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Of Cheese & Pickled Sharks
Many in the arts community wonder why the general public shows so little interest in contemporary art. Perhaps it’s time for a bit of reflection and self-criticism on the part of artists, who to a certain degree are responsible for the tremendous gulf between themselves and the public. Artists by and large have altogether ceased addressing the wider society. They…
The Builders & The Destroyers
Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000) was one of America’s greatest African American artists – but you could just as easily say that he was one of the preeminent artists of the 20th Century. There’s no doubt that his narrative style, a blend of social realism and flattened abstract picture planes, was to influence legions of artists – myself being one of them….
John Lennon and I
The political activist side of John Lennon seems to have been largely dismissed or forgotten by the general public, and corporate media reports on the anniversary of his murder are not likely to mention anything more controversial than Beatlemania. Obviously Lennon had an enormous impact upon my generation, setting us free with the primal rhythms and energy of rebellious rock…

Pro-Palestine Vandal Destroys Painting of Lord Balfour
On March 8, 2024, a woman from the UK group “Palestine Action” completely destroyed a painting created 110 years ago by the famed Anglo-Hungarian painter Philip Alexius de László (1869-1937). The group defines itself as a “direct action network dismantling British complicity with Israeli apartheid.” The vandal attacked László’s 1914 oil painting Arthur James Balfour, housed at the Trinity College…
Don’t Talk About Religion or Politics
[ Opening night at Ave 50 Studio – “Don’t Talk About Religion or Politics” ] The January 7th Los Angeles opening of the Don’t Talk About Religion or Politics exhibit was a resounding success, with hundreds of interested people attending. Held at the much beloved Ave 50 Studio in the Highland Park area of L.A., the show attracted individuals from…
Paul Gauguin: Writings of a Savage
Lately I’ve been reading the autobiographies of artists from the past. In part as a defense against the trivial and insipid postmodern art world, but also as a genuine search for inspiration. Not too long ago I read Writings of a Savage by Paul Gauguin, and was struck by his eloquence and abilities as a writer. Gauguin was of course…