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Tom Lohre

Retrospective of Drawings & Paintings

September 3 to October 15, 2004

Openings

Friday, September 3, 2004, 5:30 to 10 PM

Friday, October 1, 2004, 5:30 to 10 PM

Gallery 636

636 Main Street

Covington Kentucky 41011

Carolyn Hanks, curator, 513-473-7065

Open by appointment

This show is part of the “First Friday Northern Kentucky Gallery Hop,” go to http://www.nkyarthop.com on-line for further information.
Time: 6:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Location: Mainstrasse Village, Covington & Newport, KY

On the first Friday of every month from 6 to 10 PM, the galleries and shops of Covington, Mainstrasse and Newport open their doors to the public. Walk between 16 different galleries featuring original art. There is a FREE TANK shuttle between gallery locations. Outdoor musicians provide live music. Call 859-491-0458 for more info.

Show catalog

Click on small image to see larger image. E-mail tom@tomlohre.com to be sent a larger image or request a show catalog. The link to this on-line catalog is: http://tomlohre.com/04show.htm. All information believed correct but not guaranteed. All artwork prices are subject to change without notice.

You can download the show catalog as a Adobe Acrobat PDF here: http://tomlohre.com/04catalog.pdf

Paintings

All paintings include frame.

Delta Queen Impression, 40" x 30"

Colors: light orange yellow, violet blue, warm gray, blood red accent

Painted as a study for a same size oil painting, the final work was extremely detailed and took a year to complete. This impressionist study was done with a pallet knife. The color was removed and remixed until the over-all color was correct. Link to the final painting by going to: http://tomlohre.com/river&.htm.

Parrot, 18.5" x 40", oil on board, 1979

Colors: Emerald blue, gray blue, red earth, olive green

This very early work was painted from life in a pet shop on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, New York City. Tom work for several days in the pet shop in very tight quarters. The painting is done on an old door made out of 1/4" plywood harkening back to the days when Tom could not afford canvas and stretchers.

Brook Shields, oil on canvas, 8" x 10", sold

Colors: red tan, deep pink, dark brown

Painted as an experiment in the theories of Leonardo Da Vinci, using the face as a taking off point for two canvases, this one has Ms. Brook without makeup, the second was the same face with the linear indications of the principals of beauty laid down by Da Vinci.

Mike Finks Gets Robbed, 10" x 8", oil on canvas, May 16 1999, sold

Colors: green blue, lemon yellow accent, yellow green, blue gray

This work was done as a way to avoid common ideas. Tom let everyday events guide his composition. Tom has painted this view of Mt. Adams many times and this painting offered a new and rewarding alternative. Painted from life during the Dunveneck Art Show just above Mike Fink's restaurant, the previous Monday morning the restaurant was robbed and thieves made off with about $6000 leaving about $300 in the safe they dropped on the highway. The police found the getaway car and recovered the safe. Tom used an old photograph of Mike Fink's for the composition with all the old houseboats on the dock from the time when his family had a boat there.

Licking River, 16" x 12", oil on canvas, 1987

Colors: Light violet blue, light yellow green, deep olive green, purple accent

Painted from life, this painting represents the best of Tom's impressionist manner which reached a peak in 1987. In a predictable way Tom’s feverish attack on learning landscape painting by producing a canvas everyday, working outdoors on location for two years paid off with 1987 being the peak of his impressionist manner. Why it peaked and why he could not get back to this manner has puzzled Tom ever since. His colors were driven by each other more than attention paid to what the actual color was. It’s Tom’s belief that nature is a good point to take off from but common sense is more important in creating meaningful and exciting work.

Mike Fink Sunset, oil on canvas, 32" x 24", 1977

Colors: deep yellow, dark olive green, gray violet, blood red accent

Painted from a postcard, Tom worked on the Mike Fink while in high school. His job was to paint, fix holes in the hull and take out the trash. After college he painted Mike Fink and sold it to the owner, Captain Beatty. Later Tom traded for the painting from his heirs.

Esquire Theatre, Ludlow Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio, 20" x 16", oil on board, 2003

Colors: cool gray, light red orange, orange, purple, black accents.

This work was painted from life on a warm fall day, the last warm day of the year. Tom used a pallet knife to apply the oil paint on a 1/2" piece of plywood. Tom was studying compositions with large color areas of similar color.

Still Life, 20" x 16", oil on canvas, 1984

Colors: deep yellow green, orange, dark yellow, pink accents

This painting was done from life using French artist Fantin Latour's manner as a stepping off point. Tom studied the French master’s work for the thin veil of clear color over tinted canvas.

China Man, 10" x 8", oil on canvas, 2001

Colors: bright green, bright blue, bright violet, blood red accent

This is the fourth version. The original was painted from life in the Quanzhou Zoo. Tom and his wife frantically searched for a scene to paint on their only day in old Canton. The streets around the hotel were all too crowded but nothing attracted Tom. They decided to go to the local zoo but even there nothing caught Tom's eye. Finally he was running out of time and started work looking at a field of red callas being tilled by a caretaker. The area around the callas contained the bird cages of the zoo. Tom had learned that many of the early settlers of the area lived in caves and some of these aviaries looked like caves. While he worked at a fever pitch Tom would hear all sorts of strange animal sounds along with Chinese Opera piped over the loud speakers. Tom and his wife stayed too long and were locked into the bird sanctuary. They had to climb over the fence and rush to the gates to avoid being locked inside the closing zoo. Link to the complete Asian Story by going to: http://tomlohre.com/asia.htm

Drawings

All drawings are single matted and sleeved in Mylar, no frame included. The outside dimensions of all matt boards are 12" x 16". These drawings represent the entire professional career of Tom Lohre. At least eight sketch books were filled up before the first of these drawings were done. The early work was done just after college nearly thirty years ago. The latest drawings were done in 2004.

Alien, 8" x 11.5", 1980

Drawn as a study for a 4' x 7' oil painting, Tom had a dream about the alien that was just like a movie. He still has not finished the painting. Link to the Alien dream: http://tomlohre.com/newpage31.htm.

Aquirre, 8" x 11.5", pencil on paper, 1978

Ladies in Waiting, 8" x 12", pencil on paper, 1977
The Prince, 8" x 11.5", pencil on paper, 1978

These last three drawings were done just after Tom saw the movie "Agurrie the Wrath of God." The movie is about the Spanish conquerors in South America. The countesses were carried through the jungle on pallets. Tom was drawing everyday for extended periods and created many sketch books studying composition, line and shading.

Baby Boat, 4.5" x 6", pencil on paper, 1989

Color: tan paper

This work was drawn while working on a portrait of a lady riding the Staten Island Ferry. It is a casual work created with a complete mastery of immediate and no turning back execution.

 

Emerald Isle Beach, NC, 11" x 8.5", pencil on paper, 2003

The drawing shows the Buge Inlet Pier in the background with mother and daughter in the foreground on the right. It was done on location from life.

Boat People III, 5.5" x 3.5", watercolor on paper, sold

Colors for all: deep navy blue, tan, gray, accent: flesh

This work was done while in the Bahamas with inspiration from the people trying to get to America from Cuba. Instead of painting an open boat with people enjoying themselves Tom opted for the dramatic ocean freedom run. Onboard are a mother & baby, a girl who is seasick and two men, one at the tiller and the other setting the sail, also a goat. These works are watercolors applied over a finished sketch. The colors are placed boldly and with bravado. The scene depicted reminded Tom of his many sailing adventures with five people onboard a 26’ sailboat for days at a time.

Helen & Irene, 10.5" x 8.5", pencil on paper, 2003

This work was sketched from life.

The Colonel Sleeps, 10" x 8", pencil on paper, 2001

This work was drawn for a postcard mailed out to Tom's high school classmates to announce a need to sign up for the high school reunion as soon as possible. The mascot for the school is the Kentucky Colonel. Tom helped organize the reunion and the class commissioned him to paint the Holy Family for the school. Link to the painting: http://tomlohre.com/jesus,.htm

Delta Queen I, 6" x 4.5", pencil on paper, 1990

Color: tan paper

The work shows the Robeling Suspension Bridge in the background.

Delta Queen II, 6" x 4", pencil on paper, 1990

Color: tan paper

Shows Cincinnati's Mount Adams in the background

Both drawn as studies for large oil painting of the Delta Queen, link to the final painting by going to: http://tomlohre.com/river&.htm.

The Ice Cream Store, 8.5" x 10.5", pencil on paper, 2003

Sketched from life.

Evanswood Deer, 7" x 5", sepia watercolor on paper, 2001

Color: light tan ink on beige paper.

Painted for the annual Fourth of July Block Party invitation, there is a bird sanctuary that faces the street for about 100 feet. The sanctuary has about 150 paw paw trees. The deer harvest the paw paws by shaking the tree.

Family, 10" x 8", pencil on paper, 1991

Drawn as a study for a possible silk-screen, Tom was experimenting with creating large colorful silk-screen prints from drawings. Tom executed one such work of a cat beside a pool with a lizard in his mouth.

Ferry, 6" x 4", pencil on paper, 1990

Color: tan paper

The work was done as a study for a ladies portrait with her riding the Staten Island Ferry. The work may be derived from a photograph.

Figaro, 10" x 8", ink on paper, 1987

The work was drawn from life in the Figaro Cafe, New York City's Greenwich Village. After spending many years working everyday with pencil and paper Tom graduated to a fountain pen.

Pushcart, 7" x 5", watercolor on paper, 2001

Color: tan

The pushcart is the circus floor for Tom’s small Art Machines. The Art Machine Side Show takes place on top of the pushcart. The art pushcart is made out of light materials and has an awning over the box’s top working surface. The art pushcart rolls on four wheels and has a fourth leg that drops down next to the fourth small wheel, a handle at one end helps push the cart. It is colorfully painted with Circus Side Show type banners for the sides and may be hooked to the flying bicycle in the future. The newest art machine is a Lego robot driven by a laptop computer that views a scene through a camera and draws it on paper using vision software imbedded in the Lego software. The complete contraption will be used at local art fairs.

Painted for presentation and postcards for the Great Tomaso Show. Show link: http://tomlohre.com/thegreat2.htm. Postcards: http://tomlohre.com/postcards.htm.

Doctor Fredericks Waiting Room, 10" x 8", pencil on tracing paper, 1998

This work was done as a preliminary layout for a watercolor of the same size. The painting was done as a retirement gift. All the people in the waiting room are the doctor’s family.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 6" x 5", watercolor on paper, 1993

Color: sky blue, green, green blue, violet

This work was painted as a study for a large oil painting that was started from life from a high rise hotel room. The island in the distance is Mud Island where the AA baseball team plays. The final painting has in the foreground several of the most interesting roofs of Harrisburg.

Trixie's Delight II, 8.5" x 11", watercolor on paper, 1997, sold

Trixie's Delight III, 8.5" x 11", watercolor on paper, 1997

This series of watercolors were the first ideas for a series of four seven by seven foot oil on canvas murals that were placed in window boxes facing the street for the exotic bar Trixie's Delight in Newport, Kentucky. The lady in the paintings is the famous stripper Sally Rand. In the final paintings Tom did portraits of popular patrons of the club sitting at tables as they would inside. The paintings are done over light sketches copied in light green onto card stock white paper.

Spanish Still Life, 8" x 10", pencil on paper, 1979

Spanish Birds Nest, 8" x 12", pencil on paper, 1979

Both of the these were sketched during a trip to Spain. Tom spent three months in Europe traveling with a troupe of show dancers.

Old Shoes, 10" x 8", pencil on paper, 1989

This work was sketched from life while painting Mount Saint Helens. Tom traveled by hitch-hiking up from Los Angeles to be at the mountain four days before it erupted. The loggers who befriended him commented on the fact that their boots, “Havn’t been dry 2 weeks.”

South Street Seaport, 4" x 4.5", ink on tracing paper, 1994

South Street Seaport, 6" x 4", watercolor on paper, 1994, sold

Color: light yellow, blue, gray

These two works were done as studies for a large oil painting of the seaport. The final painting is the companion work to the final painting of the Delta Queen Landing in Cincinnati. The impressionist work of the Delta Queen is included in this show. A similar impressionist work was done for the seaport painting. Link to the final painting: http://tomlohre.com/seaport.htm.

Sailplane I, 10.5" x 8.5", pencil on paper, 2004

These four drawings were done during a sailplane fly-in in Chilhowie, Tennessee.

Sailplane II, 10.5" x 8.5", pencil on paper, 2004

Sailplane III, 10.5" x 8.5", pencil on paper, 2004

Sailplane I, 10.5" x 8.5", pencil on paper, 2004

These four drawings were done during a sailplane fly-in in Chilhowee, Tennessee. These drawings were done as a virtuoso effort. Completely free in their execution the drawing evokes flight even though they were done by looking at plane on the ground.

Nude, 5" x 7", pencil on paper, 1988

This work was sketched as part of a presentation to copy a master work. Tom has had several clients that were interested in him copying master works.

Laundry hanging in Mount Adams, Cincinnati, 4” x 6”, 1975

Color: gay green, green, blue, accent: vermillion

This work was painted while in college. It was done from life. This is one of the earliest works in Tom's collection. The idea came from a painting Tom grew up with. It may have been painted by his grandfather.

Morgan 36', 4" x 6", watercolor on paper, 1975

Colors: light gray green, blue violet, yellow accent

This work was painted from life on Lake Erie. Tom's father is at the helm with his colorful shirt. Tom's family sailed this Morgan 36 for several years starting in Miami and eventually sailing up the east coast taking the canal to Lake Erie.

MacDougal Street, New York City, 5" x 7", ink on paper, 1989

Color: tan paper

This view depicts Bob Dylan's home in Greenwich Village, New York City. Just to the left is the theatre that preformed "The Fantastics" for over forty years.

Maggie I, 8.5" x 10.5", pencil on paper, 2003

Maggie II, 8.5" x 10.5", pencil on paper, 2003

These two sketches were done as studies for a formal portrait of Maggie. The oil painting took nine months to complete. Link to the final painting by going to: http://tomlohre.com/maggie.htm.

Apartment Building, Kinston, North Carolina, 10” x 8”, pencil on paper, 1995

This work was sketched from life for Tom's wife. The apartment building was her home while she lived in town. Several years ago it caught fire and burned to the ground.

Emiko & Kato's Home in Chiba Japan, 10" x 8", pencil on paper, 1997

Color: tan paper

This work was sketched from life. Tom and his wife Irene traveled to Chiba, Japan as the first leg of their Asian holiday. They spent several days with Irene's roommate from college. They were treated with exceptional hospitality. Emiko and Kato live in the country on the Eastern peninsula of Tokyo Bay. Their home was most charming. Tom & Irene spent their time sight seeing and eating the most extraordinary foods. Emiko grilled fish on the stove as a snack and outside an old lady worked the immaculate crops growing in the valley that butted up against

 

Mother & Daughter at the Beach, 10" x 8.5", pencil on paper, 2004

This work was sketched from life. It is the best of several sketches done in quick succession. It’s Tom’s desire to sketch in this manner as one style and in a more studied manner with lots of erasing and redrawing as another style.

Paris Interior, 8" x 11", pencil on paper, 1979

Color: tan paper

This work was sketched from life in a Paris apartment. Tom later spent many days painting a scene from out the window, Later he would work on a still life where he slowly ate the fruit, cheese and meat since it was all he had to eat.

Eastern Indian Legend I, 6” x 4.5”, watercolor on paper, 1991

Colors: tan green, light green, deep green, accent rainbow colors

Eastern Indian Legend I, 6” x 4.5”, watercolor on paper, 1991

Colors: neon green, bright yellow, tan, accent rainbow colors

These two watercolors were done as a proposal to for a mural in an Indian restaurant. The legends depicted are about an maidens, silk scarves and a prince.

 

 

                                   Portraits of All Sorts