The Best Is Yet To Come... I Hope!

Speaking of the artistic process, it was good fun to have portrait artist Everett Raymond Kinstler and his friend, legendary performer Tony Bennett join us for a press conference for Norman Rockwell Museum's new exhibition, Everett Raymond Kinstler: Pulps to Portraits, on Saturday, March 10, 2012. In addition to helping coordinate the conference, I filmed the event, and have just posted it online:  


I like what each artist had to say about the importance of feeling in creating art, and Bennett has a great story here about those who are passionate about what they do. As someone striving to live an artistic life, it was great for me to hear. 

Tony B- on canvas and in the flesh!
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum,
©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

The exhibition (and Bennett's portrait) will be on view at Norman Rockwell Museum through May 28, 2012. The Museum is also holding a special benefit auction, where the winning bidder will receive their very own Kinstler portrait, custom painted by the artist at the Museum on Saturday, April 14, 2012. More details on the Museum's website: www.nrm.org


Related links: 


www.everettraymondkinstler.com 


http://tonybennett.com

Tony Award-Winning Moment

A rather lazy Sunday so far... set the clocks ahead, and I think I'm still running an hour behind. 

The Bennetts steppin' out at NRM! Photo by
Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum.
© All rights reserved.

Last night's opening and press conference for Everett Raymond Kinstler: Pulps to Portraits went well, and it was a great pleasure to welcome our special celebrity guest, singer Tony Bennett to the Museum. It turns out that Kinstler and Bennett used to go to the same high school, and have been friends for quite some time. Mr. Kinstler has even painted Bennett's portrait on a number of occasions, and we have one of those paintings currently on view in the exhibition. Mr. Bennett is a visual artist as well, and has done fairly well for himself as a painter. He had very nice things to say about both Kinstler and Norman Rockwell in that regard, and I was glad to get it on tape. 


I can't say I knew much about Tony Bennett until his big comeback in the 1990s, when he began appearing on MTV and performing with contemporary pop acts. I was never a big Frank Sinatra fan, so I didn't think I would care much for his singing style either, and paid little attention. A few years back I had the chance to work an event at Tanglewood, the performing arts center in the Berkshires, and Bennett was giving a concert that evening. I stuck around and watched the performance, and I have to say that it was one of the best live music shows I have seen! For a singer of his age, he put so much energy into the show, and had a wonderful way of phrasing−sort of jazz-style... what an entertainer! After watching some early performance clips online, I really think he has gotten better with age−that's rather inspiring to know that as an artist, your best work can lie ahead of you.

Steppin' out w/my baby... pulp style!
©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

After the opening, Sarah, my co-workers and I went out to do some karaoke− tried to let Tony know, but I guess he left early (so much for Duets Part III). We still had good fun, and I was definitely thinking of the veteran performer as I tore into some soul and Beatles classics, while looking sharp in my suit and tie. One of the DJs came up to me at one point and said that he loved my energy onstage, which made me feel good. I also had people in the audience cheering me on... even after I had left the stage! Wish TB had been there to see me... maybe there's hope for me as well by the time I reach 85!


Related links:


http://tonybennett.com

Perfect Likeness?

Getting ready for the opening and a last-minute press conference for the exhibition Everett Raymond Kinstler: Pulps to Portraits tonight at Norman Rockwell Museum. Kinstler is an illustrator turned portrait artist, who has created paintings of many notable figures over the past five decades, including Katharine Hepburn, Tony Bennett, Tom Wolfe, Paul Newman, and Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. The artist will be in attendance for the opening, along with a special celebrity guest who has been one of the subjects of Kinstler's paintings. 

It should be an interesting evening, and in addition to coordinating the press conference, I'll be taking a few party photos and video. Hope I survive it, body and soul...