Ramblings of an Old Artist

In our lives, we often turn away from the things we don’t want to see or things that cause us to feel upset. We turn our heads away from events that we know are horrible and pretend they don’t exist, when instead we should be facing them head on. Don Perlis’ canvases are so large, it’s impossible to ignore what’s on them completely, forcing the viewer to instead come to terms with the emotions they feel when looking at his art. Perlis was born on July 29, 1941, and paints contemporary scenes portraying the everyday life of people in New York City. Having debuted his first public exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1971, Perlis has always known he’d wanted to be an artist. Throughout his life he’s studied and been inspired by many great renaissance painters such as Antonio Allegri and traveled the world to appreciate different kinds of artists from different cultures and eras. Don Perlis’ skills shine in all his work, and it’s impossible to categorize him as a solely “figurative” artist. His work varies from narrative pieces, landscapes, still lives, portraits, nudes, etc. However, some of his most striking pieces are his paintings of life in New York City in the 80’s and onward. Perlis’ paints what he sees while living in NYC, which is both the grim reality of poverty, racism, violence, as well as the undeniable truth of life, diversity, and humanity. His work shows in unflinching detail narratives of people being harassed and killed on the subway, homeless men sleeping in the streets, and amputees made to stand on a moving train since nobody will offer him a seat. It’s not far off to claim that some people would find these paintings a little disturbing, but that is exactly why it is important to look at them. By facing the unfortunate horrors that exist and accepting them as truth, we take one step further from ignorance.

“Many people will find the paintings disturbing, and I don’t mind that because I don’t really believe that the function of art is to be over a purple couch in somebody’s living room.” – Don Perlis, Don Perlis, a New York Painter, 1993

However, grim truths are far from the only subject Perlis paints. He also paints gorgeous scenes from dramatic operas and theater, the rich and lively atmosphere of subway performers, and truly stunning landscapes. Don Perlis’ work first and foremost evokes emotion in the human soul, weather that be positive or negative. His paintings force us to come face to face with the wonders and terrors of our world and gives us a chance to embrace all that comes with living in it.

https://www.donperlis.com/ (Don Perlis, a New York Painter video. Very interesting, give it a watch!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hau13ARzRc&t=25s

Featured: Union Square/Breakdancers 2 27 3/4 x 72" by Don Perlis Levitation 68” x 50” by Don Perlis Incident - Left Panel 84” x 66” (Left panel) by Don Perlis

Top: “Family Reunion”, 4′ x 5′ Oil painting, Jim Wilson 

Second: “Comedic Muses” Oil Painting, Jim Wilson

Third: "Country Days" 4' x 7' Oil Painting,  Jim Wilson

Last: "Honky Tonk Distractions"  4' x 5'  Oil Painting,  Jim Wilson

Jim Wilson is a narrative figure artist from Missouri, whose stunning paintings capture the beauty and intensity of the world around us. Wilson uses bold and vibrant colors in his paintings, which usually feature a beautifully rendered slice of life scene. Wilson also helped start the Bowery Gallery in New York City, which has been open since October 31st, 1969. Bowery Gallery is one of the oldest nonprofit galleries in New York City and has exhibited Wilson's work numerous times, as well as other representational and non representational artists. In addition to Bowery Gallery, Wilson has been featured in a number of other galleries such as the Aaron Berman Gallery, the Phyllis Kind Gallery, The Blue Mountain Gallery, and the Munson Center for Creative Arts. He has been reviewed in The New York Times, Arts Magazine, and The Philadelphia Inquirer as well. Wilson also helped start the Artists Choice Museum, which was a huge gathering of artists in the 1980’s dedicated to preserving the way of figurative art. Wilson curated the largest exhibition of living figurative artists; 156 artists in eleven galleries.

Though his work can vary from landscape to still life to portraits, Wilson’s main focus is on his narrative paintings that tell a story for the audience. Each work has a history behind it, some kind of muse or memory that inspires Wilson to paint. For example, his “Family Reunion” 4’x5’ oil painting is inspired by the Missouri farms he grew up in. The friendly mood and tone of the painting brings forth our own memories of family get together and the energy, life, excitement that came with it. Wilson’s paintings are full of life, accentuated by masterful use of color that reassures the viewer that the world really is as bright and emotional as we remember it.

“I paint my own world. My eyes are excited by what I see, and I make poems about it”

Jim Wilson is currently an art teacher at Minerals Area College, Mo., and “is frequently called on as a lecturer.”

 http://www.componere.com/james-f-wilson.html

Top Left: 24x24 Oil Streetscape, William Armstrong

Top Right: 24x24 Oil Streetscape, William Armstrong

Bottom Left: 18x18 Oil Streetscape, William Armstrong

Bottom Right: 46x46 Oil Streetscape, William Armstrong

A popular topic of debate for meetings held for the Alliance of Figurative Artists was Intellectualism Vs Expressionism. Intellectualism in the world of figurative art leaned towards painting what is seen, often with hidden or implied meaning behind the composition of the painting. Every item and choice made in the painting likely implies further pieces of a larger puzzle that the artist wishes to share with the viewer. On the other hand, expressionism focuses on bringing forth certain emotions in the viewer, and has no specific intended message. The main goal is for the audience to appreciate the piece for it’s beauty and for them to project their own experiences and interpretations of the piece. Expressionism is rooted in emotions and feelings, while Intellectualism is rooted in logic and meaning. Each artist would claim a side and fight verbally and sometimes quite literally on why their particular style was the best. William Armstrong gives his take on what it was like attending meetings:

“You often think of artist’s as kind of hermits, always in their other world when in reality they can get into fights and squabbles, which was very fun for me to go to. It was a different world, and that was a great experience.”  

Alliance member William Armstrong doesn’t adhere to a label of intellectual or expressionist art. Instead of choosing  either side, Armstrong paints an honest account of what he see’s; His work is realistic and any person could tell what is going on in his scenes very easily. However, unlike intellectualism, there is no hidden message behind the figures and props and Armstrong believes that the scene should tell the story without relying on hidden symbolism for it to be interesting.

Though many of his works are beautiful landscapes, he believes that the people who he paints are more important than the environment. Each character get’s a personality in his mind as he paints them.

“No cars, people are most important.”

Top: Green Arrow, mixed medium collage, by Richard Pitts

Second: Winshield Wipers, mixed medium collage, by Richard Pitts

Third: Magoo’s, oil on canvas, 104x62  by Richard Pitts

Fourth: Juggler, oil on canvas, 60x96 by Richard Pitts

“The plasticity of the artist ‘s relationship to the material is an inexhaustible dialogue. It is capable of ever renewing itself.”

Richard Pitts is an abstract sculptor and painter, whose large scale work explores metaphors involving nature and life, and the connection each one has to the other.  His signature style includes multiple brightly colored metallic planes intersecting and weaving together, almost as if a drawing itself has come to life. His work uses thick black lines to separate and unite the various shapes, and altogether makes the viewer feel more “in the moment “and a sense of being present in the world. Instead of the more traditional sculptures that focus on objects or figures, Pitt’s has expanded his subjects to focus on the feelings of a particular moment, and encompasses both a kind of raw energy as well as an undeniable harmony.  There’s something magical and imaginative about Pitt’s work, and each piece is completely different from each other beyond the materials used.  

In order to create his relief sculptures, Pitts draws and cuts out paper shapes and loosely collages them together until he finds what fits. He then uses the collage as a reference to assemble his sculptures. But the use of collage isn’t limited to the brainstorming process; Pitts also incorporates collage in his paintings, and makes every piece by hand instead of finding them somewhere.

“It is like the elements of high music, crafted and composed until the sound creates a space ever increasing our emotional capacities for feeling the richness of being alive.”

 Though his current work focuses on the abstract, Pitts was also a member of the famed Alliance of Figurative Artists in the early 80’s. A great example of his figurative work hung behind the counter of the long gone Magoo’s bar in Tribeca, New York.

Local bars are easily a favorite spot for artists because there’s always plenty of interesting people that can invoke inspiration. Pitt’s painted a scene of the bar that he and a few other figurative artists would frequent after Alliance meetings.  Similar to Cedar Tavern, Magoo’s was a famous place for artists to trade their work for a drink or meal.  Many bars helped struggling artists in this way, in addition to being a place to mingle and find inspiration from each other. Featured in the painting are two women (uncommon for women to be treated as equals at bars during the time,) and fellow Figurative Artist, William Armstrong, (Red shirt, white collar, closest to the foreground). Richard Pitts still remains friends with William Armstrong, and both were featured in the online virtual Savannah Museum of American Art.

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“We are the eyes and ears of the universe. Through the arts it is up to us to bear witness.”

– Richard Pitts

Elaine De Kooning was born on March 12, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York, and passed away on February 1, 1989.  In 1937, she attended the Leonardo da Vinci Art School as well as the American Artists School, both in New York City. In addition to being an incredible artist, Elaine was a writer and and taught others art.  In 1948 she worked for the magazine Artnews, writing around one hundred different articles, making her one of the first artists in the 50’s to be both an artist and an art critic.

"As a writer, she wrote about culture, art, and new ideas to her generation of artists and readers." -- De Kooning, Elaine. The Spirit of Abstract Expressionism, Selected Writings.

Elaine worked in many museums such as The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the The National Museum of Women in the Arts, to name a few. Elaine is also famous for marrying the artist William De Kooning; though they eventually separated for nearly 20 years before seeing each other again. 

Elaine De Kooning was both an abstract and figurative painter, and did many portraits, mostly of her fellow artists. Her portraits come to life as she worked with the figure, and strived to get every detail correct.

"When I painted my seated men, I saw them as gyroscopes. Portraiture always fascinated me because I love the particular gesture of a particular expression or stance...Working on the figure, I wanted paint to sweep through as feelings sweep through..."

Elaine is also famous for her commissioned portrait work of John F. Kennedy, commisioned by the Truman Library.

Elaine would sign her work with her initials to avoid people confusing her work with her husbands, and so that those inclined to sexism and misogyny wouldn’t have prejudice against her work.  During the  60’s and 70’s, nearly all artists were focusing their work on abstract expressionism, as it was the most popular and recent artistic movement. Willem De Kooning was one of the many famous and popular artists bringing abstract expressionism to the cultural hub of New York, and many wondered about how Elaine could stand to be overshadowed by all her husbands work.

 However, Elaine didn’t see herself overshadowed at all. She was her own person, separate from her husband, and demanded that her art be accepted on an even playing ground. She held her own during intellectual conversations about art theory and often out drink many of the men at the famous artists hangout, Cedar Bar. Despite the overbearing presence of men in the art world, Elaine was bold and confident and strong enough to stand out with her artwork, teaching, and feminist ideals. Her power made her one of the most famous artists of her time, and encouraged many female artists to take a stand and share their art with the world. 

Photos:  ( Alfred Eisenstaedt / The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images )

Elaine de Kooning by Rudolph Burckhardt, 1960 (Courtesy Estate of Rudy Burckhardt and Tibor de Nagy Gallery, New York © 2014 Estate of Rudy Burckhardt / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York)

Elaine de Kooning, “The Burghers of Amsterdam Avenue” (1963)  

Elaine de Kooning, “Fairfield Porter” (1954)  

As such a foundational building block in the history of art, it’s baffling that people once tried to dismiss it altogether. From the Late 60’s to the 80’s and onward, groups of artists in America were determined to swim upstream amidst the waves of critics that deemed figurative expressionism and realism to be no longer relevant. Paul Georges helped found the Alliance of Figurative Artists in 1969, which aimed to challenge the viewpoint that insisted figurative art was lesser than abstract work.  

“In a period when abstract expressionism was running high, it was a comfort to have a whole mess of guys doing figurative work.” –William Armstrong.

     From the ashes of old fashioned figurative art birthed the Alliance of Figurative Artists in New York City. However, there were many artist’s who dissagreed with the notion, and took it upon themselves to keep the spirit of figurative art alive, as well as offer sanctuary to those who still believed that it was worth preserving. These artists focused on portraying people, landscapes, and the human condition; many of which were inspired by the old masters of figure painting like Titian and Michelangelo. While abstract art aimed to break free of its dependence on representational reality, figurative art embraced it.  The art form highlighted and appreciated the most beautiful and relatable symptoms of the human condition:  birth, growth, emotion, conflict, mortality, etc.

The Aliance of Figurative Artist’s was a safe haven for these artists to meet, talk about the problems and rewards of being an artist, and to all around enjoy eachothers company. The members of the Alliance agreed that figurative art must not be allowed to sink back into the mud, only to be remembered as a shadow of the great classical artists influence. The first few official meetings were held in artists' lofts and studios but was then moved to the the Educational Alliance at 197 East Broadway, NYC.

        Hundreds of people would attend Alliance meetings in New York, with topics ranging from viewing and critiquing eachothers art, to guest speakers, group lessons, and even all out brawling over dissagreements. The entire Alliance served as a public forum for all to express their opinion and simply talk about anything regarding art. Along with the large number of atendees came a stunning disorganization, as the intelectual battles between people would be the main source of what drove people away. These artists were not above throwing a few punches to get their point across, though some of them may have just enjoyed a good old fashioned brawling.

Alliance member William Armstrong reminisces fondly about his time in the Alliance:

“You often think of artist’s as kind of hermits, always in their other world when in reality they can get into fights and squabbles, which was very fun for me to go to. It was a different world, and that was a great experience.”  

 Philip Pearlstein also describes what it felt like to attend meetings:  “Between two and three hundred people showed up at these meetings. I started going there regularly. It was very exciting. All they wanted to do was to have panels and guest speakers, and just talk about the problems of figurative art representation, and the battles became terrific.”