Friday, December 17, 2010

A Portrait to Enhance the Arts




If you love music and art, and would like to make a charitable contribution to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, please consider this proposal:

For several years, through my project Portraits For the Arts, I have used the power of portraiture to make monetary contributions to the arts in my home town of Philadelphia. My painting of renowned musicians Claude and Pamela Frank, who are father and daughter, was recently in an exhibition at the Butler Institute of American Art. (The head study of Mr. Frank, pictured below in my last post, was used as the cover art for Mr. Frank's new CD.) The large painting is oil on linen and measures 52" x 48".

This is how the donation can be accomplished:

Whoever buys the painting would donate 40% of the purchase price to the Curtis Institute of Music. The other 60% would be paid to Portraits, Inc., and divided according to its usual practice.

Anyone interested?

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Music and Art in a Single Package


For the last few days I've been enjoying pianist Claude Frank's new CD as I paint. It's such an amazing experience to hear how he plays Schubert, Mozart and Schumann. I keep getting caught up in the way he interprets the music, like a storyteller thoughtfully infusing the story with a certain characteristic inflection and emphasis.

I'm honored and thrilled that my head-and-shoulders oil sketch of Mr. Frank was used as the cover art for this CD. Mr. Frank will be celebrating his 85th birthday this year, and by contributing in this small way, I feel as though I'm participating in the celebration. Happy birthday, Mr. Frank!