Giffin Artworks

"Memories"

Ξ May 18th, 2009 | → 6 Comments | ∇ Recent Paintings |

 

Late last autumn my father, Randy Giffin, suggested that he would like to commission me to do a painting that he, along with my mother, Thelma, would donate to the Hammond River Angling Association in Nauwigewauk, NB. Being one of the founding members of the HRAA back in the mid 70’s it was his idea that he would like to leave something to the association in the memory of himself and my mom. There were no restrictions or suggestions put forth to me what the image might be. All that he said was he would like to see it done before he was gone. Maybe he knew about my scheduling ahead of time?  I gave some thought to it and an idea started to brew in my mind’s eye. For any of you that are familiar with the Hammond River in southwest NB you may know of the incredible geological feature that is the Tabor Bridge Pool. A fantastic rock face that has marvelled anyone that has seen it I’m sure for time immemorial. The rocks were folded into amazing shapes and the colours ranged from pinks, blues, greys, whites and blacks. It was an excellent place to fish, picnic, swim or to relax and enjoy the view.

Imagine how disheartening it was to arrive there one day late last summer to go for a fish only to realize that the NB government Dept. of Highways had decided to put a new bridge in and, in all their infinite wisdom, blasted the most important part of the feature to smithereens to make way for a concrete bridge abutment. I was emotional when I first came to grips with what I was seeing. Progress? This was apparently done without any discussion with the HRAA or obviously any environmental group. The HRAA has always prided itself on being a protector of the Hammond River watershed and it’s environs. The shock and disbelief by members and the executive was overwhelming. There was nothing to do but inquire and wonder why something of this magnitude could take place in this day, when we pride ourselves on environmental stewardship.

This became the seed for what I would paint for my commission. Somehow putting a facsimile of this now piece of history at the HRAA Centre seemed fitting. I asked the HRAA to put out the call for anyone that had photos of the rock face to please send them in to the Centre. Alison Murphy (an artist) from the area happened to have taken some impressive shots one day while on a picnic with her family. They were invaluable to me for setting up my image. Thanks Alison! Once the composition was decided upon I thought that it would be great to have some life in the painting. I chose to try rendering my Dad and his great fishing buddy, Bert Delcloo, from a photo that Martin Flewelling had shot many years earlier near our cottage on the same river. Thanks Martin! It seemed fitting to me that these two men that have been fishing together since the year I was born, 1960, would be portrayed along with the Tabor Bridge Pool. They are not fishing, rather they are discussing fly choice and are actively involved in the most important aspect of fly fishing, comradeship. Their lasting friendship and love for the river and the lifestyle has been monumentally influential on many individuals over the years. I have a great respect for them and wanted to paint that into this piece. I feel that I have succeeded in that endeavour.

May 9th was the annual fund raising dinner for the HRAA and the sister organization Hammond River Conservation Fund. I was given the opportunity by the executive to present the painting and give a short speech at the dinner. Thank you. There was a reproduction on canvas that I had framed in the same bird’s eye maple that I had handcrafted the frame for the original. It did very well in the live auction and raised money for the HRCF.

The painting will be hung over the fireplace sometime soon and I will post a picture of that event. Until then it graces the wall in my studio.

The artist proofs have all (5) been spoken for, There are 50 reproductions available of which some have been spoken for. They are $350 and are 12″ x 36″ stretched and ready to hang. Framing is available and prices are available upon request. A portion of profit from each reproduction sold will be donated to the HRCF.

“Memories”    Acrylic on canvas     2009                                                                   18″ x 54″

Jesse and TY Giffin in front of Tabor Rocks 2002

Tabor Bridge Pool    Photo: Alison Murphy

 

Randy Giffin and Bert Delcloo Photo: Martin Flewelling

http://www.hraa.ca/

http://www.photographyflewwelling.com/

 

Ears another side to the story

Ξ May 5th, 2009 | → 1 Comments | ∇ General |

 

We’ve all heard the story before. “Van Gogh cut off his ear!” Nothing much else is known about this great painter, who I might add, was about 100 years ahead of his time. Imagine how many people missed their chance way back then when they did not buy his art. He did sell one painting to be sure, problem is it was his brother that purchased it because he felt sorry for his brother. That act infuriated Vincent. Those that had the opportunity to buy his work while he was alive would have made their descendents very wealthy indeed. Below is a different opinion regarding the story of Van Gogh’s ear

Also check out the link to an amazing video that ties together some of Van Gogh’s paintings and the song Starry Starry Night by Don McLean. How many of you knew that this song was about Vinnie?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dipFMJckZOM

ENJOY!

 

Art historians claim Van Gogh’s ear ‘cut off by Gauguin’

• Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
• guardian.co.uk, Monday 4 May 2009 21.55 BST
• Article history

 

 

‘Self-portrait with cut ear’ by Vincent Van Gogh. Photograph: Roger-Viollet/Rex Features

 

Vincent van Gogh’s fame may owe as much to a legendary act of self-harm, as it does to his self-portraits. But, 119 years after his death, the tortured post-Impressionist’s bloody ear is at the centre of a new controversy, after two historians suggested that the painter did not hack off his own lobe but was attacked by his friend, the French artist Paul Gauguin.

 

According to official versions, the disturbed Dutch painter cut off his ear with a razor after a row with Gauguin in 1888. Bleeding heavily, Van Gogh then walked to a brothel and presented the severed ear to an astonished prostitute called Rachel before going home to sleep in a blood-drenched bed.

But two German art historians, who have spent 10 years reviewing the police investigations, witness accounts and the artists’ letters, argue that Gauguin, a fencing ace, most likely sliced off the ear with his sword during a fight, and the two artists agreed to hush up the truth.

 

In Van Gogh’s Ear: Paul Gauguin and the Pact of Silence, published in Germany, Hamburg-based academics Hans Kaufmann and Rita Wildegans argue that the official version of events, based largely on Gauguin’s accounts, contain inconsistencies and that both artists hinted that the truth was more complex.

 

Van Gogh and Gauguin’s troubled friendship was legendary. In 1888, Van Gogh persuaded him to come to Arles in the south of France to live with him in the Yellow House he had set up as a “studio of the south”. They spent the autumn painting together before things soured. Just before Christmas, they fell out. Van Gogh, seized by an attack of a metabolic disease became aggressive and was apparently crushed when Gauguin said he was leaving for good.

 

Kaufmann told the Guardian: “Near the brothel, about 300 metres from the Yellow House, there was a final encounter between them: Vincent might have attacked him, Gauguin wanted to defend himself and to get rid of this ‘madman’. He drew his weapon, made some movement in the direction of Vincent and by that cut off his left ear.” Kaufmann said it was not clear if it was an accident or an aimed hit.

 

While curators at the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam stand by the theory of self-mutilation, Kaufmann argues that Van Gogh dropped hints in letters to his brother, Theo, once commenting : “Luckily Gauguin … is not yet armed with machine guns and other dangerous war weapons.”