earlier. Follow the curve of the coastline to the left and one ends up in Malibu, about 10 miles away.
Below is a modern day color photo of the same area showing the road Angelenos call the California Incline -- connecting Santa Monica streets to PCH. What is revealing is that those palm trees are a new addition to the landscape.

Found Iturbide?

I am convinced that this is an original silver gelatin print (5.5"x7.5") by Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide. She did a series on Oaxacan women called "Juchitan de las Mujeres". I was introduced to her work in a major survey at the Getty last year. The subject, the composition, the exposure all spoke Iturbide to me -- just like the dozens of prints I saw at the Getty.
Paid Price: $5.00
Below is an Iturbide image from the Juchitan series titled "Chismosas" (The Gossipers).

Rescued Print

Diana Lui is an artist, filmmaker and photographer based in France but studied at UCLA and Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. She moved to practice her profession in France in 1993 but not before her works permeated the Los Angeles art market. Her web site is below:
http://99medusas.com/
This is an 11"x14" silver print by the artist of a ghostlike image of two Asian girls titled "The Procession II" (1989). This is most likely one of her works as a student, which obviously early on, showed a lot of promise.
I rescued this amazing print from the Pasadena City College swap meet yesterday. The print has a label on the back with a price of $125 dated 1989. The dealer wanted $15 but I talked him down to $10. I do wonder what artists think when their works are sold at a mere fraction of what they are worth.