This section of my exhibition is pretty self explanatory, especially in this painting titled, “The Lover.” It is one in a series that I created it in 2010 when I was spending a great deal of my time in Brazil.
As with earlier paintings, “The Lover” combines geometric art (background) with figurative art ( lovers and flowers.) I also added elements onto this canvas that are personal to me.
I painted the stems of the flowers in shapes resembling women’s bodies embracing, as an expression of my appreciation for women.
The fingernails of the lover on the right are painted blue in memory of a man named, California. He was my brother Rick’s valet and the first man I ever saw wearing nail polish…a different color on each finger!
The two people are multi-faceted, in that they are turned sideways and forward. Their positions reflect the ideal that true love can only happen when you love yourself first, and then another.
And there is the black and white striped earring, worn by the blue lover---a rendition of a pair of earrings my mother often wore. After her passing, I gave them to a flamenco dancer/guitarist from Barcelona Spain who was appearing here in Buffalo.
Her luggage had been lost in flight and the earrings were a perfect accessory to the performance outfit she managed to pull together. I include them in my paintings in memory of my mother.
LEROI: Living in Color Exhibition includes the work of students from Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT,) Buffalo Public Schools (BPS,) Just Buffalo Literary Center (JBLC,) and Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center. The exhibition will be on view at the Burchfield Penney Art Center through March 26, 2023, presented by M&T Bank, with additional support from organizations and individuals throughout the Western New York community