Dutch Traditional and Impressionist Paintings of New York City and Environs

Nelson Sullivan & Blackie by Tom Lohre, 30” x 40”, Oil on canvas, 1989

FORT GANSEVOORT 5 Ninth Avenue, NYC, 10014 | gallery@fortgansevoort.com | (917) 639 - 3113
A Look Back: 50 Years After Stonewall
Opening On: Thursday, June 27, 6 – 8 PM June 27 – July 27, 2019

http://www.fortgansevoort.com/

Fort Gansevoort presents A Look Back: 50 Years After Stonewall, organized by Lucy Beni and Adam Shopkorn. The exhibition commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a six-day riot said to have been spontaneously set off by Marsha P. Johnson in protest of one of many regular police raids at The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar located in New York City’s Greenwich Village. This event marks the beginning of the Gay Liberation movement and the contemporary fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.
A Look Back: 50 Years After Stonewall unites the work of queer artists living and producing in and around New York City beginning around the time of the Stonewall Uprising in 1969 and leading into the 1980s. This is only a portion of the story, an incomplete history, most especially given that the Gay Liberation movement and its coinciding contemporary art market had not placed transgender voices nor people of color at the forefront of the conversation. The exhibition includes both documentation of the Gay Liberation movement and a look back at the work made by LGBTQ+ artists during this time. Central to the work included are the subjects of protest, revolt, celebration, and love. Kate Millett’s sculpture, American Flag Goes to Pot (1970) provides a blunt protest to government authority, while Joan E. Biren’s photograph’s document the tenderness of love between two women. The work made during the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, beginning in 1981, becomes entangled in death and remembrance, an epidemic defining this decade most especially in the New York City queer community and resulting in a tremendous amount of loss. Peter Hujar, Paul Thek and David Wojnarowicz’s work all reflect this tragic time. Highlighted in the exhibition is the work of Nelson Sullivan, who throughout the 1980s lived at 5 Ninth Avenue where Fort Gansevoort is now located. Sullivan passed away in 1989. Nelson Sullivan documented queer New York City in the 1980s through a dedication to filming everything. His videos focus largely on his neighborhood and the downtown nightlife scene; one full of life and color and regularly including personalities such as RuPaul, Sylvia Miles, Michael Musto, Dean Johnson, Ethyl Eichelberger, and Lady Bunny. A selection of Sullivan’s many videos in and around his home in the Meatpacking District are included in the exhibition. The third floor of the exhibition pays respect to Sullivan’s legacy through a collection of photographs taken by his friends and a painted portrait of Sullivan himself, momentarily returned to its original home at 5 Ninth Avenue. Featured artists in the exhibition include Joan E. Biren, Jimmy DeSana, Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Flloyd, Efrain John Gonzalez, Barbara Hammer, Harmony Hammond, Lyle Ashton Harris, Peter Hujar, Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt, Greer Lankton, Tom Lohre, Kate Millett, John Simone, Nelson Sullivan, Paul Thek, Paula Gately Tillman, David Wojnarowicz, Martin Wong among others. Also included in the exhibition is ephemera such as pride and protest buttons, Tee Corinne’s 1975 Cunt Coloring Book, and the 1970s lesbian newspaper The Furies.

Entrance to 3-Mile Harbor, 16" x 12, Oil on board, August 2007

South Street Seaport, New York City, 40" x 30", prints available

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Central Park, New York City, 24" 20", oil on canvas, May 1978, painted from life for the aunt and uncle of a girlfriend.

Perry Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, 8” X 10”, Oil on canvas, October 10, 2005
Tom lived in Greenwich Village for twenty years from 1976 to 1996. During that time he started working kin advertising on Madison Avenue and in 1979 started working full time as an artist painting portraits and scenes. Trained as a formal portrait painter by portrait painter R_ and working solely as one for the beginning of his career, Tom slowly began painting in the streets of New York City. This painting is one he did while visiting his old haunts in the Village. A gingko tree in the fall still in foliage on the left and a small sign for a country cabin real-estate service on the right. http://www.theruralconnection.com/ Painted at night.

Empire State Building III, Finished Friday, March 30, 2012, 5" x 7" x .125” x 2 oz., Oil pastel melted on Plexiglas. Framed in a Neapolitan style simulated gold leaf over clay over wood with no seam in corners weighing 2 pounds

Empire State Building II, Finished Friday, March 30, 2012, 5" x 7" x .125” x 2 oz., Oil pastel melted on Plexiglas. Framed in a Neapolitan style simulated gold leaf over clay over wood with no seam in corners weighing 2 pounds

Empire State Building I, Finished Friday, March 30, 2012, 5" x 7" x .125” x 2 oz., Oil pastel melted on Plexiglas. Framed in a Neapolitan style simulated gold leaf over clay over wood with no seam in corners weighing 2 pounds

Li Lac Chocolates I, New York City, Oil on canvas, 12" x 16", October 28, 1995

Article appeared in the Lexington Herald Leader August 30th, 1995 when the Lic Lac painting was in a group show of the Lexington Art league  

Stoney Brook, Long Island, New York, 16" x 12", oil on board, September 3, 2007, painted from life while attending George's wedding. Tom and his brother Chuck drove up from Cincinnati, stopping in Stoney Brook, New York to pick up an antique Volvo sedan to make the rest of the trip out the island. The car played a pivotal part in the celebrations since George owned one that is in Germany. This view is the public beach in Stoney Brook. You can see the floats and cans surrounding the swimming area but not the shelter of the public area. In the background the homes of Stoney Brook lined the shoreline. You can see the green and red buoys marking the channel out to Long Island Sound.
This painting is done in the traditional way painting a medium of half Dammar varnish and half stand oil tinted with oil paint on scrapped smooth gessoed Masonite board. Tom used a rubber tipped brush to remove paint revealing the gessoed board behind. You can see the use of the rubber tipped brush in the trees on the right. Tom’s paint box was remade allowing for four wet boards to be stored in a slotted holder that is inserted in the lid of the paint box. Over the years Tom’s paint boxes go over major overhauls to accommodate his needs. The box used for this painting is large enough to hold 16” x 12’ paintings inside. His other box holds 20” x 16.” Over time they become more assembled with epoxy and wood strips that support the box. Going through check in at the airport can be a dramatic experience. No mineral spirits or turpentine is allowed and all tools have to be less than seven inches long. Tom fondly remembers when he lost his prized palette knife because it was too long. He is still looking for a replacement. An artist’s palette knife and his maul stick are lifelong friends. A maul stick is a wooden dowel with a wooden ball at the top, used to rest on the edge of the canvas to steady the artist’s hand and draw straight lines.

3 Mile Harbor, East Hampton, New York, 16" x 12", oil on board, September 4, 2007, Painted from life while attending George and Susanne’s wedding. Tom had sailed out of the marina many times over the last ten years on George’s 26 foot Pearson sailboat. Now, George was in the process of rebuilding a thirty six foot Pearson. The sailboat along with several other power boats took the wedding party to an island for the vows. The island is a spit of land exposed mostly at low tide. Tom and his brother Chuck drove out to the marina in Tom’s friend Paul’s Volvo sedan exactly like the one George owned. It was fun to shuffle George’s mother about in classic Hampton manner. Tom also brought the portrait of George’s family unfinished for some sittings. The painting suffered some damage in transit but the final painting is an excellent example of Tom taking a masterpiece from the Cincinnati Art Museum and replacing the people with George’s wife and two sons as the Blessed Virgin, Jesus and Saint John the Baptist.
The view out Three Mile Harbor is not unlike all such bays in the region. Low lying hills flanking an expansive sky and endless level water framed with sea grass with gray vacation homes peeking out from the perimeter of the meeting of the sea and sky. Only a few buoys and stationary fishing boats identify the unique sense of this end of the bay. Only one more marina is just behind this one.
This painting is done in the traditional way, scraping gesso over the Masonite until the surface is smooth then painting a tinted medium of half stand oil and half Dammar varnish. A lot of dirt is in the painting since it was windy. The gray band along the horizon is a cloud bank. The upper clouds are ice cloud mares tails.
The marina is a funky place like Sanford and Sons junk yard. Don the owner is a larger than life person who knows all about machinery. He runs the place as a hobby. Tom has been going to the marina since 1989 when he sailed into the harbor from the Chesapeake. One of his patrons was moving his thirty foot sail boat up from the bay. Tom had got to know him in New York City a close friend of his patron Birdie Block.

Washington Square Arch, 10" x 8", Oil on canvas

 

Irving Berlin’s Home   Oil on canvas, 10” x 8”, October 1996 Painted from life in the upper east side of New York City. Now the home of the Ducy of Luxembourg. Tom was staying in a hotel nearby while his wife attended a professional meeting and made use of the splendid opportunity to work in the fancy Sutton Place neighborhood. The home was previously owned by Irving Berlin for many years. Tom knows John Wallowitch, a composer like Berlin, who lives just down the street. Every Christmas Eve John and his friends would sing Christmas carols outside his home. Sometimes Irving would come to the window. While working on the painting for several days Tom felt quite safe in the ritzy, glitzy neighborhood. A proverbially who’s who of American and European wealthy would walk by and it was one of the few places where Tom felt he could leave his paint stand for a few minutes to go down the street to get a sandwich.  Several people expressed a lot of interest in the painting while he worked on it as the leaves fell from the Ginkgo trees that grow plentiful in the city. It is said that the Ginkgo tree is a prehistoric tree that was capable of surviving volcanic eruptions and the massive pollutants that come with such eruptions so is perfectly suited for growing in the polluted city. Tom had painted many such paintings on the street but worked especially hard on this one because he was slowly moving out of the apartment he lived at for twenty years in Greenwich Village and was moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, where his wife worked and his hometown.  The composition of the painting is a variation of Tom’s tunnel view down city streets. In this view the street ends as the cliff begins dropping down a hundred or so feet to the East River. The color is indicative of Tom’s strong light and dark manner where the two light fluxes are juxtaposed against each other. The dark shadow areas are full of variation as well as the light areas but when a photo is taken of the painting the two areas cannot be reproduced correctly. Either the light or the dark area has to be focused on for the light flux difference is so great, very much like human vision.  Tom used his yellow light and blue shadow manner. Changing the color of the light and dark areas to lean towards a stronger color gives piazza to the paintings.

Queensboro Bridge, Oil on canvas, 16” x 12”, Fall 1996, Commission, later the commisioner had Tom paint out the family on the left and add her girl friend

Sanpops Store, Perry Street, Greenwich Village  Oil on canvas, 36” x 24”, Fall 1996, Commission

Li Lac Chocolates II, Oil on canvas, 12" x 16", February 1996, Commission 

The first version was painted on the street with the wind and all. The weather was cold those Fall days Tom sat in the gutter painting what has become a beloved chocolate shop. The owner liked the painting so much she purchased a duplicate of it. This is that painting. Tom added a police officer walking down the street and two girls admiring the fine chocolates along with their dog.  

Village Delight, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", Spring 1996

Painted from life, one of the last paintings done before giving up his NYC apartment of twenty years. It was the time where showing in coffee shops was popular and this place as a shoe in for Tom. He distributed coupons during the opening for $2 off whatever his guests wanted. For the rest of the week he painted this view. The players are all characters and much in the way of a local neighborhood, happenings occurred.

Christopher St. looking West, New York City, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Fall 1995  

You can see a tug boat going up river if you look way own the street. It is only a few blocks to the Hudson River and a easy walk to the cool breeze. During this painting session the wind was blowing terribly hard. Tom had to paint while he was holding onto the easel with his other hand. He later found out that if you ust go around the corner there will be no wind at all.  

Christopher St. Looking East, New York City, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Fall 1995  

        This view shows Tom's old apartment building, the one he lived in for twenty years from 1978 to 1998. Only the delivery trucks and buses occupy the street. The local citizens have their automatic wheel chairs along with the blind girl & seeing eye dog.

Potbelly Stove Restaurant, New York City, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", October 22-25 ,1995, image not shown 

When he was working  the owner gave him several passes for meals. Tom being the consummate starving artist enjoyed the meals with his roommate. The owner wanted to buy the painting but only wanted to pay $200. Tom later sold the painting for $900, There is a Chinese waiter who is always there peeking out the window. You can barely see him inside. The cut out of the bell boy is a fixture in the Village and everyday there is a trivia question on it and if you guess the answer you get a free coffee.

 

Lincoln Center, New York City, 16" x 12", oil on canvas, 1994, Commission

West Ninth Street, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", May 30, 1988

Village Cigars, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", April 20, 1989, No image

Village Cigars, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", April 20, 1989, No image

Greenwich Village A Primo Guide To Shopping Eating and   Making Merry In True Bohemia by Saint Martins Press, Released May 5 1995,  27 paintings by the artist adorn the pages, Tom’s good friends and neighbors wrote the book.

Below are some of the 29 illustrations.

 

Alan Ginsberg, Watercolor on paper, 8” x 10”, June 1, 1993

Black Marsha, Watercolor on paper, 8” x 10”, June 1, 1993 , Available

The Stonewall Inn, located at 51 Christopher Street, first opened its door in the Depression year of 1930, having been converted from two hundred-year-old stables. Utilized for several decades as a hall for private parties, business banquets, and weddings celebrations, in the decade of the sixties it became a tawdry gay bar frequented by preppie types and drag queens like. A callboy service sometimes operated on the second floor. On the evening of June 28^th, 1969, it became the improbable site of the Battle of Stonewall during a police raid of the place. Robert Bryan, a men’s fashion magazine editor, was there that night and remembers policemen being driven back by angry drag queens tired of being intimidated and oppressed by John Law. A prominent “solider” in the melee was Black Marsha (a.k.a.) Marsha P. Johnson or Malcolm Michaels), a black drag queen and panhandling Christopher Street personality for over twenty years. Read the full story in Greenwich Village, a  primo guide by John Gilman and Bob Heide from St. Martins  press. Tom Lohre did the 27 paintings for the guide. Tom lived on Christopher Street for twenty years.  

Crystal Field   Watercolor on painted wine label with the top cut off, 3” x  3” x 6”, June 1, 1993 

George Bartenieff   Watercolor on painted wine label with the top cut off, 3” x  3” x 6”, June 10, 1992, available   From the Book The Theater for the New City was founded by Crystal Field and George Bartenieff (a husband and wife acting team), Theo Barnes. and Lawrence Kornfeld. All had emerged out of the Judson Poets Theater. Originally producing works like Eumchs jor the Forbidden City by Charles Ludlam and Evidence by Richard Forman. they later presented new plays at Westbeth, at the Jane West Hotel, at 162 Second Avenue (at Tenth Street), and now in a permanent home at 155 First Avenue (at Tenth Street). Theater for the New City presented the first production of Sam Shepard's Buried Child, which went on to re¬ceive a Pulitzer Prize. The first act of Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song Trilogy was introduced at TNC in 1976 on the two hundredth an¬niversary of the American Revolution at a festival of Village plays by Village writers. A committee was formed at TNC in 1993 to build a new Joe Cino Theater there.

Sylvia Miles   Watercolor on paper, 8” x 10”, June 22, 1992

Bob Dylan   Watercolor on painted Wild Turkey Whiskey bottle with the  top cut off, 3” x 3” x 6”, June 1, 1993, no image 

Young Edward Albee   Watercolor on paper, 5” x 7”, June 24, 1992, no image 

Tiny Tim   Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,  3” x 3” x 6”, June 23, 1992, no image 

Walt Whitman   Watercolor on paper, 5” x 7”, June 23, 1992, no image      

Thomas Paine   Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,  3” x 3” x 6”, June 22, 1992   

Sylvia Miles   Watercolor on paper, 8” x 10”, June 21, 1992, available, no image   

Steve McQueen, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,  3” x 3” x 6”, June 20, 1992

Sam Shepard, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,  3” x 3” x 6”, June 18, 1992, no image   

Maxwell Bodenheim, watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off, 3” x 3” x 6”, June 17, 1992, no image    

Mattheu Bodine, watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,  3” x 3” x 6”, June 16, 1992, no image    

John Wallowitch, watercolor on paper, 5” x 7”, June 15^th, 1992, no image   Jessica Lange, watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,  3” x 3” x 6”, June 14, 1992, no image    

Jimmy Hendrix, watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,  3” x 3” x 6”, June 14, 1992, no image

James Dean, watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,  3” x 3” x 6”, June 13, 1992, no image

Henry James, watercolor on paper, 5” x 7”, June 12, 1992, no image  

Eleanor Roosevelt, watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off, 3” x 3” x 6”, June 6, 1992, no image  

Edward Albee III, watercolor on paper, 5” x 7”, June 4, 1992

Edward Albee II, watercolor on paper, 5” x 7”, June 3, 1992, no image  

Edward Albee I, watercolor on paper, 5” x 7”, June 2, 1992, no image  

Edna St.Vincent Millay, watercolor on paper, 8” x 10”, June 1, 1992, no image    

MacDougal Street, pen on paper, 7” x 5” , May 1, 1992 

AT&T Office Atrium, 16" x 20", Oil on canvas

Father Demos Square, Oil on canvas, 20” x 16”, April 25, 1989

White Horse Cafe, Oil on canvas, 16” x 12” , April 1, 1989  

Washington Square Arch  oil on canvas, 40” x 40”, April 19, 1989, No image    

Washington Square, Oil on canvas, 40” x 30”, April 17, 1989, No image    

Brant’s Band, Oil on canvas, 16” x 12”, April 16, 1989, No image    

Waverly Theatre, Oil on canvas, 24” x 20”, April 1, 1989, No image    

Sheridan Square with Four People on left, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", September 3, 1988, no image 

Village Cigars with Woman and Black Man, Oil on canvas,  10" x 8", September 2, 1988, no image   

Village Vanguard, Oil on canvas, 16” x 12”, October 10, 1987 

Village Cigars, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", June 15, 1987, no image  

Fifth Avenue, Oil on canvas, 16” x 12”, May 1, 1987, no image

Commerce Street, New York City, Oil on canvas, 16” x 12”, Winter 1987  

7th Ave South, New York City, September 6, 1987, Oil on canvas, 24" x 20" 

Painted during the height of Tom’s impressionist manner, he had been learning how to paint landscapes for four years. At first he copied famous landscape paintings replacing the original elements with elements he could see in the field. Next he started painting with more paint and bolder strokes. For two years, he slowly improved until 1987 when a significant change took place. The colors were harmonious and the thickness of the paint worked with the composition. Tom had matured to painting in the field every day. This large work was the culmination of taking the surroundings and remaking it in a painting, having the painting take center stage and the scene backstage. Tom lived down the street from this view for twenty years.

Army Navy Store, Oil on canvas, October 30, 1987

Chemical Bank, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", May 1, 1987  

One of the finest examples of Tom's impressionistic work. So strong is this painting that it needs the frame it hangs in. The scene is a normal dirty dusty view from mid-Manhattan but the use of color makes it become more than it is.Tom lived on the street where the painting was done. He set up his easel in front of the famous Village Cigars and worked there for several days. As you might imagine, there were hordes of people moving around him and some felt that they were put out.

Rivera, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", June 1, 1987, No image 

Fancy Grocery Store, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Winter 1987

Suzy & Mick Ronson's Home, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Fall 1987  

Painted from life during a visit to Suzy and Venessa. Venessa painted several works one of which hung in the family home for a long time. The manner is a classic impressionist period of Tom' stretching from 1986 to 1999.

 

Cherry Lane Theatre, Oil on canvas, 10” x 8”, May 1^st, 1986  Owner Unknown   

 

Sayer, Oil on Mylar, 8" x 10", 1986

Dante’s Cafe, Oil on mylar, 10” x 8”, June 1^st, 1985  

 

Figaro Cafe   Oil on canvas, 10” x 8”, May 1^st, 1985

Central Park, Oil on canvas, 24” x 20”, June 15^th, 1979  

Cadillac, 18" x 14", oil on board, 1977Painted from life outside Bearsville Recording Studio, Woodstock New York. At the time Tom was dating a Rock and Roll singer. As she spent several days inside working on her new album he sat outside and painted views from the parking lot.

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Monte Carlo Nude Pencil on paper, 8" x 10.5", 1991, available  

Sketched from life during a portrait commission in Monte Carlo. This may have been the selected composition. The subject was drawn in the nude for novel reasons. She was never intended to be nude, it just made for a good sketch.

Museum Nude Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991, available  

This drawing was sketched from life in the Cincinnati Art Museum. It was just before Tom left for Europe. He was painting two portraits in Monte Carlo. Tom feels that sketches like these firm up in your mind what it is that you are looking at while you look at it.

Monte Carlo Date, available  

Pencil on paper, 8" x 10.5", 1991This drawing is  rough composition for a portrait of a casino winner.

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, available  

Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991This drawing was sketched from life from a small park across the East River. The composition was part of some research drawings done for a commission.

Croquet in Central Park I, available  

Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991This artwork was drawn from life during a gray day in upper Central Park on the West side where there are several croquet courts. The players normally dress in white.

Croquet in Central Park II, available  

Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991This drawing was sketched from life.

Earth Day 1991 Pencil on paper, 8" x 10.5", 1991This drawing was done in Tom's apartment on Christopher Street, New York City on Earth Day. Tom has done several other still life's with Earth Day themes.

Ellen Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991, sketched from life.

John Wallowitch TV Show, Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991This drawing was sketched from life. Tom was a cameraman when present on the set. John's show is still on as a local cable call in show.

Museum Nude II Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991, sketched from life in front of the painting.

Christopher Street Pier, New York City, Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991, Sketched from life. Tom was working on a great oil painting of New York City Harbor.

Rivera Cafe, Greenwich Village, NYC, Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991, sketched from life from Sheridan Square Park just at the crossroads of Seventh Avenue and West 4th Street.

Sheep Meadow, Central Park, New York City, Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991, sketched from life.

Subway Line-Up,Pencil on paper, 8" x 10.5", 1991, sketched from life in the New York City Subway.

Village Cigars Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991, A venerable store smack dab in the center of Greenwich Village. This drawing was sketched from life from the park across the street. Tom has drawn and painted this view many times.

Monte Carlo Gaming Table I Pencil on paper, 8" x 10.5", 1991, sketched from life.

Monte Carlo Gaming Table II, Pencil on paper, 8" x 10.5", 1991, sketched from life from the edge of the gamming tables in Monte Carlo. Tom was able to do two such sketches before he was asked to stop by casino guards.

Museum Study Pencil on paper, 10.5" x 8", 1991, sketched from life in front of an oil landscape painting in a museum. Tom began his study of art by copying paintings in museums.