Now we’re getting into the visual aspect of it all. Let’s SEE just what this guy is and who he admires. Let’s really rip the soul from his creativity and examine it… umm no…. let’s not and let’s not say we did. That was just… well… Yeah. How about a nice simple question like, who his favorite artist is or something. Oh, look! There it is. WOW.
Who is your favorite artist?
I keep collecting favorite artists, there’s really a lot of good ones out there so it depends on the time. Right now I really love looking at work from Charles Dana Gibson, Barry Moser, John Singer Sargent, Jean-Baptiste Monge, Stephen DeStefano, etc. The big Grandady of them all though, I love N.C. Wyeth, regardless of what I am into at the time I always love to see his work.
What kinds of art do you have in your home?
Right now we are finishing up taking down wall paper and putting up paint in our new house so we don’t have much on the walls but we do have a few things up. A couple Wyeth prints, a J.C. Leyendecker illustration of the Statue of Liberty, a couple of antique food ads and great illustration of Super Grover by Alex Ross. I’m trying to get some art from friends when we finally get our walls done.
Can we see a few of your favorite pieces?
Sure! Lady with the Rose by John Singer Sargent
Death of Robin Hood by N.C. Wyeth
“Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turn from me in disgust?” from Shelly’s “Frankenstein” illustration by Bernie Wrightson
Several ladies wanted to know if you “liked working with” me. You’re free to plead the fifth, be brutally honest and tell them I was a pest, or lavish the praise so we sell more books. All is good. Just sayin’.
I enjoy the heck out of it! It’s rare to be able to work with a “true believer” to use a title coined by Stan Lee. By that I mean there are so many people I’ve worked with that either don’t care too much for the subject or try to keep the subject at arm’s length for whatever reason, what sold me with you the first time we talked is I came from the conversation believing that there was actually a place called Wynnewood and such a person as Dove and Phillip and I wanted to go there and meet them.
I LOVE Death of Robin Hood by Wyeth. I don’t remember where I first saw it, but LOVE it.
I’ve really enjoyed reading this interview. Thank you.
@ Chautona – yup, a lot.
@Challice – Well lately it’s been taking down wall paper and paint-centric and now that it’s getting nice outside I’ll probably throw in lawn stuff too. But as for the stuff I like to do that’s not work: video games, movies, cooking, hiking, civil war re-enactments, sketching all kinda vanilla. If you want the Facebook info version: 19th Century Sword Cane fighting, Zombie wranglin’, Bigfoot Baiting and Championship Hat Dancing. Yup that’s way more exciting.
So… What do you do in your spare time? Or is that even a question?
So, being a kid who never grew up helps?
There had to be an advantage!