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The Work and Important Events of Tom Lohre
Still Life, Oil on canvas, 16" x 16", 1974, Property of Chuck
Lohre
His first painting in earnest. A still life done in his room in his family
home. He had returned home after being offered a job at his father's business.
He moved from Lexington, Kentucky to Cincinnati after two years of college
at the University of Kentucky. The painting was a very detailed work but
the substrate was faulty and has started to peel.
Still Life, Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 30", 1974, Property of Thomas Lohre, senior, $400
Painted as a class work. His teacher Howard Storm arranged a mess of classroom
furniture into a pile and had his student paint it.
Mosquito in the Air, Acrylic on canvas, 40" x 30", Property of Susan Lohre
For some reason the teacher asked the class to paint a familiar thing
in a unfamiliar way and Tom choose to paint clouds looking straight up.
Clare E. Beatty, Oil on canvas, 36" x 24", 1975
Painted as a class work it was purchased by his father and became his
first sale. Tom had just finished learning how to paint in the classical
manner from his brother Chuck. Chuck & Tom had met Ralph Wolfe
Cowan in a bar where he had painted many full size classical portraits
of famous celebrities. Later Chuck worked for Mr. Cowan and taught Tom
the techniques of classical painting. This was Tom's first attempt at
applying those techniques.
Linda, Oil on canvas, 24" x 36", 1976, Property of Tim Kinduell
Tom's first commission. Linda was Tim's girlfriend and Tim was Tom's close
friend.
Bachelor of Arts, University of Northern Kentucky, Highland Heights, KY, 1973-76
Nude Man, Charcoal on paper, 30" x 40", 1976, Property of the
Bloch Estate
This is a student work done during Tom's first years in New York City.
He was working on his figure drawing and since he lived on the gay street
in town he would finish by putting a huge dong on his figures and sell
them on the street! Bruce McGowan bought this drawing and he later gave
it to Birdie Bloch. In many ways it was this drawing that got Tom a foot
hold in art in the city.
Man with Horse, Copy of a Thomas Lawrence from the MET, Oil on canvas, 24" x 36", 1977, Property of Susan Lohre
Merchant's Wife, Copy of a Thomas Lawrence from the MET, Oil on canvas,
1977, Property of the Artist, Graphite stencil of the MET on back
Painted on location in the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of Tom studies.
1977 News Release titled "There are some things money can't buy. Do you have a fantasy you have always wanted to experience? Maybe it is flying , living in another time, being somewhere else, or living in a foreign land. Most people will never live out their fantasies and even if they were affordable you can not turn back time or attach wings to your back. There are just some things that money can not buy. Until now! You can not use a camera in your mind. But your can describe your fantasy. You can tell how you felt, what your were doing, who was there, and where it all happened. Maybe after doing so the listener would get the picture. If you con only have a painting of your fantasy. A painting that has all the mood, excitement and mystery of the real thing. My name is Tom Lohre and ever since childhood I have wanted to paint the pictures in my head. But I could not do that until I could paint all that was around me and then learn to paint what I could not see as if it was real. Certainly a task that took many years. But those years are in the past and now I can offer you the reward of my labor as I have for many. Being Peter Pan, a Russian Cossack, an astronaut or floating down the grand canal in Venice are all fantasies I have painted for people who dreamed of being there. Now I can offer you the chance of being there too. We can begin work as soon as you call. Remember that the painting I do you for you will last for hundreds of years and after you and I have gone people will never know if it was real or not. So in a way you would have done the impossible.
78 Income $5,000
Jaws, Oil on board, 36" x 24", 1976, Sold to Randy Lohre at
auction for $20
Elizabeth Cannon as Marchesa Durazo, Copy from the MET, Oil on canvas,
24" x 30", January 15th,1978, Property of Classical Glass
Second Place in Painting, Summer Fair, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1978
Elizabeth Taylor, Oil on canvas, 16"X 20", 1977, Property of
Bob Martin
Painted as a example of achieving a likeness. Tom had studied under famous
portrait painter Ralph Wolf Cowan and applied his technique in this portrait.
It is painted on gray vinyl a surface Mr. Cowan loved to paint on because
of its smooth surface and inability to absorb oil.
Birdie Bloch, Oil on canvas, 36"X 24", 1977, Property of the
Bloch Family
A remembrance of things past, Mrs. Bloch used to spend the Summers at
this resort on Long Island and when see met Tom she commissioned a portrait
of those memories. Painted shortly after Bruce McGowan, Birdie took a
liking to the painter and it was the start of many years of friendship.
Birdie on a regular basis would commission new works. She held a famous
salon and entertained many notable New Yorkers.
John Vincent, Oil on canvas, 30"X 24", February 19th,1978, Owner
unknown
Painted as Tom 's first commission in New York City. He painted the work
for ten French apple pies! The painting was later exhibited at the Axis
Gallery in Soho and shortly afterwards Steve Martin was seen appearing
on the cover of New York Magazine with a fish coming out of his jacket.
John was from a fishing village in France and to illustrate his attachment
to his home country he agreed to embrace the fish. Later he cook it and
we ate it!
Leslie Harlip Brushing for Bucks Village Voice 3/6 1978
Bob Martin, Oil canvas, August 1978, Property of Bob Martin,
Painted as one of the first fantasy portraits. Bob was always a fan of
the movie 2001 Space Odyssey and commissioned a portrait of him in the
capsule of the escape spacecraft.
James Kinduell, Oil on canvas, September 1978
Greek Wedding June 78 $50
Mike Fink's Restaurant, Oil on canvas, 1978, 28" x 18", Valued
at $2,400, Property of the artist, Sold to Captain Beatty, June 3rd, 1979
Painted in New York City as a sort of home sick piece. Tom grew up on
the Ohio River and worked on this stern wheeler converted into a restaurant.
His job was to replace the light bulbs, take out the trash, paint and
tend to the diesel engines that supplied the power. His boss was a old
black man who had spent his life working for the owner of the restaurant.
The owner was legendary river man John Beatty. Beatty had various jobs
on the river from piloting logs rafts down river to floating restaurants.
His father did all the same things his son did but John wanted to best
his dad and consequently far exceeded his father. His father had a hot
dog stand on the river so John had two of the biggest and best converted
stern wheeler restaurants on the Ohio River. His father had a small harbor
service and John had a company that ran all the harbor service for Cincinnati.
The painting shows the floating restaurant from a vantage point above
it. In the foreground is some river brush and from it the ramps that lead
to the steamboat. You see the front of the stern wheeler with a light
coming from the kitchen. In the restaurant itself you can see small table
lights. The sun is setting and through the light is the silhouette of
the famous John Robeling Bridge. Built in 1860, it is the center piece
of the river between Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.
The impetus for the for the painting came from a postcard. Later Tom discovered
that he did not have the boat sitting properly in the water. Although
no one has pointed it out it shows the intimate nature between the artist
and his work.
United Press International Master's painting your face Cincinnati Post
8/25 1978
Bob Martin, Oil on canvas, 30" x 30", August 1978, Property
of Bob Martin, Paid $150, Comparable at $4,000
Lloyd Fienberg 78 $1,200
Lloyd & Didi Harris
Lionel Larner December 78 $800
Article in Cinti Post about painting old masters, November 2nd, 1978
Jock Itch Jan, Oil canvas, January 1st, 1979, Property of Jerry Ragni
Estate, Sold for $750
Alex
1979 News Release
A spirited, skillful young man with unexpected ideas. Tom is no new comer
to the art world. Tom explains: "The world is in need of new translations
of ancient feelings. The desire of man to believe that there was a first
time for all feelings require new expressions and symbols for the environment
man lives in today. It is these inner feelings. these ancient emotions,
that need to be reiterated using the symbolism of Today."
Through the surface and content of his work, a mythical display of emotion
is recorded. capturing the sparkle of reality and the subtle difference
between representation and presence. Tom says," Questions are posed
in reality. Answers are revealed in dreams.
Kaku, Oil on canvas, 24" x 24", January 23rd, 1979, Owner unknown
Sharon as the Nine of Wands, Oil on canvas, 48" x 72", January
1979, Property of Charles Lohre, Valued at $7,000
Asueque Basaran (unfinished), Oil on canvas, February 1st, 1979
The Deal, Oil on Canvas, 24" x 20", February 4th, 1979, Property
of Steve Lohre
Bernie & Ellen, Oil on canvas, 24" x 20", February
11th, 1979, Property of Bernie Block
John Travolta, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", February 18th, 1979,
Property of Larry Tee
Peter Frampton, Oil on canvas, 36" x 36", February 25th, 1979,
Property of George DuBose
Group Show, Axis Gallery, New York, N.Y., Soho
Freeman Family, Oil on canvas, 36" x 48", Property of the Freeman
Family
Descent of the Female Anima, 48" x 72", March 1st, 1979, Property
of John Powell
Superman, Oil on Mylar, 6' kite, March 4th, 1979
Louise & Cats, Oil on canvas, 48" x 48", April 1st,
1979, Property of Louise Rocquelle
Bruce McGowan, Oil on canvas, 16"X 20", 1977, Property of the
McGowan Family
Painted in New York City as a commission, Bruce was a fashion designer
and he had his own fantasy of life in his home mountains of the Berkshires.
United Press International Article, "Master's painting-your face",
Cincinnati, Post,8/25/1978
Nude Woman, Copy of Corot, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", April 15th,
1979, Property of Steve Lohre
Painted on location in the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of Tom studies.
The painting was later giving to Mr. Schaffner of Kentucky by Mrs. Thomas
G. Lohre as part payment of her divorce papers. Later Mr. Schaffner put
the painting in the trash and his next door neighbor Steve Lohre pick
it out of the trash and it was properly identified by Tom as the copy
he made in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Self Portrait, Oil on Mylar, April 22nd, 1979
Agi & Vanessa Briely, Oil on canvas, 30" x 30"",
May 1st, 1979, Sold to the Briely Family for a Acoustic guitar
Rudy the Cat, Oil on canvas, May 1st, 1979
Freeman Family, Oil on canvas, May 2nd, 1979
Bearsville Cadillac, Oil on board, 14" x 11", May 6th, 1979,
Bearsville Pay Phone, Oil on board, May 6th, 1979, Whereabouts unknown
Woodstock Stonewall, Oil on board, 14" x 11", May 6th, 1979,
Property of the Artist
Woodstock Landscape, Oil on board, 10" x 8", May 6th, 1979,
Whereabouts unknown
Zora Party Mural, Poster paint on paper table cloth, May 13th, 1979, Property
of Rasumssen Family
Ann Marie, Oil on canvas, 18" x 24", May 1979, Gradis, Property
of Ann Marie Holesek Bianci
Marie Claude Stockl, Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", May 15th, 1979,
Painted in exchange for a Cocktail reception,
Einstein, Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", 1979, Whereabouts unknown
Central Park, Oil on canvas, June 12th, 1979
Varsha, June 14th, 1979, Rakesh Puri
Duey's Girlfriend, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", June 20th, 1979,
Commissioned by Duey Peluso
Jim Kinduell, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", July 1st, 1979, Property
of Kinduell Family
Peter Saint John & Sister Wendy, Oil on canvas, Oval, July 1st,
1979
The Who, Oil on canvas, 48" x 36", August 1st, 1979, Stolen
Took train to Washington and met Patty Gordon.
Hiroshima mon Amore, Oil on canvas, 36" x 48", August 8th, 1979,
Sold for $800, Valued today at $6,000
Painted as a fantasy created by the artist.
Burni Cohen, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", August 1979, Property
of Burni Cohen
Paris Street October 78
French Still Life October 78 $150 Geneva
Lewandoski 78 Lewandoski $200
Lisa Menelli, Oil on canvas, 48" x 36", September 1st, 1979,
Valued at $2000, Whereabouts unknown
King Kong Panorama, Oil on canvas, 20' x 9', September 2nd, 1979, $650,
Whereabouts unknown
Wall, Oil on canvas, September 2nd, 1979, Whereabouts unknown
Susan Chang, September 3rd, 1979, $50
Ian, September 4th, 1979, $30
Pace, September 5th, 1979, $50
John Higginson "Dancer", Oil on canvas, 18" x 24",
October 2nd, 1979, $150
November 23rd, 1979, Ed Hicks recital
Fly to Los Angeles
RW Cowan and Tom shared their last dime in NYC, May 11th, 1980
Fresno Slue, 20" x 16", May 13th, 1980, Property of the Burton
Family
Painted during the hitchhike to Mt. Saint Helens. Tom stopped at his Aunt
and Uncles home in Fresno and spent the night. It was only five days later
that the mountain exploded.
Washington Valley, Watercolor on paper, 12" x 9", May 14th,
1980, Valued at $300, Whereabouts unknown
Mt. St. Helens from West Point Mt., Watercolor on paper, 12" x 9",
May 16th, 1980, Valued at $900, Whereabouts unknown
Spirit Lake, Watercolor on paper, 12" x 9", May 17th, 1980,
Valued at $ 900, Whereabouts unknown
Tom arrived at Chelachie Prairie just two days before the explosion. His
last ride was a logger out of Portland. The driver, Dave, made a stop
at his bosses house because he wanted a draw on his salary. The column
on his car had been broken and he had to hold the steering wheel out straight
the whole time to keep the car on the road. He was living in a small three
apartment complex just North of the ranger station and East of the Chelachie
Prairie quick store. The next day Tom worked on a watercolor of Spirit
lake. The next day, Saturday, he planned on working on this watercolor.
Tom, Dave and the guys spent the night partying because the next day way
off. During the evening he drew a mural on one of the walls in the apartment.
The men who made up the loggers were mostly influenced by bike magazines
and Playboy. They were a rough group but Tom felt safe with them.
Mt Saint Helens, Eruption I, From Tum Tum Mt., Watercolor on paper, 12"
x 9", Noon, May 18th, 1980, Valued at $1,200, Property of the artist
On Sunday after a night of partying because Sunday was a free day Tom
slowly woke up around eight in the morning. Looking outside the sky was
cloudy. It was not suppose to be cloudy and after a little thinking everybody
realized that the mountain had exploded. Everybody piled into the car
and made out for West Point about 27 miles to the South of the exploding
Mountain. From that point Tom worked the rest of the day painting four
watercolor as fast as he could.
Mt Saint Helens Eruption II, From Tum Tum Mt., Watercolor on paper, 12"
x 9", 2:30 pm, May 18th, 1980, Valued at $1,200, Whereabouts unknown
The mountain plume leveled out during the day.
Mt. Saint Helens Eruption III, From Tum Tum Mt., Watercolor on paper,
12" x 9", 4:30 pm, May 18th, 1980, Valued at $900, Whereabouts
unknown
Painted later during day during the still exploding Volcano.
Mt. Saint Helens Eruption IV, From Tum Tum Mt., Watercolor on paper, 12"
x 9", 7:30 pm, May 18th, 1980, Valued at $900, Whereabouts unknown
Water Cooler, LA
Newspaper Stands, LA, Oil on canvas, 14" x 10", May 1980, Valued
at $400
Orange Slices, LA, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", May 1980, Valued
at $400
Show at Burkart the Artist's Gallery, Madison Ave. Covington, Kentucky,
"Tom Lohre's Mt. St. Helens Watercolors", July 1980
Jan Thompson, co-anchor on WCPO Magazine story on Tom Lohre's trip to
paint Mt. St. Helens, Friday, July 18th 1980
Alan Tucker writer, "Artist Depicts Fury, Beauty of Mt. St. Helens",
Kentucky Post 7/23 1980
Saw Dad, January 14th, 1981 in Florida
12 to 30 ... the Mystery Years or the Newer Testament, play performed
in Peter Saint John's Backyard, August 9th, 1980
The Reapers, Copy from Millet at the CAM, 16" x 20", Valued
at $500, Property of Beverly Klyce
Young Woman with Grandmother's Face, Latour Copy from the CAM, 12"
x 16", Valued at $900, Property of Susan Lohre
Painted as a student work working from the original. After completing
the dress and background, Tom took the painting to his studio and painted
his grandmothers face in place of the young girl. Tom painted his grandmother
as a woman of 75. She always liked that particular painting in the Museum.
Bose Painting Contract, January 1st, 1981
Flew to LA from Newark, January 17th, 1981
Train ride to Washington, January 21st, 1981, met Patty Gordon
Letter from MOMA, January 23rd, 1981
Carnegie show contract, January 27th, 1981
February 2nd, 1981, check from Lohre & Associates for making
coal models
February 5th, 1981, Saturn encounter, Letter received from New York Mayor
March 26th, 1981, Letter from Heavy Metal
George Chandis, Oil on canvas, 5' x 5', April 2nd, 1981, $1,800, Property
of George Chandis Senior
George was a entrepreneur in Atlanta. He brought Tom down to Atlanta to
have him lived at his estate while he painted his portrait. Around George
are all the things he loved. Even a the painting in the background is
a another painting by. Tom lived on the estate of the owner for a month
while he completed the work. It was at the time the largest work he had
done. Just before arriving he had spend several weeks in Titusville, Florida
painting the first space shuttle launch.
Master Pollack, Oil on canvas, 12" x 16", 1981, Property of
the Pollack family
Painted at the same time did was working on a large commission in Atlanta.
It was a project that Tom sought to exceed his capabilities. He spend
long hours rendering the various aspects of the painting. He attempted
to show the little boy in a manner he often could be seen doing.
Space Shuttle on Launch Pad, Oil on canvas, 24" x 36", April
4th, 1981, Property of Chuck Lohre, Valued at $2,400
Painted from life under armed guard 200' from the space shuttle.
Space Shuttle Launch, Oil on canvas, 24" x 36", April 4th, 1981,
Whereabouts unknown, Comparable at $900
Kennedy Space Center Press Observation Stands, Oil on canvas, 30"
x 24", April 1981, Sold to Coco Beach Electronic Supplier for $800
Show at Carnegie Arts Center, Covington, Kentucky, June 22nd to July 31st,
1981
Paintings shown: Shuttle on Pad, Shuttle Launch, Hiroshima mon Amour,
Descent of the Female Anima, Albert Einstein, Woodstock Landscape, Bearsville
Cadillac, John Travolta, Woodstock Wall, Bearsville Pay Phone, Kaku. Owen
Findsen, art critic for the Cincinnati Enquirer wrote article called,
"Lohre Mixes Art, People and Fantasy" in the June 28th, 1981
issue.
Sheri Wager, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", July 1981
Paul Seta, Oil on canvas, July 1981
Matt Seta, Oil on canvas, July 1981
Peggy Grace Lohre Buried, July 17th, 1981
Saturn, Oil on canvas, 5' x 5', unfinished, August 28th, 1981, $2,000
Traveled to JPL with press credentials from WAIF radio.
Pisces, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", For exchange of lodging during
JPL encounter
May 20th, 1982 Flew from NYC to Cinti
May 27th, 1982 Purchased van from Marty Buckow
Show in Atlanta at Nassau Visions Gallery, May 4th to June 5th 1982, Met
Annette Ramsey
Mitch Fagan 82
Fish 82, Mitch Fagan
Connie Eberhart
Mr. & Mrs. Herb Field, Oil on vinyl, 30" x 24", August
14th, 1982, $800
Bose Children, Oil on canvas, 30" x 24", August 15th, 1982,
Sold for $200, Valued at $2,000
Painted while Tom was working for his mentor, Ralph Wolfe Cowan in Palm
Beach. He took the photographs down on the pier in New York City just
below his home there. The flash combined with the sunset started what
would be one of his greatest paintings. Even with the children in sweaters
and sweat shirts the painting triumphed over all. The manner is quite
straightforward using the old master techniques of his master.
September 6th, 1982 court date for speeding Puri to his wedding
September 13th, 1982 started working for Ralph Wolfe Cowan
December 1st, 1982 Flew to NYC from Palm Beach
February 7th, 1983 met Catie Carney
Patty Gordon & Family, February 1983, 30" x 40", $675
March 22nd, 1983 retouched Johnny Mathis's portrait in Hollywood for $250
April 8th, 1983 in Atlanta
April 11th, 1983 First meeting with Father in ten years
April 17th 1983 on the bee line hwy
May 1st, 1983 Painted van in Cincinnati
Mr. Vaswani, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", May 22nd, 1983, $300,
gift to Mr. Vaswani by Mr. Bose
Bear Bryant, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", Sold May 10th, 1983 to
Wayne Shaffer for $100, Comparable today at $1000
Rhett & Todd (Taurus & Aries), 48" x 60",
1983, Property of the artist, $3,400
Tom painted two such portraits for Rhett. Rhett Fire was a popular man
about town in the late 80's. For this painting he choose one of his boy
friends and the composition was formed around the astrology signs of the
sitters. Later Rhett was one of the first men to contract aids in the
city and the painting returned to the artist.
Mr. & Mrs. Herb Field August 83 $800
Flew from PB to Atlanta to see Annette
Mrs. Jane Berning, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", August 2nd, 1983,
Property of Jane Berning, Comparable at $6,000
Painted during Tom's stay in Palm Beach working for his mentor Ralph Wolfe
Cowan. The work is very much like his masters work. Mrs. Berning lived
down the street from Tom when he was a child and he and his brother met
them as children when they were flying their model airplanes across the
street from their home. While Tom was on the street in Palm Beach he again
met the Bernings and that spawned the commission. More because of his
famous boss than admiration of Tom. Later he did many paintings for the
Bernings and they became major patrons.
In the painting Tom included a large broach, in the manner of his mentor,
that Mrs. Berning did not own. They make the joke that the second wife
will be looking for the broach! The statue in the painting is part of
the famous fountain in downtown Cincinnati. This painting is a excellent
example of a mix between Tom's style and his mentors, "Ralph Wolfe
Cowan."
Paid with check August 2nd, 1983.
Living with Catie Carney, August 18th, 1983
Master Colin McIntosh, 24" x 30", Oil on canvas, Fall 1983,
Valued at $2,400, Property of McIntosh Estate
Painted while Tom was finishing his assistant job with celebrity and royal
portrait painter, Ralph Wolf Cowan. Tom meet the McIntosh Family while
working as the artist in residence for the James Hunt Barker Galleries
of Palm Beach, New York and Nantucket.
Mrs. Charlie Jewtraw, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", August 31st
& September 6th 1983 $50 check, $100 check December 14th,1983
Flew to NYC and back September 18th, 1983
Had booth space in Boca Raton, October 10th, 1983. Worked on changing
Solomon painting.
Mr. King, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", October 20th, 1983
Miya & Stephen Lassiter Commission, November 25th, 1983, $50
May 12th, 1984 brother Chuck gets married
Chuck & Janet's portrait, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40",
Valued at $2000, Property of Lohre Family
Jupiter Art Class, $100 check, January 16th, 1984
Arrived in Nantucket
Check from Catherine Greeff for $125, August 9th, 1984
Show at Barker Gallery in Nantucket, August 18th, 1984
Spent Fall in NYC, went to Florida for third season.
McIntosh Family, Oil on canvas, 48" x 48", Winter 1985, Property
of McIntosh Family, Valued at $10,000
Painted in a formal manner while staying in their guest house on their
Palm Beach Estate. Tom spent a lot of time playing with their middle son
Hunter. The family made themselves available to him and he worked continually
until the work was done. Being that the beach was just down the road they
sought that area as a staging for the painting. Tom would bring in various
pieces of the foliage into the studio to paint from. The clothes were
put on a dummy he made out of chicken wire. Since then he has made models
out of chicken wire quite often.
Michael McIntosh, Oil on canvas, 40" x 30", Spring 1985, Property
of the McIntosh Family, Valued at $5,000
Soothsayer 85
Robert Isler's Mother April 85 16X20 $150
Flew to Palm Beach to drive Barker truck to Nantucket, May 1st, 1985
Wateau Copy, Charcoal on paper, 8" x 10", May 6th, 1985, Property
of Ortiz Aquilar
Miss Polan, Oil on canvas, 36" x 24", May 17th, 1985
Second Summer in Nantucket, June 6th, 1985.
Margaret with Son in Winslow Homer's Breezing Up, Oil on canvas, 16"
x 12", August 8th, 1985, Property of Margaret Battle and Dick Scaife
Reverse Still Life, Oil on Mylar, 12" x 16", Painted in NYC,
Valued at $200, Sold to Chuck Lohre at auction for $12
Flowers with clear squat round glass vase with corner of table in lower
right hand corner, Latour copy, Painted in Nantucket, Oil on Mylar, 16"
x 12", Valued at $750, Property of Susan Lohre
Jeep, Started in Nantucket and finished in Cincinnati, Oil on canvas,
20" x 16"", September 5th, 1985, Property of Steve Lohre
Tom wanted to duplicate the great men in a row boat paintings in a modern
way. He chose a Jeep and painted it riding the dunes like a boat. Later
he painted his brother riding in it. He painted it in the Fall in Nantucket
after all the tourists had left. It was his second year of artist in residence
for Tom at the James Hunt barker Galleries.
Nuttle Family 85 Philip Nuttle
Ferry 85 Philip Nuttle
Eastern Shore Lunch 85 Chris
Brook Shields, Oil on canvas, 8" x 10", 1985, Property of the
artist, Valued at $200
Brook Shields Reverse Color 85
Da Vinci's Brook Shields 85
Nantucket Still Life, Oil on canvas, 1985
Nantucket Breakfast 85 Cindy List
Nantucket Breakfast II, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 1985, Property
of Chuck Lohre
One of a series of still life paintings done in his attic bedroom in the
James Hunt Barker Gallery in Nantucket. This was Tom's first Summer in
Nantucket and he spent his day running the gallery and painting at night.
He had done some similar very successful still life's in Europe and this
series look a lot like those. He painted on white canvas that had been
painted with a colored varnish of polyurethane. It gives the paintings
a very old look.
Seven Mile Road Nantucket, Oil on canvas, 1985 Nantucket, Carl Bankemper
Nantucket Loves Liberty on Widow's Walk, Silkscreen on glass, 12"
x 16", Spring 1985, Edition of 20
Nantucket Loves Liberty in Harbor, Silkscreen on glass, 12" x 16",
Spring 1985, Edition of 20
Man Leaning in Boat, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", 1984 Nantucket,
Owner unknown
George Rowing in Boat, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", 1984 Nantucket,
Property of Patty Wilson, NYC
Captain Eagle's Pond. Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 1984 Nantucket,
Property of Susan Lohre, Valued at $1,200
Painted as a redention of past masterpieces. Tom would select a old master
painting and then find a place in Nantucket where he could paint a new
scene using the old composition and color.
Nantucket Farm, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", 1985 Nantucket, Owner
unknown
Painted Cement Doggie, Oil on cement, Fall 1985, Property of Antique Store
Mary Lohre, Oil on canvas, 24" x 3", Property of the artist
Painted while Mary was working at the Devou Golf Course next to her home.
It shows her on the balcony serving lunch.
First art auction in St. Louis, November 28th, 1985
Drove through a snow storm on Christmas eve from NYC to Cincinnati. Brought
air pressure pallet and learned of the Uranus encounter while at the Observatory.
Valley Forge
The Gaunlet, Oil on canvas using spider palette, 16" x 126",
Fall 1985, Property of the artist, Valued at $200
January 20th, 1986 driving from Palm Beach to NYC.
Uranus encounter January 21st, 1986, stayed with Patty Gordon. Developed
portable air pressure pallet.
"Painting
model of Voyager 2", 1986, Los Angeles Times, Photograph by Penni
Gladstone
Voyager II over Uranus with Moons, Oil on canvas using auto pallet, 20"
x 16", 1986, Property of Chuck Lohre, Valued at $750
Voyager II over Uranus at Miranda, Oil on canvas using auto pallet, 20"
x 16", 1986, Property of Chuck Lohre
Voyager II over Uranus, Oil on canvas using auto palette, 8" x 10"",
1986, Property of Chuck Lohre for $16 at auction
Voyager II at Uranus with Nude Couple Playing Record, Oil on canvas using
auto palette, 16" x 12", 1986, Property of the artists, Valued
at $300
Kris's Cat, Oil on canvas using auto palette, 8" x 10", Valued
at $300, Property of Kris Wolf
Tom traveled to San Francisco and stayed with Kris Wolf after the Uranus
encounter. There he painted her cat.
Canyon, Oil on canvas, 36" x 24", Property of Pat & Jim
Stafford
This is a painting that Tom's grandmother started and Tom finished while
he was visiting his Aunt and Uncle in Grand Junction.
Pet Cemetary Illustration, Oil on canvas, 8" x 10", Whereabouts
unknown
While staying with Chuck Lohre on McMillian while in Cincinnati in the
Spring, Tom received a commission to copy the cover of a Steven King Novel.
Berning Garden, Oil on canvas using auto palette, 16" x 12",
Valued at $750, Property of Berning Family
Uranus and USS Enterprise, Oil on canvas using auto palette, 20"
x 16", Valued at $300, Sold to Tom Hawkins at auction for $21
Saturn with Moon, Oil on canvas. 10" x 8", 1992, Spring 1986,
Valued at $300, Whereabouts unknown
Uranus, USS Enterprise & Kincon Warbird, Oil on canvas using
auto palette, 8" x 10", Spring 1986, Valued at $300, Whereabouts
unknown
Begining of 4th season in Palm Beach, January 31st, 1986.
Drove from Cincinnati to Palm Beach, March 10th, 1986 to drive van to
Nantucket.
Off Shore boat, Oil on canvas using spider palette, 24" x 20",
Winter 1986, Property of Steve Lohre
Painted with Tom's painting machine during his last Winter in Palm Beach
as artist in residence for the James Hunt Barker Galleries. Tom spent
the Winter studying and painting the ocean from the boardwalk of Palm
Beach. Mostly he painted the waves crashing on the beach but this time
he painted a sailboat that sometimes would the shore.
Drug Dealer Off Florida, Oil on canvas using spider palette, 20"
x 16", Winter 1986, Property of Larry of Atlanta
Painted as a drug deal gone bad at sea with the blue light of the DEA
helicopter shining down.
Catie In Chair, Oil on canvas using spider palette, 20" x 16",
Winter 1986, Property of the artist, Valued at $750
Painted in a hotel room during one of Tom's visits to Palm Beach.
Drove Barker truck to Nantucket, April 1st, 1986. Later flew from NYC
to Palm Beach to pick up van. Then drove to Marathon to see Dad, May 15th,
1986. Started 3rd season in Nantucket on June 6th, 1986; Pacific Club
dues expire on June 30th and 5th season in Palm Beach on January 1st,
1987
Chester's Home Party, Unfinished, Oil on canvas using spider palette,
24" x 20", August 9th, 1986, Property of the artist, Valued
at $200
Kentucky, Oil on canvas using spider palette, 24" x 20", August
10th, 1986, Valued at $600, Sold to Rick Guakel at auction for $15
Kentucky, Oil on canvas using spider palette, 24" x 20", August
11th, 1986, Property of the artist, Valued at $600
Lohre Home, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", January 19th, 1987, Property
of the artist, Valued at $400
Painted as a example of his new found impressionistic style.
Greg Herthel, Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", Valued at $2,400, Property
of Linda Brown
Rick Herthel, Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", Valued at $2,400, Property
of Linda Brown
Boothe Portrait, Second version worked on
Main Straus Fountain II, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", January 21st,
1987, Property of Chuck Lohre for $20
Covington Tower, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", January 21st, 1987,
Valued at $300, Sold to Chuck Lohre at auction for $10
The
weather was too cold to paint outside which prompted me to paint from
photographs. I had painted many scenes of Cincinnati and wanted
to explore Kentucky. I had painted a very par.:)Popular scene in
Nantucket over and over again, and wanted to find just such a scene for
Covington. In Cincinnati, "Fountain Square" fills my qualifications
of a very popular & successfully image to be painted. In
fact, I recommend students paint the Fountain at the Fountain, sell the
work there and work on improving their skills while on the job'.
Fancy Grocery Store, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Winter 1987,
Property of the artist, Valued at $650
One winter in New York before going to Florida, I painted a series of
works from inside various shops in the West Village. It was too
cold to work outside. One such work is "Village Fancy Groceries."
Uncle Jerry Lohre, Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", February 10th,
1987, Property of Steve Lohre, Valued at $750
Uncle Jerry, he was still living in the home he had built.
Traveled to Palm Beach stopping at Chester Salisbury's
Kim Sargent Painting the Town Palm Beach Daily 3/25 1987
Breakers Hotel, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", March 1987, Valued
at $1000, Property of Randy Lohre
Breakers Hotel I, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", March 1887, Valued
at $300, Whereabouts unknown
Breakers Hotel II, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", March 1887, Valued
at $300, Whereabouts unknown
Breakers Hotel III, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", March 1887, Valued
at $300, Whereabouts unknown
Sloppy Joe's I, Oil on canvas, March 25th, 1987, Property of Chuck Lohre
This is Mr. Lohre's best small impressionistic oil done on location. For
many years Tom painted everyday on location. This painting is the culmination
of that experience. He started because he wanted to learn and he left
it because he had learned all that he could, outside. Now he paints in
a combined manner of outside in the beginning and in the studio to finish,
not allowing the weather or the time needed to interfere with producing
the best possible work.
The stippled surface was on the orginal was caused by placing the painting
against a bank of cocktail straws. Some of the paint went into the straws
and he used that paint to produce several duplicates. At the time , he
was experimenting with duplicating oil paintings. One such experiment
was to load a bank of of cocktail straws with paint and then squeeze them
onto mutiple canvases. The problem was that even a 8 x 10 inch canvas
had hundreds of straws and he could not develope a way of squeezing out
an exact amount. For many years Tom experimented in many various ways
but in the end he gave up all experimenting because it was not a major
part of his talent. To reproduce it would be a violation of his talent.
Sloppy Joe's II, Oil on canvas, March 25th, 1987, Property of Anette Ramsey
Sloppy Joe's III, Oil on canvas, March 25th, 1987, Property of the artist
Sloppy Joe's IV, Oil on canvas, March 25th, 1987, Property of the artist
This series of paintings are Tom's best small impressionistic oil done
on location. Placing the painting against a bank of cocktail straws
caused the stippled surface. Some of the paint went into the straws
and I used that paint to produce several duplicates. At the time,
I was experimenting with duplicating oil paintings. One such experiment
was to load a bank of cocktail straws with paint and then squeeze them
onto multiple canvases. The problem was that even a E3 X 10 inch
canvas had hundreds of straws and I could not load them all before the
paint dried' Also I could not develop a way of squeezing out an exact
amount.
Coney Island, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", Spring, 1987, Valued
at $900, Sold to Chuck Lohre at auction for $30
Observatory, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Spring, 1987, $600, Property
of Chuck Lohre
This painting was done from life in the fall of 1987 after my return from
a summer of painting in Nantucket. There, I had great success-with
this style of outdoor painting. The canvas is created in one day.
I start with stretching the canvas and deciding the composition
the night before. Most of the times I start around noon, find a
spot, set up and paint till about five O’clock, larger canvases might
take more than one day. The more I work in this manner the more
I feel that time spent is less and less important. I want to complete
the best possible work. The overriding constraint is that the surface
must appear flawless which means it has to be done in one motion. These
days I put paintings in the freezer to maintain that surface quality.
Overlook, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Spring, 1987, Property of
Chuck Lohre for $30
Licking River, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Spring, 1987, Property
of Mary Lohre for $7
Covington, Kentucky's Suspension Bridge, Oil on canvas, 36"X 24",
Spring 1987, Property of the Brown Family; Valued at $3,600
The painting is a long view of the famous suspension bridge between Covington,
Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, built by John Robeling in 1860 as scene
from Cincinnati. To the left you can see, across the river, the floating
restaurant Mike Finks's looking like a working sternwheeler. Just above
the steamboat are the two stone homes that John Robeling built for himself
and his engineer. Just to the right of the homes is a modern home owned
by Lawyer, Pat Flannery.
Tom set up his canvas on the Ohio side of the river for two weeks to get
this painting. He was right below where the bums hung out but never actually
talked with them. Since completion, this part of the river bank has been
cleared and a landing for a party boat has been erected. Across the river
is the "Mike Fink's" where Tom worked as a boy swabbing the
deck and emptying the trash for the restaurant. The two buildings in yellow
gray stone were built for John Robeling and his engineer when he was building
the Suspension Bridge. Tom painted this canvas as a commission for Linda
Brown. She had always wanted a painting of the bridge during the day and
the night. Tom just recently finished a night scene of the bridge for
her, using "Tall Stacks" 1995 for a backdrop.
Mike Fink's, Oil on canvas, 4' x 3', Spring 1987, Sold to Annalisa for
$75
Nantucket Main Street, 20" x 16", August 20th, 1987, Property
of the Artist, Valued at $900
This painting was done during his second season of Main Street painting
in Nantucket. He really used the street to learn. He discovered the tunnel
vision composition needed to create a successful painting. In the beginning
he would sell them for low prices and slowly learned on the job. Up to
that point he was painting studio oils and found that he could not go
through enough ideas fast enough to learn nor sell enough to justify the
time. Using a four color palette, he was able to focus his attention on
color. He had four tubes screwed into a small palette and would squeeze
out just what he needed. He used three colors that approximated process
colors and white. Later he learned that at least the basic colors: alizarin
crimson, bright red, windsor yellow, windsor blue, ultramarine blue and
windsor violet in the Windsor Newton line of colors are needed to mix
a complete pallette. He looks forward to mixing color chemically whenever
possible and avoid mixing color on the palette
Main Street Nantucket, 24"X 20", Summer 1987, Property of the
Artist, Valued at $2,400
After a stint at working for his mentor in Palm Beach, Tom started his
circuit from Palm Beach in the Winter to Nantucket in the Summer. After
three years of trying to find himself, he mastered the "en plein
air" painting style of painting. To prefect his coloring and composition
he painted on the street everyday finishing a canvas a day of the famous
fountain on Main Street. This view was what he considered the best and
ten days on this canvas. He was lucky no one purchased this example. Out
of the over three hundred canvases done over three years of daily painting
he would not sell this one. He feels that the colors are those of death
and that is the reason it did not sell. He still considers it the best
view the island has to offer.
Washington Square Arch Fall 87
Village Cigars Fall 87 Artist
Seventh Ave & Christopher Street, Oil on canvas, 24" x 20",
September 6th, 1987, Property of the artist, Valued at $2,400
Painted after Tom 's best Summer of "en plien air" painting
in Nantucket. He would go on to paint similar scenes and styles wherever
he would visit for the next several months. The coloring and brush stroke
would leave him in a year and he would never paint that way again.
7th Avenue News Stand, Oil on canvas, Fall 87, Property of Chuck Lohre
MacDougal & Bleecker, Fall 1987 night Buckow
Hurricane Gloria, Fall 1987 Stockl
Father Demos Square 87 Sullivan
Washington Square 87 Sullivan
Aunt Annie, Oil on canvas, 1987, Property of Patty Meyers
One Winter when Tom was between Palm Beach and New York he decided that
he was going to paint his oldest relatives, Jerry and Cresenttia Lohre.He
started with Cresentia because she was in a nursing home. All the time
he would see he she would ask how much it cost?
Palm Beach Hibiscus, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", 1987, Property
of Steven Lohre
Painted in the side yard of the McIntosh Estate while Tom was painting
the family portrait
Palm Beach I, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987, Valued at $200, Sold to Paul Seta at auction for $10
Painted as a experiment in multiples. Tom arranged 12 canvases in a gang
and painted them all on the beach on day, with photo by Gary George.
Palm Beach II, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987, Valued at $200, Sold to Mary Jo Hammons at auction for $7.50
Palm Beach III, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach IV, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach V, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach VI, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach VII, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach VIII, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach IX, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach X, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach XI, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Palm Beach XII, 12 identical scenes, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
1987,
Caulking Gun Paint Dispenser
I have a hobby of working on a painting robot. The machine has progressed
slowly owing to the fact that many subsystems have to be resolved. Currently
I have developed a point and squeeze system. Ultimately I would
like to have a system that uses brushes much like a human does.
Via Palm Beach, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", 1987, Property of Michelle
St. Clair for $5
Palm Beach Overgrowth, Oil on canvas, 8" x 10", Property of
Chuck Lohre for $20
Mary Lohre, Oil on canvas, 12" x 16", 1987, Property of the
artist
Painted as the first camera obscure experiment and with his automatic
palette.
Yuso Hase, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", 1987, Property of Yuso Hase
The second of the camera obscure portraits.
1987 Gross Income $12,020 Net Income $-356
Cows in a Field in Palm Beach County, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12",
March 1st, 1988, Valued at $750, Property of Michael McClintock estate
Jim Beam Stakes in Kentucky, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", May 15th,
1988
Tree on Liberty Street in Pittsburgh, Oil on canvas, 10" x 12",
May 22nd, 1988, Valued at $300, Property of Michael Hahalyak
Block House, Pittsburgh, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", May 23rd,1988,
Valued at $750, Whereabouts unknow
Pittsburgh Incline, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", May 24th, 1988,
Valued at $750, Whereabouts unknown
Duquesne Club, Pittsburgh, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", May 25th,
1988, Valued at $750, Whereabouts unknown
Fourth season in Nantucket, May 31st, 1988
Pig Festival with Two Boys Along Fence, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
June 1st, 1988, Valued at $200, Whereabouts unknown
Pig Festival with Woman and Girl Along Fence, Oil on canvas, 10"
x 8", June 1st, 1988, Valued at $200, Whereabouts unknown
Pig Festival with Man with Top Hat, Unfinished, Oil on canvas, 8"
x 10", June 1st, 1988, Valued at $200, Property of the artist
Two Kids Playing Along Straight Warf, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8",
June 2nd, 1988, Valued at $300, Whereabouts unknow
Two Kids Along the Beach, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", June 3rd,
1988, Valued at $300, Whereaouts unknown
Woman and Child on Union Street, Oil on canvas, June 4th, 1988, Whereabouts
unknown
Old Rat's Warf Club, Oil on canvas, June 5th, 1988, Whereabouts unknown
Mr. Anapol in Model T, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", Valued at $750,
August 1st, 1988, Property of Anapol Family
Mrs. Milburn, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", Worked on August 2nd,
1988, Valued at $7,000, Property of Milburn Family
Claudia Holdgate and Daughter Portrait on Main Street, Oil on canvas,
16" x 20", August 3rd, 1988, Valued at $750, Property of Holgate
Family
Painted Dalmation, Oil on concrete, August 4th, 1988, Porperty of the
Hosea Autiques
Mic Ronson's Woodstock Home, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", August
30th, 1988, Valued at $750, Whereabouts unknown
Chester Salisbury Parents, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", Corrected
August 31st, 1988, Valued at $1000, Property of the Salisbury Family
Woman Walking Dog on Bedford Street, Oil on canvas, 8" x 10",
September 1st, 1988, Valued at $300, Whereabouts unknown
Village Cigars with Woman and Black Man, Oil on canvas, September 2nd,
1988, Wherabouts unknow
Sheridan Square with Four People on left, Oil on canvas, September 3rd,
1988, Whereabouts unknow
Village Vangard, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", October 10th, 1988,
Valued at $750, Whereabouts unknow
Maeand, Silkscreen on paper, Winter 1988, $60, Plates produced in the
computer, Print used for a invitation of a art auction
Mt. Adams I, Oil on canvas, Winter 1988, Property of Beverly Klyce, Comparable
at $750
Painted from life on the waterfront during Febuary.
Mt. Adams II, Oil on canvas, Winter 1988, Owner Unknown, Comparable at
$750
Painted from life on the waterfront during Febuary.
Mt. Adams III, Oil on canvas, Winter 1988, Owner Unknown, Comparable at
$750
Painted from life on the waterfront during Febuary.
Mt. Adams IV, Oil on canvas, Winter 1988, Owner Unknown, Comparable at
$750
Painted from life on the waterfront during Febuary.
Boomer Easion, Silkscreen on paper, 1988, Limited edition, Valued at $75,
#1 owned by Paul Seta,
Produced for the Bengals attempt to the Super Bowl. This was the first
silk screen print done by Tom in many years. He was given artist in residence
at Kinduell Screen Products, the same company he worked for while in college.
Sloppy Joe's, Silkscreen on paper, 1988,
Tailgate Party, Silkscreen on paper, 1988
Southernmost House, Key West, Silkscreen on paper, Edition of 35, 1988,
Valued at $250 with gold leaf frame
#14 Sold to Annalisa at auction for $5.
Mount Adams, Silkscreen on paper, 1988, edition of 50
Printed in three prinary colors using a novel plate making technique.
Using several tints of small oval rubber stamps the plates were formed
by stamping the various tints. Once combine on the paper the colors made
a full spectrum of color. Tom's previous paintings of Mt. Adams were done
in the middle of Winter and he used that color scheme for this print.
Marilyn Monroe, Silkscreen on paper, 1988, edition of 50, 24" x 36",
Framed for $250
This was Tom's first attempt at getting a likeness in silk screen. The
technique is one of making the plate by stamping various tinted rubber
stamps on a sheet of acetate for each of three colors. A black line plate
was drawn with a litho pencil and ganged up with each color to make the
black line. The image was collected from various sources. Tom was looking
to show Marilyn as a drug dependant person using the Channel perfume bottle
as a substitute for a pint bottle of whiskey.
#35 Sold to David, sold auction for $5
#46 Sold to Annalisa at auction for $5
Nantucket Fountain & Telephone Building, 8" x 10",
1988
Painted during the beginning of Tom's third year of painting during the
Summer in Nantucket. He moved from living upstairs the Barker Gallery
to living with Mrs. James Barker, no relation. Originally it was painted
on a gesso coated t-shirt but when he wore it to the gallery opening it
caused such a embarrassment he cut it out and stretched it on stretchers.
Doris's Sister and Her Child, Oil on canvas, 20" x 24", 1988,
Property of Michael Musto
Started in the Spring of 1989 while Tom was making a short visit to Nantucket.
He was so taken with meeting them on the street that he took their photograph
and later painted it in Cincinnati. He spent all Summer painting in Cincinnati
and shipping the paintings to Nantucket for inclusion in the Artists Association's
showings.
Nantucket Fountain with two girls and one boy, Oil on canvas, 9"
x 12", 1988, Property of the artist, Valued at $400
22 Oil Paintings
$3,800 11/18/88 Oil on Canvas for Michael Hahalyak
Bedford Street Fall 88
Commerce Street Winter 88
Cherry Lane Theater 87 Spring
South Bleecker from Christopher 88 Gilman
Christopher & Bleecker 88
Deauville Groceries, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", 1988, Sold to
Tim Kinduell at auction for $7.50
Penningcamp Park, Key Largo, Fl. 88, 20 x 16, Oil on canvas, Property
of Carol Gunter
Painted in Marathon, Florida. The statue of Christ is the main feature
of a underwater park off the coast of Florida. The site is a popular diving
spot. The artist used various photos to compose the scene. He tried to
make the dive but the weather was not favorable. He discovered that female
beauty is not all that noticeable when the diving gear including the b-c
vest is on. That is why the girl in the painting does not wear one. This
is one of two underwater paintings done by the artist. The technique is
of the heavy impasto method that he used during the years of 1985 to 89.
Underwater Shipwreck 88, 20 x 16, Oil on canvas, Property of Randy Lohre
Fort Martello, Florida 88, 24" x 20, Oil on canvas, Sold to Japanese
from the Gingerbread Gallery in Key West Florida
Tree in Key West 88, 10 x 8, Oil on canvas, Sold out of the Gingerbread
Gallery in Key West Florida
22 Paintings for Michael Hahalyak, November ,1988, $3,800
In the Fall of 1988 Tom gave up the circuit of Palm Beach Nantucket to
stay at his family home to repair it and to keep it from being sold. He
was going to be spending quite awhile at the family home in Park Hills,
Kentucky, living with his brother and sister plus a roomer or two.
List of paintings: Cherry Lane Theatre, Father Demos Square, Tailgate
Party, Tall Stacks I, Nantucket Main Street, Zero Main Street,
Chi Chi Hut I, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", 1988, Property of Paul
Seta for $5 at auction
During this stint in Palm Beach Tom believed that this was the scene that
depicted what this part of Florida meant to Tom. He worked on several
canvases over the next several weeks. He stayed with Paul McMullen.
Chi Chi Hut II, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", 1988
Chi Chi Hut III, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", 1988, Property of
Dr. Haas
Chi Chi Hut IV, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", 1988,
14 Sloppy Joe's, identical, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", 1988,
#1 sold to Dana at auction for $1
1988 Gross Income $15,077 Net Income $144
Tony Milburn's Home, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", January, 1989
One of the first paintings done while Tom had moved to his family home
in order to keep it in the family.
Fort Thomas Home, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 1989, Valued at
$1000, Property of Burton Family
New Building on Water Street Nantucket, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16",
April 1st, 1989, Property of buider
Dafoldi in Sconset, Oil on canvas, 20" x 24", April 2nd, 1989,
Valued at $750, Porperty of the artist
Daffodil, Oil on canvas, 8" x 10", April 3rd, 1989, Valued at
$300, Whereabouts unknown
Brant's Band, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", April 16th, 1989, Valued
at $300, Property of Ronda Granger
Washington Square, Oil on canvas, 40" x 30", April 17th, 1989,
Valued at $2,400, Property of Mark Sulliavn
87th Street, Oil on canvas, 10" x 20", April 18th, 1989, Valued
at $500, Whereabouts unknown
Washington Square Arch, oil on canvas, 20" x 16", April 19th,
1989, Valued at $1000, Whereabouts unknown
Village Cigars, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", April 20th, 1989,
Valued at $1000, Whereabouts unknown
Waverly Theatre, Oil on canvas, 24" x 20", April 21, 1989, Valued
at $1000, Property of Ronda Granger
Greenwich, Conn., Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", April 22nd, 1989,
Valued at $1000, Whereabouts unknown
Fifth Avenue, Oil on canvas, April 23rd, 1989, Wherabouts unknown
Rivera, Oil on canvas, April 24th, 1989, Whereabouts unknown
Father Demos Square, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", April 25th, 1989,
Valued at $1000, Sold the same day to a girl for a wedding present for
$75
Harbor Scene Nantucket, Oil on canvas, 24" x 20", May 14th,
1989, Valued at $750, Property of Cindy List
Girl in the Fountain, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", 1989, Property
of Dick Foster; Comparable at $1,000
Expanding his impressionistic style developed in 1987, Tom combined impressionistic
paint surface background with a fine smooth surface academic style for
the figure he had learn from his master.
Nantucket Main Street with Ship on Zero Main Street, Oil on canvas, May
15th, 1989, Whereabouts unknown
Traveled to East Hampton for end of Summer sail, while cousin and friends
spent the week in NYC apartment. Traveled home with them to Atlanta with
them dropping me off North of Atlanta at Mary Moon's Camp. Stayed in Atlanta
for awhile and then brought Mary Moon to Cincinnati for her to recouperate
from her soured relationship.
Covington Landing, Oil on canvas, 30"X 24", 1989, Valued at
$5,600, Property of Dick Foster
This was the first canvas Tom worked on where he wanted to duplicate the
great landscapes of the past. He set up on location and worked a few hours
everyday for a month to produce this result. He learned that the composition
should not be dependant on where you can set up. In the future he used
the composition plastically, painting a form that worked in the canvas
area independent on whether you could actually see the scene or not.
The view itself is a modern cache of riverboats not unlike those of old.
Tom worked on the river for his first job and has every since had a love
affair with the lore of the river.
Photographed Betsy LaSorella for model 8" x 10", January 6th,
1990.
Neptune with spot, Oil on canvas, 8" x 10", Property of Dick
Foster, Valued at $450
Conservatory, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", Valued at $300, Whereabouts
unknown
Two Girls, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 1990, Valued at $500, sold
to Peggy Groeber at auction for $10
Sankety Head, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 1990, 1990, Valued at
$1,200, Sold to Randy Lohre at auction for $18
Three Girls, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 1990, Valued at $900,
Sold to Maloney at auction for $20
Little Girl with Bouquet, 16" x 20", Oil on canvas, 1990, Valued
at $500, Sold to Dana James at auction for $5
Girl at the Nantucket Fountain, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", Valued
at $900, Sold to Randy Lohre at auction for $20
CAM Copy, Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, Sold to Pete McCann at auction
White Horse Tavern 90
Earth Still Life, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", New York Earth Day
1990, Property of Beverly Klyce, Valued at $600
Kershaw Home, 16"X12", Oil on canvas, Spring 1990, Valued at
$750 with frame, Property of Mark Sullivan
Painted during Tom artists in residence in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Kershaw Home was the boy hood home of one of the gentlemen on the
estate. He told the story of his father buying his brother and him a old
single engine airplane and placing it wings off in the back yard.
The home now is owned by another family and his mother lived right around
the corner. The home being in a rather remote part of South Carolina did
not appeal to the children of the homestead.
Greenville Home, 10" x 8", 1990, Beverly Klyce
Foster Home, 10" x 8", 1990, Beverly Klyce
Flew to Europe July 9th, 1990, returned August 16th, 1990.
Beverly in Monte Carlo, 30" x 40", 1990 Beverly Klyce
Carol in Monte Carlo, 30" x 40", 1990, Gunter
Street scene Monte Carlo, 8" x 10", 1990, Beverly Klyce
Chateau Pome, 10" x 8", 1990, Dominic Dreyfus
French Still Life, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", 1990, Property
of Beverly Klyce
French Farm, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 1990, Property of Beverly
Klyce, Valued at $1000
Drove to NYC from Cincinnati to deliver painting to Mark Sullivan, Novenber
15th, 1990.
Cocktail party in NYC, December 8th, 1990.
Drove to Greenville from NYC, December 11th, 1990.
Cocktail Party House Warming Party at Greenville Home, December, 1990
Meyers Portrait, Oil on canvas, 36" x 48", December 22nd, 1990
Drive to St. Louis, December 30th, 1990
Drove to Chicago from Cincinnati with sister Cindy, December 31st, 1990.
Drove off road on a ice slick and spent the night in Palmer House. Spent
the day studing Santa Claus paintings at the Chicago Science Museum
Law Office 90 Beverly Klyce
1990 Gross Income $15,614 Net Income $6,6136
Fancy, Oil on canvas, 12"X 16", Febuary 14th, 1991, Property
of Dick Foster; Comparable at $750
Tom gave this painting to Dick Foster for Valentines. Although Tom had
been living at the Foster estate for a year painting various commissions
for him he liked this one the best.
Unitarian Church, Oil on canvas, 30" x 24", Febuary 19th, 1991,
Dick Foster's gift to church
Dick Foster, Oil on canvas, 30"X 40", 1991, Property of Dick
Foster; Comparable at $9,000
Painted as a return to the very fine detailed work Tom was known for in
the beginning of his career. He was quite taken with the manner of the
subject, sometimes comparing him to Caesar. Mr. Foster was a lawyer that
worked for people who had lost all or most of what they had because of
the negligence of others, mostly large paper mills well know in the area
of Greenville South Carolina where Mr. Foster lived. Dick did make a run
at public office but eventually got out of it because it did not offer
the truth and honesty he touted.
In this portrait Tom combined youthful exuberance with the Dick Foster
he had come to know. Dick had been a avid golfer and tennis player and
though he did teach golf to Tom, Dick was just not a tennis player anymore.
Tom carefully rendered this portrait for a great man he had come to know
and love.
Irene in a Cotton Field, Oil on canvas, 16"X 12", 1991, Valued
at $1,200, Property of Dick Foster
While working for Mr. Foster in Greenville, South Carolina, Tom was asked
to paint this view of his wife in a cotton field because it reminded one
of Dick closest friends of their childhood growing up in the cotton fields
of Memphis, Tennessee.
Drove to Cincinnati from Greenville, March 10th, 1991
Drove to Kershaw from Greenville, April 1st, 1991.
Drove to Key West from Hilton Head, April 19th, 1991.
Drove to Coconut Grove from Key West, April 29th, 1991.
Drove to Greenville from Miami, May 6th, 1991
Drove to Cincinnati from Greenville, May 5th, 1991
Drove to St. Louis, May 11th, 1991
Working on world decal, May 22nd, 1991
Working on Big House Fence, May 22nd, 1991
Fountain Square, Oil on canvas, 12" x 16", Valued at $750, Property
of Annie Milburn
Article for Noveau Magazine, June 7th, 1991
Visited Ronda in Woodstock, June 18th, 1991
Albert Crudo, Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", June 20th, 1991, Valued
at $2,000, Property of Albert Crudo
Drove to 3 Mile Harbor from NYC, June 20th, 1991.
Drove to Greenville from NYC, July 1st, 1991
Apprentice Michael Gowan assisted on, July 26th, 1991.
Drove to Cincinnati from Greenville, August 13th, 1991.
Sailed with Irene to Maine, August 20th, 1991.
Patrick Boys, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", September 19th, 1990,
Valued at $6000, Property of Patrick Family
Purchased motorcycle, November 6th, 1991.
Reedy Bridge, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", November, 26th, 1991,
Valued at $750, Property of Foster Family
Drove to Lexington from Cincinnati, January 1992.
Drove to Greenville from Lexington, January 6th, 1992.
Flew to the Bahamas, April 6th, 1992.
1991 Gross Income $16,906; Net Income $2,983
Yale University, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", 1992, Property of
Bruce Foster
Tom painted the campus of Yale while on a road trip. He had to have a
new transmission put into his car and while it was being done he had the
mechanic drop him off at the campus. He spend the whole day working and
was picked up in his newly repaired car and then set off South towards
New York City. He later sold the painting to a alumni of the school for
about the price of the transmission.
Row Houses on McDougal Street, Ink Pen on paper, 7" x 5", Summer
1992
Painted as a example for client.
Seaport , Watercolor on paper, 7" x 5", Summer 1992, One of
several
Painted as preliminary sketch for a large oil painting
Grand Casino, Pencil on paper, 10" x 8", Summer 1992, Property
of the artist
Winning at the Craps Table, 10" x 8", Pencil on paper, Summer
1992, Property of the artist
Delta Queen, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", 1992, Property of Jim
& Bev Acree
Painted as preliminary studio work for a 40" x 30" piece. He
worked from a photo that he took at the first Tall Stacks Festival in
Cincinnati. He completed one impressionistic work from that photo and
his sister liked it so much that she commissioned a larger work. Sometimes
a single image can capture the imagination like nothing else.
Bennington College, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", Summer 1992, Property
of the artist, Valued at $300
Painted as one of a series of colleges. He was in New England visiting
a friend when he was taken with the vast view from the grounds of the
college. It was the beginning of a more detailed style of small paintings
that illustrated Tom desire to paint ing a very refined old style of manner.
The manner mostly means that the sky is large and the landscape is small
and dark.
Showboat Majestic, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", October 15th, 1992,
Valued at $300, Property of Thomas Werner MD
Originally started from life at the 2nd Tall Stacks Celebration along
the waterfront of Cincinnati. The weekend was wet and for the most part
Tom sat in the rain painting. The wind was blowing so hard he had to hold
the easel with one hand and since it was raining he had to hold both the
easel and the umbrella with his free hand. He painted a good while with
the water running down through his shoes. He recently finished the work
for Dr. Keys. Dr. Keys is donating the painting to the 1997 Alizhimer's
Gala Silent Auction.
Tom worked on the showboat when it was first docked in Cincinnati. John
Beatty allowed the showboat to moor behind his string of barges that attached
to Captain Hooks restaurant. Captain Hooks was the first floating converted
riverboat restaurant on the Ohio side of the river. Tom worked there while
in high school. He jobs were to pump out the water in the holds, wash
the decks, tend to the moorings and matain the engines that supplied the
power for the marina.
The composition he picked was the most natural. Something you could find
during any regular visit to the waterfront. The showboat Majestic is original
and a real treasure to have at the foot of Cincinnati. It keeps a otherwise
modern waterfront from being empty of any old riverboats. As long as the
showboat Majestic is on the landing, there is always a show in town!
Cincinnati Enquirer, Page A6, October 16th, 1992
Left center: Thomas George Lohre Jr., a New York City artist, works through
the rain on a painting at Public Landing.
Channel 12 WKRC-TV, 5 o'clock News, October 15th, 1992
Tom had his picture taken and run in the Cincinnati Enquirer in a spread
they did on the festival. Also he was on TV during the nightly news. "His
quote for the TV reporter when he asked him what he thought about all
the tickets for the boat rides being sold out was, "Don't worry about
that money thing, Just come on down and experience the steamboats firsthand
from along the bank, It's free."
1992 Gross income $4,947; Net Income $885
In NYC, January 28th, 1993. Drove to Cincinnati, Febuary 14th, 1993.
In St. Louis, March 19th, 1993.
Bok Tower, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", May 1990, Valued at $1000,
Sold to Jimmy Eubanks in 1992 for $750
Recieved title of Buick, May 18th, 1993. Moved out of Greenville and spent
the Summer in New York City. Volunteered 225 hours on the sailboat, "Pioneer."
Jury duty in NYC, May 28th, 1993.
Master Jude Austin, Pastel on paper, 8" x 10", 1993, Property
of the Austin-Duval Family, Comparable at $500
Tom sought to provide the finest example of pastel for the Austin Family.
Jude was one year old and Tom would visit every week snapping a few shots
every week until he had captured Jude's look. Then he set out to render
the boy with as few a strokes as possible.
Impression Seaport, Oil on canvas, 40" x 30",August 6th, 1993,
Property of the artist, Valued at $3,500
Impressionist Delta Queen, Oil on canvas, 40" x 30"August 8th,
1993, Property of the artists, Valued at $3,500
Drove to NYC, August 21, 1993.
Moved into 3477 Morrison Place, Cincinnati, October 14th, 1993.
South Street Seaport, Oil on canvas, 40"X 30", Fall, 1993, Property
of Dr. & Dr. Lohre Gabel, Comparable at $40,000
Appreciating the painting of the South Street Seaport Museum is a rewarding
experience. On glance and the viewer knows he is looking at something
that will last forever. For eighteen months the artist, Tom Lohre worked
on learning about the scene.
The painting shows the nebulous of the original South Street Seaport Museum
site. The schooner "Pioneer" in the foreground is the museum's
flagship. One hundred and eight years ago, she was the finest vessel available
for collecting foundry sand and had only one mast. She now takes passengers
for tours. For 225 hours Tom volunteered on the "Pioneer" to
learn about what he would later paint. The ship in the background is the
"Regis Maris," of Greenport, New York. Her rigging was the predecessor
to the single masted "Pioneer." The two masts of the current
"Pioneer" were installed later because it makes her easier to
handle, although slower in travel.
The seaport painting shows the way the port looks today. A variety of
life styles are depicted that bring the viewer into identify with someone
in the crowd. Through the fine painting the viewer is the recipient of
the artist's mastery of the sublime. The collective scene is distinctive
in character and reflects emotions and feelings in each of us that are
timeless and universal.
Contrasts and paradoxes are common to the waterfront. The combination
of the modern buildings with the ancient ships illustrates the new with
the old. The viewer takes in the various vignettes from people walking
down Fulton Street in Brooklyn to cars traveling across the East River.
The appreciator wanders with his eyes through the crowd on the dock looking
for someone because the people are painted so lifelike. Naturally, experiencing
the seaport museum firsthand aids in making the painting more enjoyable.
The ultimate trip would be to travel aboard the "Pioneer" seeing
New York Harbor with full sail up, a stiff wind blowing and the sun setting
the buildings aglow.
The paintings shows the educational value of the museum. The Brooklyn
Bridge, the first bridge in New York Harbor, plays well against the ancient
sailing ships now turned into educational classrooms for the harbor masters
of the future. The people waiting on the dock and those on board are shown
what it is like to be part of sea life. Each aspect of the scene is pivotal
in its ability to show the new with the old, the master with the student.
No stone has been left unturned in completing this painting. It has a
intrinsic value because of its finely assembled manner. It is a wonder
of art. It vibrates, radiates and celebrates that inate sense of esthetic
perception. The painting is a monument to the spiritualism of the sea.
What makes such a painting? When the soul of the viewer and the creator
have been touched, a larger happening has occurred. The painting brings
out all the times in a person's life that are exciting. The painting began
with Tom Lohre searching for all forms of the things around us to meld
into one scene. Moment by moment he learned in slow motion the proper
direction of the canvas.
Mr. Crawford, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", September 18th, 1993,
Valued at $1000, Property of the Behringer Crawford Museum
Delta Queen, Watercolor on paper, 10" x 8", November 7th, 1993,
Valued at $300, Sold to Mary Fultz
In Kinston NC, November 29th, 1993
Chris Demarkopolus & Grandson, Oil on canvas, 5" x 7",
December 1st, 1993, Property of Chris Demarkpolus, Valued at $750
Sold print to David Stolberg, December 6th, 1993.
In Lexington, Kentucky, December 10th, 1993
1993 Gross income 11,994; Net Profit $5,130
Ed Hicks as Van Gogh March 94 Gradis 16X20
La Z Boy Shop, Oil on canvas, 36" x 24", April 9th, 1994, Valued
at $2,400, Commissioned by Sompop Thummakitpanith for $250
Painted during Tom's honeymoon in Alaska
Inland Passage One, Alaska, Oil on canvas, 40" x 30", Spring
94, Property of the artists, Valued at $900
Inland Passage Two, Alaska, 40" x 30", Spring 94, Property of
the artists, Valued at $900
Mendenhal Glacier, Alaska, 40" x 30", Spring 94, Property of
the artists, Valued at $900
Ketchikan, Alaska, 40" x 30", Spring 94, Property of the artists,
Valued at $900
Mount Denali, Alaska, Oil on canvas, 40" x 30", Spring 94, Property
of the artist, Valued at $900
Painted at the threshold of the Denali State Park. You can drive into
the park only so far and at that part Tom left his car and hiked up the
side of a small mountain about 1500 feet and spent the day painting in
a strong wind that got worst. The bugs would land on him constantly and
he spent the most part of painting slapping his face with his hat. Later
in the day he realized that a bear could have come out of nowhere because
of all the food he had left laying about. His only company was a large
colony of ground squirrels which are a major source of food for the bears!
Just as he came down the mountain it started to rain. He spent several
days recuperating from the hike!
Fountain Square I , Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", Spring 1994, $900
with frame, Property of the artist
Painted during the first "Art on the Square" festival in downtown
Cincinnati. Tom set up several days before to complete a few canvases
before the festival. He was working in a open air space on the second
story above a parking lot. He could not see the Fountain from where he
was but since he had painted many fountain scenes in the past he did not
have to see it. The manner of his work was heavy impressionism and that
meant more interpretation than reality. Even the buildings were changed
into stripes in the clouds. Tom's direction was to create a bouquet of
colors like a flower arrangement using the fountain as a takeoff.
Fountain Square I , oil on canvas, 20" x 24", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $900
Fountain Square II, oil on canvas, 20" x 24", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $900
Fountain Square III, oil on canvas, 20" x 24", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $900
Mt Adams, oil on canvas, 20" x 24", 1994, Property of the artist,
Valued at $900
Nantucket Fountain
The River, Watercolor on paper, 10" x 8", Spring 1994, Valued
at $150, Property of Chuck Lohre
Dr. Fredrick and Family, Watercolor on paper, 10" x 8", Winter
1995, Property of Dr. Fredrickn, Valued at $300
Painted as a retirment gift for Dr. Fredrick. Tom used a boxful of snapshots
from the family to assemble them into a fake scene of Dr. fredrick in
his waiting room with all his family in the room. Of course there are
a few people there who were not relatives. Tom also included his wife
and the Doctor himself as a patient.
James Dean, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,
3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued at $150
Young Edward Albee, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $50
Bob Dylan, Watercolor on painted Wild Turkey Whiskey bottle with the top
cut off, 2.5" x 2.5" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist,
Valued at $150
Thomas Paine, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,
3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued at $150
Walt Whitman, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", 1994, Property of
the artist, Valued at $50
Henry James, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", 1994, Property of
the artist, Valued at $50
Maxwell Bodenheim, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top
cut off, 3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued
at $150
John Wallowitch, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $50
Tiny Tim, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,
3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued at $150
Edna St.Vincent Millay, Watercolor on paper, 8" x 10", 1994,
Property of the artist, Valued at $150
Eleanor Roosevelt, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top
cut off, 3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued
at $150
Sam Shepard, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut off,
3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued at $150
Alan Ginsberg, Watercolor on paper, 8" x 10", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $150
Black Marsha, Watercolor on paper, 8" x 10", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $150
Crystal Field, Watercolor on painted wine label with the top cut off,
3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued at $50
George Bartenieff , Watercolor on painted wine label with the top cut
off, 3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued
at $50
Sylvia Miles , Watercolor on paper, 8" x 10", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $150
Sylvia Miles , Watercolor on paper, 8" x 10", 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $150
Steve McQueen, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut
off, 3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued
at $150
Edward Albee, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", 1994, Property of
the artist, Valued at $50
Edward Albee, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", 1994, Property of
the artist, Valued at $50
Edward Albee, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", 1994, Property of
the artist, Valued at $50
Jimmy Hendrix, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut
off, 3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued
at $150
Jessica Lange, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut
off, 3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued
at $150
Mattheu Bodine, Watercolor on painted 40oz beer label with the top cut
off, 3" x 3" x 6", 1994, Property of the artist, Valued
at $150
"Greenwich
Village Guidebook" published, Saint Martin's Press, May 4th,1994,
Illustrator
Thomas G. Lohre Jr., 1953-
3477 Morrison Place; Cincinnati, Ohio 45220
513-861-4146
Artwork from 1987-1994 included in the four person show at KZF Gallery;
The Grand Baldwin Building; Seventh Floor 655 Eden Park Drive; Cincinnati.)
Ohio 4520'@' 513-621-6211
August 11th through November 1994
Works displayed by the artist
Observatory
Covington Tower #1
Main Strauss Fountain #1.
Sloppy Joe's
Fancy Groceries
Delta Queen, 10" x 8"
In May of.1995 a pocket tour book of Greenwich Village will be published
and include many of my "en plein air," paintings of the West
Village. Ever since 1976 I have maintained a small studio in the
Village. The book will commemorate the 200th year after the dedication
of the Washington Square Arch.
"Nantucket
Main Street" was done during my second season of main street painting.
I really used the street to learn. I discovered that the tunnel
image created by a main street supplied the visual stimulus needed for
a successful work. In the beginning I was selling what I painted
for low prices and slowly learning on the job. Up to that point
I was painting studio oils and found that I couldn't go through enough
ideas fast enough to learn nor sell them for enough to justify my time.
By using a four-color palette I was able to focus full attention on basic
color. I had the four tubes screwed into the palette and would just
squeeze out what I needed. I used three tubes colors that approximated
process colors and white for my palette. Later I learned that at
least the- basic colors: alizarin crimson bright red.) Winsor yellow7
Windsor blue-P ultramarine blue & Winsor violet in the Winsor
Newton line of colors were needed to mix a palette. I look forward
to using chemically mixed color whenever possible and avoid mixing color
on the canvas.
The "Inside Passage" was done as an experiment in placing various
local items on top of a landscape. Looking closely you
"Pacific
Club" was painted recently on location. After completing the
work I decided a smooth canvas surface and use of transparent color better
depict reality. I want to return to painting on silver surface.
The mirror quality of the material reflects light much the same
way reality does. The radical nature of this material may supply
some public resistance.
I've finally realized that painting is like writing the great American
novel. Everything has been done before; the success is in retelling
it in a personnel way. My new work will include all aspects of painting:
transparency full color range, determined light and dark & human
involvement.
The large seaport painting is my attempt to duplicate the great masters
in seascapes. A gracious client paid me the agreed price7.then.
Allowed me years to complete this work. I have a policy of giving
the client much more than they paid for so I can use their commission
to improve my talent.
Paintings are so expensive because the artist has one chance to sell his
originals. If he sells a work in ten years for top dollar he has
made a good investment. If he sells them early for a low price he
has made a bad investment.
I do not have one of my fine portraits in this show. I cut my teeth
on portraits and in the interim completed quite a few exceptional ones.
The works in this show illustrate my direction towards a wider repertoire.
Pacific Club, Oil on canvas, 20"X 16", Summer 1994, Property
of the artist, $1,200
On a return visit to Nantucket Tom returned to his "en plien air"
style of painting. He had sold all the previous paintings of the Pacific
House and used his time to replicate the canvas. For two Summers Tom worked
on Main Street in Nantucket. He had staked out four views of Nantuckets
famous fountain and painted the same four views all Summer. He would work
on one then go to another view and in four or five days be painting the
same scene again. He did this to learn. He had started his career as a
portrait painter and used these days outside to study landscape color
and compostion. The popularity of the scene allowed him to sell them for
a paultry amount, enough to buy more paints, frames and canvases.
Zero Main Street, Nantucket, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", Summer
1994, Property of the artist, Valued at $1,200
Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", Summer
1994, Property of the artist, Valued at $1,200
Show of art at the KZF Gallery, August 11th to November 1994, Cincinnati,
Ohio
This show started from meeting Daniel Brown, a art critic, who was curator
of the gallery.
Charleston Harbor, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 1994, Property
of Dr. Shane Gainey, Comparable at $2,400
Carolina Piedmont , Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", Fall 1994, Property
of the artist, Valued at $1,200
Painting while on a field trip from a hotel window. Tom wanted to put
a power tower in the middle like he had done in so many previous paintings
but his wife talked him out of it.
Winslow Homer Copy, 22" x 19", 1994, Property of the artist,
$900, Additional copy owned by Bill Toby
Painted as a exercise in learning watercolor. His friend showed Tom a
print he wanted to get framed and Tom suggested that he have it copied.
Tom always wanted to get into watercolor but needed just such a commission
to get started. Copying the masters is the best way to learn.
Mr. Newton, Charcoal on paper, 8X10, February 1995, Property of the Newton
Family; Comparable at $100
In this work Tim was interested in supplying his clients with a top notch
work but in the format that was as simple as could be. But he still looks
forward to working in a technique that his father would always say when
Tom complained about not having some tool for his artwork. His Dad would
say," You can do a masterpiece with a stick in the mud. Well, Tom
still looks forward to doing just that.
Savanna Home, 20" x 16", February 1995, Property of Louise
Painted as a commission for. Tom painted this and another similar watercolor
at the same time.
Bahamas House, 20" x 16", March 3rd, 1995, Property of Irene
Moore, Valued at $900
Painted as a birthday gift to Irene. It shows Irene's favorite home in
Hopetown Bahamas. Tom had painted several watercolors of the home while
in Hopetown and in the studio but none a detailed as this gift. The watercolor
technique took several years to master. Tom learned from English watercolor
artists who painted in a refined form before the advent of quick expressive
brush strokes. Turner, a master English watercolorist, started in this
manner and later developed the fast and impressionistic manner we now
associate with watercolor. Winslow Homer represents this latter manner.
Greenwich Village Guide Book, by Saint Martins Press, Released May 5th,
1995
Released on the 150th anniversary of the Village Arch in Washington Square.
27 celebrity watercolors and local oil paintings by Tom are in this book.
The guidebook is a work of love by Village writers Bob Heide and John
Gilman, explaining and revealing their Village.
Surf Fishing, Oil on canvas, 20"X 16", Fall 1995, Property of
the Artist; Valued at $2,400
This time while in Nantucket, Tom wanted to spend as much time as was
needed to paint a fine canvas. He had learned that doing a painting in
one day sometimes prevented the best possible result. He spent ten days
working on the canvas. He always enjoyed a picture of the ancient skill
of surf fishing in a book called "Men's Lives." He used several
men that would hang around the shell fish shack. During the Winter, the
station would play a important role towards saving lost schallopers. As
they went out in the morning and spent the whole day out in the very cold
waters, the station manager would keep track of their return. If someone
was late he would send someone out to find them. Many times the motor
on the boats would drown out the happenings around them and if someone
was in trouble a fisherman would not realize the dangerous happenings
around him. It was the station manger that would keep a lookout!
Potbelly Stove Restaurant, New York, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12",
October 22-25 1995, Property of the Peeples Family, Valued at $900
Painted from life just down the street from Tom's apartment. The Potbelly
Stove Restaurant has been in Greenwich Village for many years. It once
was in the shops just this way of the present restaurant. It just goes
to show how you can put up stakes and move the whole restaurant somewhere
else or just next door.
The menu is one of the longest in the city. They have over fifty items
for lunch and dinner. 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, a more reasonable price.
Tom changed the two people's faces in the painting to the couple that
bought it.
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.
Li Lac Chocolate, Oil on canvas, 12" x 16", Fall 1995, Property
of the artist, Valued at $750
Tom started this painting because it culminated his idea of a quaint city
street. The chocolate shop is a familiar favorite in his neighborhood
and working outside it for several days allowed him to get to know the
servants of the surrounding shops and their manners. The wind was especially
calm here whereas up the street it would be howling.
Christopher St. Looking East, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Fall
1995, Property of the artist, Valued at $750
This view shows the artists home. The large red building on the left,
built in 1876, was his residence for twenty years while he lived in New
York City. His apartment was in the rear on the second floor. # 2 was
a what was called a railroad car apartment because it was ten feet wide
and 36 feet long with a kitchen and entrance in the center and bedroom
in back and sitting room in the rear next to the windows along with the
toilet. In the old days there was not toilet, just water and gas lights.
Originally the building was built for workers from Italy. The view in
the painting shows the local people. A man on a motored wheelchair, a
girl with seeing eye dog and the ever common UPS truck and city bus.
Christopher St. looking West, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Fall
1995, Property of the artist, Valued at $750
Painted once an opportunity availed itself of a fine day. The dark left
hand side of the painting was just the scene that Tom wanted to combine
with the opposite light side of the painting. With both lights on the
same canvas it assured the viewer of excitement. A photograph does not
do it justice because the camera does not know what to image. On the right
is a long time friend of the artist, Eric Travers, picking up yet another
pretty girl on the street corner. To the left down on the lower left is
the light of the Pot Belly Stove Restaurant. You can see a tugboat way
off in the distance, on the Hudson River.
Saint Xavier, Charcoal on paper, 8" x 10", 1995, Property of
the artist, Valued at $150
Bok Tower, Oil on canvas, 20"X 16", Winter 1995, Property of
the Eubank Family; Comparable at $1,200
Painted during travels to the South. Tom was looking for a scene to paint
between stops. He used his old "en plein air" manner and worked
hard at putting everything he had in it and not to compromise on the time
span. To accomplish this, Tom finished the canvas from photos taken in
the field.
Ireland, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", December 1995, Property of
Maureen & Fred Keeley, Valued at $750
Painted as a gift to Fred from Maureen for Christmas. They had traveled
to Ireland and this was Fred favorite spot. While painting from the various
photos I discovered that the piles in the foreground were wood and peat.
The home seemed open in some places almost like the people lived with
the animals. There were several boats in the harbor as if the men fished
quite a bit or at least they used them for transportation. The hills were
framed with stone walls much as if the stones were removed from the rocky
soil and place where they could do no harm to the sparse vegetation.
Margarete Hinzman, Oil on canvas, 16 x 20, December 25th, 1995, Property
of the Hinzman Family; Comparable at $1000
Georette the Dog, Watercolor on paper, 7 x 5, December 1995, Property
of the Georette Family; Comparable at $150
Li Lac Chocolate II, Oil on canvas, 12" x 16", Febuary1996,
Property Martha Gold, Valued at $750
Village Delight, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", Spring 96, Property
of the artist, Valued at $900
Painted on the street while Tom was having a show in the deli just to
the left of the canvas. He learned a lot more about his neighborhood.
The old man in the African chair is a steady fixture during warm days.
One store owner found out that his salesman was stealing money to pay
for his AIDS treatment. Just to the left out of the picture is a 5-minute
massage place.
The River, 16"X20", Oil on canvas, Spring 1996, $2,400 comparable,
Property of the Linda Brown, Framed print 24" x 20" for $200
The twenty by sixteen inch canvas was painted from the banks of the Ohio
just South of the Suspension Bridges' Kentucky pier. Tom worked during
the day and night from the shore, fleshing in the beginnings of the canvas.
Later in the studio he realized the work. The undertaking is exceptional
for its high quality of detail done in traditional style.
There is quite a bit of "Tall Stack" activity in the painting.
In mid stream the Delta Queen is well underway, going up river. The stadium
is wholly lit with a baseball game in progress. All along the Kentucky
side of the river from just below the bridge pier to the Licking river
are stern wheelers tied up to shore. In the foreground is the "Donald
B", a authentic stern wheeler tow boat. Closer to the viewer just
off the shore is a river man in a john boat. On shore is the artist at
a camp fire.
Tom spend several nights on the river at night sketching in the scene.
Later he reaffirmed his composition decision and worked over top of the
preliminary oil sketch. This was a work where the beginning oil sketch
was in many ways superior to the final detailed work. But Tom decided
to paint over the initial oil sketch because he had cow towed to artisans
without money and now he was producing a simple work for a deliberate
client.
A long time client Ms. Linda Brown commissioned this work. It was her
husband that actually commissioned it for her Valentines day gift. Ms.
Brown already had one painting of the suspension bridge, during the day,
done by Tom Lohre and Ms. Brown wanted a night scene with the lights on
the bridge! Well Tom, took the opportunity of Cincinnati's 1995 "Tall
Stacks" Celebration to complete her wish. The first bridge painting
took place on the banks of the Ohio during the day. Painting with the
homeless people living right under the pier of the bridge. Now this painting
had to be done in the studio. Tom did not have a painting of the Cinergy
stadium and decided to included it into the already crowded composition.
Back in the studio, Tom finely rendered the many aspects of the scene.
He starts with the background and works forward. As in all of Tom's work,
he paints like he is building each object with paint. The stadium supports
have all the strength to hold up the stands and the lights illuminate
the interior area. The bridge piers are strongly laid up to hold the cables.
The iron girders are carefully fitted together to hold the roadway. The
stern wheeler in the foreground is assembled in the same way it was in
the shipyard. All the constituents are formed as though the maker himself
was involved.
Tom grew up in Northern Kentucky. His first job was working on the "Mike
Fink," a floating restaurant moored just down river from the Licking
River. His job was to wash the decks and maintain the outside of the marina.
Spending time on the river as a young man had a indelible impression on
Tom. Legendary river man, Capt. Beatty owned the restaurants Mike Fink
and Captain Hook plus a large menagerie of various cranes and work boats
for river salvage jobs. The stern wheeler in the foreground of the painting
represents the tow boats on the river that Tom worked on. He fondly remembers
his boss, a large black man named Henry, whose parents were slaves. Henry
worked most of his life for Capt. Beatty. Another one of Tom's bosses
was Duey of Newport.
His sister owned the riverboat restaurant right up the river from the
"Fink." He would scoot about in a oak yawl taking care of the
various jobs and lines needing attention. While Beatty's Navy, the collection
of salvage equipment, was laid up he would take care of maintaining them.
Tom would sometimes travel with him in the yawl like the one in the foreground
of the painting.
Morrison Place, 16"X12", Oil on canvas, Spring 1996, Valued
at $750, Property of Moira Rafferty and Rob Bass
Rob and Moira were moving and wanted a painting for memories of their
stay in Cincinnati. Tom suggested a panoramic view of the street with
them walking their dog. Tom wanted to paint in the light sky and dark
land manner he developed in 1992 and executed in the Covington Landing
painting. In this canvas he lighten up the foreground just enough to make
a exciting composition. The painting reminded the owners of a Peter Breughel,
a Flemish painter of peasants. It solves the clients interest and gives
the "pass by viewer" a lot to latch onto. Tom knows the painting
combines a gray mood with a normal street scene giving the viewer a rewarding
meaningful experience. Tom's wife liked it so much she did not want to
give it up!
Theo Austin, Pastel on paper, 8"x 10", June 96, $500, Austin
Family
Painted as a companion piece for their first child, Jude. He worked with
a different palette than Jude because Theo's coloring was from his Father.
This time Tom mixed his own pastels. This was a big first. The last time
he mixed pastels was for a jewelry dealer than wanted him to copy a Boudin.
This will be the procedure in the future for all pastels. Tom feels that
the less manipulation on the surface the more appealing the result.
Trixie Delight's Immortalizing Mural, 4- 7' x 7', Oil on canvas, August
19th, 1996, Property of Linda Brown, Valued at $10,000 each,
Normally, a strip bar patron seeks anonymity! At Trixie Delight's, a Newport,
Kentucky strip bar the patrons are beautifully painted on murals in the
windows of the bar! The owner, Linda Brown, retired Las Vegas striptease
hall of fame, requested her family portrait to be one of the murals, because
initially patrons were cautious to be publicly illustrated. That was before
the project started getting a lot of publicity. Now Trixie Delight's patrons
are standing in line to be part of the immortalizing project. Even one
patron being painted said he wants his ex wife to drive by everyday and
see his portrait because she never liked him to go to the strip bar.
It all started with Ms. Brown wanting to repaint the front of her bar
and the City of Newport, Kentucky suggesting that the club be restored
it to its original storefront. As part of its main street restoration,
the city awarded the bar a five thousand dollar grant to help with costs.
City manager Jim Parsons said that while the city may not condone Trixie
Delight's adult entertainment, it wouldn't be right to exclude the bar
from the Monmouth Street's refurbishing program. Since the original bar
had plate glass windows all around Ms. Brown needed an idea to cover the
windows. That's when the Kentucky State historical coordinator suggested
murals be painted to placed in the window frames.
Ms. Brown, an established art patron, had previously commissioned fine
portrait artist Tom Lohre to paint her individual family member portraits.
She again commissioned Mr. Lohre, to design and execute this project.
He naturally jumped at the chance and decided a straight forward approach
with a simple background and patron portraits as the best tack to take.
When he talks about the mural project people think he is painting the
murals right in the dancers' dressing room. Of course he doesn't let on
that he is creating the masterpiece in his Cincinnati, Ohio studio.
The murals are four canvas panels, seven by seven feet. Each of the panels
are painted with red curtains, valence and lower curtains along with an
embossed ceiling, and two cafe lights on either side mounted on wood paneling.
Behind the foreground are patrons and local citizens. There are no ladies
in the murals except Ms. Brown behind the bar toasting with friends and
family. With one exception, there will be one dancer on stage in the distance
with two feather fans exposing her feet and head in the main panel. Mr.
Lohre steered away from depicting the dancers because Trixie Delight's
real life dancers are center stage.
The new marquee above the entrance will have pressed metal edging in a
octagon shape with small light bulbs around the outside. The front door
will be well carved. The overall effect will be that of Green's, a old
time bar that used to be in the same space.
The opening went off without a hitch after Tom spent about two twelve
hour days installing the murals! There was a great crowd and most of the
people in the murals showed up. You will have to drive by and see the
finished facade! As you might imagine a few girls got on stage during
the opening much to the interest of the art going public! The opening
proceeded to 8:30 pm then promptly turned into the old club with the bartender
gently suggesting to the hangers-on that the opening was over and they
had better leave!
Trixie Delight's address is 846 Monmouth Street; Newport, KY 41071
Articles written about the murals:
Bob Driehaus, "Helping Trixie's Facelift", Kentucky Post, June
6th, 1996
Queensboro Bridge, 16" x 12", Oil on canvas, Summer 1996, $750
comparable, Property of the Britta Gomez, Framed print 16"X20"
for $175
Painted in the studio after much research on location and in the New York
Public Library. Ms. Gomez commissioned the painting to remind her of her
New York City when she returned home to El Salvador. Working for the United
Nations has allowed her to travel all over the world but she keeps on
coming back to New York City to the United Nations Headquarters.
She lives in Queens and takes the subway everyday. Along the way she sees
the Queensboro bridge and the United Nations building. It was this scene
that she wanted to capture. Tom took her lead and went to the New York
Public Library to research Queensboro Bridge scenes from their picture
file. It was here that he discovered that there was a large park just
North of the Bridge on the Queens side. Tom went to that park and studied
the multiplicity of views there.
Back
in the studio Tom worked on the composition. He had to include Manhattan
from the United Nations building to the tramway of Roosevelt Island. After
various changes he settled on this angle.
Mr. & Mrs. Niehaus, Watercolor on paper, 8" x 10" each,
Property of Mrs. Niehaus, valued at $150 each
Painted as a gift for Mrs. Niehaus sons. Once the artwork was done Tom
took pictures of the portraits and print and framed them in pairs for
her four sons. Mr. Niehaus is no longer with us and Tom used a photograph
for him and Mrs. Niehaus posed for a photo to match his and Tom finished
the work with life sittings.
Three Painted Bottle Labels In A Box, 13"X 8", Summer 96, Property of the Artist, Valued at $750
Painting on bottle labels started in 1992 in New York. Tom was looking
for a inexpensive way to experiment with a watercolor technique he was
developing and then have a way to make them a stand alone. A vase was
made by cutting the top off. In the beginning he painted erotic figures.
Now he paints figures from the news. Of these three bottle labels two
are performers on TV and the other is Loriana Bobbit. On the reverse of
Loriana is John Wayne. The box format provides closure for the form gives
the bottles a way to be hung on the wall.
Irving Berlin's Home, 10" x 8", Oil on canvas, Fall 1996, Property
of the artist, Valued at $2,400
Painted on the street while Tom's wife, Irene was hacking out important
positions for the American Geriatric Society in NYC. Tom staked out a
place off Beekman Place and painted Irving Berlin's old home. It is now
the Duchy of Luxembourg. While painting, a proverbial who's who of America
walked by. Mrs. Faulkner, painter of the flower love stamp; a famous architect,
who was escorted by the most beautiful of young ladies, he told the story
that Irving was a painter but not a very good one; a Mrs. Barnes who wanted
to see the final work; Dan Korman, who coincidentally was the main street
coordinator for my Trixie Delight's murals and who now has a job working
for the Carnegie Hill Restoration Committee, John Wallowitch, and many
others, who dropped by all day watching the progress.
Probably the most curious was the doorman of 12 Beekman. Irving gave him
a painting. After his death it was his job to clean out the home. Mrs.
Berlin never threw anything away so early every morning he would clean
out the home and a private hauler would meet him to take the stuff away.
He said his wife would not let him keep all the stuff. After awhile the
neighborhood got wind of him throwing things out every morning. He would
place things into the dumpster and they would remove them until the home
was empty!
John Beatty, 18" x 20", Pencil on paper, Fall 96, Valued at
$175, Property of Betty Payne
This is the sketch for a full size oil painting of the legendary river
man, John Beatty. The two boys are Tom and his identical twin brother.
The woman is Mrs. Beatty. Tom wants to remember John Beatty's interest
in teaching young people about the river. He was known for the time he
took to explain complicated mechanical systems to his novice river men
that worked for him on some of the most fascinating salvage jobs on the
inland waterways.
Tom's first job was working for Captain Beatty on his floating restaurant,
"Mike Fink's." He washed the deck, took out the trash and painted.
His immediate boss was Henry Williams, a old black man whose parents were
slaves. Eventually Tom went on to work on Captain Beatty's salvage rig
raising sunken barges and such. Captain Beatty died several years ago
and since then Tom has been interested in painting his portrait and doing
illustrations of his time spent on the salvage rig to stimulate interest
in river lore.
Hockey Helmut, Oil on helmet, Fall 1996, Valued at $175, Property of the
Norris Family
Painted on location for a very attentive mother. Not a lot of boys have
such a goalie helmet with a attacking red tail hawk hand painted on it.
It makes for a very intimating look! Mrs. Norris supplied several pictures
of a red tail hawk and Tom just arrived with his paints and went to work
around the various holes and curves of the helmet. Master Norris had taken
off the various clasps and guards to make painting it easier. Afterwards
the helmet was given several coats of lacquer at a auto body shop.
Jesus, Mary & Joseph, For Covington Catholic High School, Oil
on canvas, 30"X 40", Winter 96, Property of the Class of 1971,
Comparable at $5000 with frame
Dr. Leon Boothe, 36" x 24", Fall 1996, Valued at $2,400, Property
of Dr. Leon Boothe
Painted in the studio during a span of ten years. Tom is a graduate of
Northern Kentucky University and wanted to paint the presidents. He started
Dr. Boothe ten years ago but decided to put it on the back burner when
he was not satisfied with the beginning and it looked like Dr. Boothe
would be president for quite a long time. Finally ten years later Dr.
Boothe left the position and the painting was completed. The face stayed
the same while the background was changed to included the campus. The
clothes were the last thing to be done. The result is a painting that
spans three different styles.
The Story of Tom & Irene's Trip to Asia, November 18th to December
7th, 1996
Our three week Asian trip started with Hong Kong and then Japan. In Hong
Kong the mountains are steep and there is not much flat land before the
water. The Hong Kongese live in the mountains on winding roads with steep
cliffs. In China red soil abounds with farming taking up every inch. China
is moved by people and Hong Kong by machines. The ability of the Hong
Kong to finance improvements is basic to the difference. China does not
finance and wants Hong Kong returned with no debt! President Clinton
told the head of China that the environment is the biggest problem for
them. You can realize why he said that after experiencing the pollution
in China and Hong Kong. I hear that it is much worst in Bangkok. It would
seem that pollution does not have to be a aspect of advancement. China
uses a lot of foam food cartons. They litter the shores and waterways.
After we got our Asian legs we spent several days with Irene's roommate
from college. They treated us with exceptional hospitality and went way
out of their way to accommodate us. Emiko and Kato live in the country
on the Eastern peninsula of Tokyo Bay. Their home was most charming and
a first class way for us to be introduced to Japanese living. We spent
our time sight seeing and eating the most extraordinary foods. We sadly
missed Emiko and Kato after they dropped us off at my friends home in
Tokyo. The rental car even had a gps driven map. It showed where you were
and what turns to take to your destination. It spoke in a female voice!
In Japan they place such high taxes on vehicles yearly that most are only
a few years old. After a day in Tokyo we took the bullet train to
Kobe to visited Irene's American friends, Katheleen & Stu. They
are in Kobe because Proctor & Gamble's international headquarters
is there. They live in a spacious high rise with four bedrooms and four
baths. On the tenth floor you can see the fantastic harbor with the most
modern facilities. The day before Thanksgiving we had dinner at a special
Kobe beef restaurant. On Thanksgiving we visited Himeji Castle. I painted
a small canvas and later met Irene and Katheleen at home. Thanksgiving
dinner was the finest seasoned tofu!
Upon leaving Kobe we stayed two nights at a Japanese style inn located
on the grounds of the Mishima fertility shrine in Kyoto. The fertility
ceremony was preformed by the shrine's monk who also was the inn keeper.
Irene is not suppose to eat eel for two weeks! As it turns out the Mishima
Shrine is also the same shrine for eel farmers. Eel tastes a lot like
catfish. It is a fresh water fish that goes out to sea and returns much
like salmon! The shrine is quite hidden and it took us a full three hours
to find it. Of course the big draw back was the language and in the end
I had to match line for line the symbols of the Japanese language to find
the street! We focused on learning Japanese. Cantonese is tonal and difficult
to learn. In Kyoto we hooked up with my friend Yuso. I had painted his
portrait in NYC ten years ago! We quickly traveled to many shrines under
his prefect tutelage. Golden Pagoda, Zen rock garden and Geisha girls
all came our way and enthralled us. The weather was prefect Fall and the
colors could only be topped by the Spring cherry blossoms. Japan is homogeneous
in terrain and people from top to bottom. Only the crops vary according
to weather and latitude. There are persimmon trees in Tokyo. Tea and oranges
grow just a little South of Tokyo. Once back in Tokyo we had two days
left on our rail pass and took two day trips. One to a small city just
a hour South and another to a city on the Sea of Japan. To get to the
later we took the bullet train right through the Japanese alps. Twenty
minutes in a tunnel going 120 miles per hour is quite a experience! In
the North they tie up the pine trees and bushes so the snow does not distort
the fine work of the prunes. Pruning and landscaping is rampant in Japan.
If I did some of the things to the trees here that they do there I would
be arrested! We ate a lot of noodles. Always a bowl of noodles with a
main dish of rice and fish. They make the noodles by stretching the dough
until it is as thin as possible. The water makes them expand to about
one eighth inch in diameter. The tempura was exceptional. We dined as
quests at the best tempura restaurant in Tokyo. Irene's Japanese roommate
from UNC husbands uncle treated us. He was a pilot in WW II. His first
mission was August 17th, 1945. On the way to bomb the American base at
Siapan he was called back because the Japanese had surrendered! He would
have surly died. Those missions were kamikaze, without enough fuel to
return. I bought Japanese WW II boots. More like cloth high top socks
with a thin rubber sole. The toes and big toe separated so they could
slip into sandals. The old workmen wear them with breeches. Irene and
I visited the incendiary bombing display at the Edo Museum. 200,000 people
died in the fires of Tokyo, more than the atomic bombs dropped. Japanese
housing is wood frame with mud walls making fire a big problem. Many of
the Shrines and Temples are destroyed by fire. The volcanic mountains
have eroded to create vast flatlands that in circle the mountains. People
do not live in the mountains leaving them to live surrounded by rice patties
and vegetable plots. Fishermen work the hundreds of canals caused by the
drainage from the mountains. Japan is a country of endless canals. The
big part of Japan's people is their homogeneous wealth. All except the
illusive poor and corporate heads are just about in the same income bracket.
There is insulation from foreign competition. When the Japanese change
they change from the top down and all at once. If the government decided
that it was ok to eat foreign rice then the next day all of the Japanese
would eat foreign rice! Rice, telephone service and banking are all uniquely
Japanese. To obtain a new telephone line is a very expensive and lengthy
process so most of the young people have mobile phones! Not embarrassing
others is a big part of the Japanese way. Making inroads into their market
is just as easy as finding a way for a win win situation! Our most
gracious host Yuso in Tokyo has three tips for his countrymen who go to
America. (1) Do not slurp your soup if it has no noodles. The Japanese
hold their noodle soup up to their mouth and slurp, shoveling the noodles
in with their chop sticks. (2) Do not say yes when you mean you understand.
The Japanese have the habit of saying "Hite"(Yes) many times
during a conversation meaning that they understand what you are saying,
but in the US that could mean you agree to what is being said. (3) No
smoking in meetings. Smoking cigarettes is a big thing. I believe cigars
will eventually have a huge market there when the Japanese stop smoking
from habit. My Grandmother Higgins spent some time in the Philippines.
Grandfather was a tank commander in the Army and they spent a few years
there. My mother learned to speak the Tigala language, she was three!
She said that when they left the Philippines, by boat, a whale followed
them all the way across the Pacific!
Hong Kong, Oil on canvas, 12" x 16", Fall 1996, Property of
the artist, Valued at $750
Painted on location, Tom was looking for a location that showed the old
with the new. He found that is very hard because most buildings only last
ten years. The building in the foreground is a hospital located just up
the hill from the Governors Mansion. The buildings in the background are
two landmarks of Hong Kong Central: The Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Center
on the left and the Bank of China on the right. Tom painted from the Hong
Kong Zoo, which offered a relatively quite place to work from.
Hong Kong Sketch, Pencil on paper, 8" x 10", Fall 1996, Property
of the artist, Valued at $150
Sketched as a preliminary drawings for the painting. Tom had to sketch
out the composition along the roadway because that afforded the best view.
He could not have painted there because of the smog. Right at the sight,
several roads converged and the pollution was just to much to take all
day. Once the sketch was completed he moved up a cliffside to a small
walkway along the edge of the zoo.
China Farmer, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", Fall 1996, Property of
the artist
Painted in China from the zoo at Guangzhou formally Canton. During painting
in the aviary section of the zoo all kinds of strange sounds came from
out of the bushes. He painted in front of the eagle's cage. The cages
were built to look like archaic housing structures of the past. The center
of the aviary was a field of red flowers attended by gardeners. The painting
became compilation of all the sights he had seen while in China. All during
the day strange sounds came from the bushes, a combination of Chinese
opera and bird sounds.
Hong Kong Harbor, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", Fall 1996, Property
of the artist
Painted during a afternoon in Kowloon, in front of the Art Museum on the
promenade. Hundreds of people walked by that afternoon and most stopped
to see the artist painting. Tom took a photograph of a junk and place
it into the scene of the harbor looking towards Hong Kong Island. On top
of the hill is a Shinto looking structure that is actually a office building
right where the tramway ends at Victoria Peak. The section of town right
in front of the Peak is called Central.
Emiko & Kato's Home, Pencil on paper,12" x 16", Fall
1996, Property of the artist, Valued at $150
Sketched from memory, Tom wanted to capture what he had experienced. With
travel being so hectic he did not had time to spend all day working in
this tranquil country. Irene & Tom's stay in Chiba was the real
Japan. Small traditional homes spread out among the cultivated fields.
Himeji Castle, Japan, 8" x 10", Oil on canvas, Fall 1996, $750
with frame, Property of the artist
Painted in front of the entrance to the castle. Looking quite fragile,
the castle is really a fortress. The small holes in the foreground building
are guns ports. The only vulnerable part is the eaves of the roof which
are wood. On the land just to the right were the homes of the shoguns,
since burned down because of the tender box nature of the Japanese buildings.
The composition is quite Western and the Japanese recognize the western
influence immediately because of the clouds. The painting shows the castle
on the left with its side in the painting. Just to the right is the city
of Himeji and in the right foreground is a flat area of grass. The clouds
in the painting are rolling and variegate the whole sky.
Ancient Japanese Ship, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", Fall 1996,
Property of the artist, Valued at $750
Painted from a window over looking the canals of Tokyo. The ship was taken
from various photographs. At one time the Japanese ruled the seas with
ships like this but after a few Dutch and Portuguese arrived in Japan
with their caravels the emperor restricted the Japanese sailors from traveling
away from Japan for fear of diluting the culture of Japan. In another
way the Japanese started WW II because of their fear that the culture
of Japan would be destroyed because of foreign conquest of Japan.
Breaking the Bank at Monte Carlo, Oil on canvas, 4' x 3', Winter 1997,
Valued at $10,000, Property of Mark Sullivan
This is a painting that Tom started in 1990! A lot of planning went into
the painting and he actually planned too much and put the painting on
the back burner. He started the painting in New York City, spending the
Summer working on various sketches and sending them to Mark Sullivan in
Greenville, South Carolina, for suggestions. Tom had recently spent a
whole year in Greenville working as "artist in residence" for
Beverly Klyce, Dick Foster and Mark Sullivan. Tom had met Beverly and
Mark in New York City where Mark's brother Nelson had lived. Tom had painted
Nelson's portrait many years previous. Later at a art auction of Tom's,
Tom met Beverly and Mark. It was the beginning of a long friendship. In
Greenville, Tom lived in the garage apartment. Beverly did all of the
commissioning and it was only at the end of his stay that Mark commissioned
this painting. The scene did not really take place. Beverly Klyce commissioned
two portraits to be started in Monte Carlo. Later when they arrived back
home, Mark commissioned this painting. Tom spent nine days in Monte Carlo
working on the backgrounds of the portraits before they arrived. He stayed
in a small hotel called Hotel E'toile which means Star Hotel. The hotel
was in a small alley way within walking distance of the casino grounds.
They had a restaurant on the first floor and you could have your daily
meals there. Tom treated his clients to a lunch and they found it to be
one of the best in Europe. The Monte Carlo Grand Prix news reporters would
had been staying at this hotel for twenty years. The whole block was slated
for demolition and it would mean the end of a era in Monte Carlo. In the
painting, Mark and his friends along with the Royal Family of Monaco are
all gathered around a craps table toasting champagne glasses. The painting
takes place in the main room of the grand casino in Monte Carlo. Tom was
not allowed to sketch in the Casino nor take photographs so relied mostly
on postcards for his research material on the casino. He slowly built
up a large collection of photographs of the Royal Family in preparation
to painting them. Tom's mentor, Ralph Wolfe Cowan, works for the Royal
Family. Back in 1981, Tom was living with his master assisting him on
studio duties. The people in the painting are separated into two groups.
On the left are the Royal Family of Monaco. From left to right are: Princess
Stephanie, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert and Prince Rainer. Mark Sullivan's
friends are on the right. From right to left are: Tom Lohre, a New York
lawyer, Beverly Klyce, Mark Sullivan, Dick Foster, Bob Foster and Fancy
below. The inspiration for the painting came from a popular painting by
P.S. Kroyer called, "Three Cheers." It is a impressionist painting
of a group of men and ladies dressed in turn of the century clothes toasting
around a table in a wooded setting with the sunlight poking through the
bushes. Tom wanted to do something similar but did not go with the impressionist
manner but a tight academic manner. The difference between the two can
certainly mean the success or failure of a painting. Tom's decision to
do a smooth surface traditional detailed realistic painting instead of
a loose impressionistic painting meant that the people in the painting
would be more important than the scene. In the end Tom felt that it would
have been better to do the painting as a impressionist piece but then
he would have not been able to take advantage of the opportunity to produce
a superbly detailed classical work.
To paint on the grounds of the Casino, Tom had to get permission. He wrote
a formal letter and submitted it to Society de Mer Bain, (The Bathing
Society) or government of Monte Carlo. It took four days for him to get
permission and Tom used the time to sketch out the various sights. The
two portraits were of Beverly and her girlfriend Caryl. When Marks' party
arrived Tom moved in with them in the Hotel De Paris, where the room cost
two thousand dollars a day! He finished the portraits in Greenville, South
Carolina where he was Beverly's artist in residence for over a year!
Someone did break the bank in Monte Carlo in 1862.
Kershaw Pond (unfinished), Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", March 1997,
Property of the artist, Valued at $300
Vic's Old Home, 7" x 5", Watercolor on paper, Winter 97, $175
comparable, Property of the Stacksteder Collection, Framed print 7"
x 5" for $45 Vic's home burned to the ground in the Summer of
1996. The cause was suspicious and considered a arson hate crime. The
event so moved Tom that he did a watercolor of it as a gift as an attempt
to supply some closure to a very sad and difficult event.
Florida Bench, 7" x 5", Watercolor on paper, Winter 97, valued
at $175, Property of Annie Milburn
Long time patron, Annie Milburn commissioned this logo for the Surfside
Club Memorial Fund stationary. Tom at once thought of having a empty bench
looking out to a Western Florida sunset once he looked at the photos supplied
by Annie. He carefully rendered the scene to provide a proper contrast
so it could be printed in black and white.
Dolly the Beagle, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", Winter 1996,
Property of Annie & Joe Milburn, Valued at $150
This work was done as a Christmas present. Tom did another such portrait
the Christmas before of "Georgette" for Annie & Joe.
When gift giving gets complicated because the recipient has so many things,
a fine work of art about something personnel is a excellent choice. The
manner of the watercolor is one Tom perfected while studying Thomas Rowlandson,
a English seventeenth century artist.
David Little with Monica, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", Spring
1997, Property of David Little, Valued at $150
Painted as a invitation for David's bachelor party. It is done in the
tradition of before and after cartoons of marriage. Where the first version
is with the fiancé helps his spouse to be and in the after he all but
ignores her. In the background is Cincinnati and Mt. Adams. The painting
was done is a simple but elegant manner of applying three shades of color
and three weights of pen to create form.
Showboat below Mt. Adams, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", May 18th,
1997, Property of the artist, Valued at $400
Painted during the annual "Duveneck Art Show" sponsored by the
Northern Kentucky Heritage League, at George Rogers Clark Park at the
foot of Greenup in Covington, Kentucky. The painting is done in an impressionistic
manner with the Ohio River in the foreground and the showboat "Majestic
docked where it usually is, at the foot of Broadway on Cincinnati Landing.
In the background is Cincinnati's most tranquil mount. Mount Adams with
the center piece the church of the Immaculata. The time of day is the
early morning and the city is mostly in dark shadow with the sky light
lemon yellow with it turning blue towards the corners of the painting.
It is a small painting framed with a ornate gold leaf replica of a 1800's
French frame.
Delta Queen Landing in Cincinnati, Oil on canvas, 40" x 30",
June 11th, 1997, Property of the Susan Lohre
This painting is the companion of Tom's earlier, same size work of South
Street Seaport. His sister and her husband commissioned the two of them
six years ago. Tom delivered the first painting in the Spring of 1992
and now is glad to deliver the second. It took so long because of the
massive detail in the work and the resolve not to deliver a inferior work.
It was Tom's intention to rival all other work in these two paintings.
The first work was of the restored seaport in New York City near Wall
Street. It had about thirty people on board the schooner "Pioneer"
and about the same number on the wharf. In this "Delta Queen"
painting there were substantially more people. The paintings shows the
steamboat Delta Queen just finished docking at Cincinnati Landing. To
the left of the Queen is the permanently moored showboat Majestic. In
the distance you can see the traditional river front of Covington, Kentucky
with its famous suspension bridge built by John Robeling and finished
in 1860. Just behind the bridge is the modern office tower and contemporary
Covington Landing. Tom used hundreds of photographs and on site painting
for the painting. He took many photographs of the all three of the "Tall
Stacks" celebrations in Cincinnati, Ohio. During the year, while
the Delta Queen was docked where it is now in the painting, Tom would
be there studying and recording all the details that would be used for
the painting. Tom obtained floor plans of the Delta Queen so he could
reproduce the boat to the point you could recognize any part of the boat.
On shore, Tom used people he knew to populate it. He hired a horse drawn
carriage and had his wife, his brother Steve and his wife Becky pose,
riding in the carriage. The carriage is owned by his high school classmate,
John Meyer. You can read the telephone number on the back of the carriage.
For the mounted horseman Tom used his friend, Chester Salisbury and his
horse Gabriel. On shore from left to right are a little girl Tom saw during
one of the Queen's many arrivals in Cincinnati. His sister Susan, the
owner of the painting and her son, Mikey Gabel. Far behind his sister
are two children along the water's edge. Then there is Doctor Larry Johnson,
Edna Rosenberg, Tom Umfrid and Chuck Jordan. Below Chuck Jordan is a baby
carriage and a small girl. Next in the far background is Ralph Wolf Cowan,
Tom's mentor and teacher of many years. Once again there is Mikey Gabel,
Tom's nephew and his Father, Dr. Michael Gabel. To the right of Dr. Gabel
is a backpacking girl Tom saw at one of the "Tall Stack" celebrations
and next to her is legendary river man, Captain John Beatty. Tom's first
job was working for Captain Beatty as a deckhand on his floating restaurant
the Mike Fink's. Later Tom would work with Captain Beatty during his salvage
operations. Captain Beatty had a tremendous impact on Tom and it is this
impact that has driven him to do this and other Ohio River paintings.
It is Tom's mission to preserve Captain Beatty's memory in a series of
paintings of him and his doings on the river. After Captain Beatty are
two sophisticated women who represent the many clients of Tom's. In the
foreground are two of Tom's cousins and above them is another girl Tom
found in one of his many photographs of the view. Tom, himself comes next
as a large foreground figure and next to him is his identical twin brother,
Chuck. In between them are several of the employees of the Delta Queen
going over the details of the arrival. To finish off the view are a few
of the period dressed characters hired by the Queen for the passengers
and finally some of the crew members tending to the mooring. On the
gang plank are the waiters of the Queen putting on a show for the tourists
in the manner of a Mari Gras Celebration. On the "Showboat Majestic's"
upper deck are two actresses and going to the right of them are the passengers
of the steamboat. On top of it all is the pilot surveying the docking.
Piedmont Park Gazebo I, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", May 8th, 1997,
Property of the artist, Valued at $300
Tom spend a lot of time in Atlanta and got to know the city quite well.
He has painted all over the region and of all the places he likes this
gazebo in Piedmont Park. In the past he did a impressionistic canvas of
it and always wanted to return. He did started two paintings each on different
days. The traffic through that area of the park is quite thick and he
was never without human subjects. Most Atlantians have fond memories of
the gazebo.
The painting shows the gazebo as the focal point and people milling around.
A man fishes to the right and a couple court each other inside the gazebo.
The wind is blowing and moving the water in a sweeping motion towards
the bridge causeway. In the back ground is the public swimming pools and
on the left is a weeping willow with steps that lead up to a children
play ground.
Piedmont Park Gazebo II, 10" x 8", May 9th, 1997, Property of
the artist, Valued at $300
Showboat below Mt. Adams, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", May 18th,
1997, Property of the artist, Valued at $400
Painted during the annual "Duveneck Art Show" sponsored by the
Northern Kentucky Heritage League, at George Rogers Clark Park at the
foot of Greenup in Covington, Kentucky. The painting is done in an impressionistic
manner with the Ohio River in the foreground and the showboat "Majestic
docked where it usually is, at the foot of Broadway on Cincinnati Landing.
In the background is Cincinnati's most tranquil mount. Mount Adams with
the center piece the church of the Immaculata. The time of day is the
early morning and the city is mostly in dark shadow with the sky light
lemon yellow with it turning blue towards the corners of the painting.
It is a small painting framed with a ornate gold leaf replica of a 1800's
French frame.
Jesus Mary & Joseph, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40", May
22nd. 1997, Property of Covington Catholic High School. Valued at $11,000
Tom started this painting with the permission of his graduating class.
He met with the development committee of Covington Catholic with the sketch
he had prepared. After some initial suggestions he presented the final
sketch. The committee suggested that Joseph needed a beard and was supposed
to look about 7 years older than Mary. Photographs had to be taken of
the landscape, which was to show the school, costumes, faces and foreground.
Tom traveled all over the area to complete the research material. He even
drove to the Marianist center in Dayton, Ohio to study the material in
their Mary Library.
For about a month he worked on the canvas. Painting the clothes first
and then the background and finishing with the faces. He waited until
last to paint Mary's face. Tom used his nephew for Jesus and his wife
for Mary. One of the class of 1971's father, who was in the first graduating
class at Covington Catholic in 1929, played the part of Joseph. Tom used
his military photograph for the painting.
This was a traditional portrait for Tom. All the aspects of classical
portrait painting applied to this work. His intention was to replicate
the masters. Religious painting is very set in its ways and to rehash
the past will display things of the present. The result would be considered
a improvement to the present day culture.
By painting people without regard for their resemblance to a individual
allows the artist to just express himself. During the formal portrait
the subject takes the foreground and plays off himself creating a center
effect that must be addressed.
Tom did this painting as a donation to his alma mater. In his line of
work it is difficult to maintain business relations. He finds charity
promotional work of this nature allows him to paint but still not compromise
his position as a preeminent artist.
Evanswood Place, Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", June 15th, 1997,
Property of the artist, Valued at $950
Received denial of grant application from City of Cincinnati, July 1st,
1997
Gentry Warehouse, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", July 17th, 1997,
Property of the artist, Valued at $300
Newport Art & Music Fest, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16",
July 26th, 1997, Property of the artist, Valued at $950
Key Deer, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", August 13th, 1997, Property
of the artist, Valued at $300
Barracuda, Oil on canvas, 16" x 12", August 14th, 1997, Property
of the artist, Valued at $750
Clifton Fest, Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", September 26th, 1997,
Property of the artist, Valued at $950
Ben Lucien Burman, Pencil on paper, 16" x 20", October 14th,
1997, Property of the artist, Valued at $150
The Ben Lucien Burman portrait idea came from a bronze roadside plaque
dedicated to him that is placed near his homestead along the Kentucky
side of the Ohio River down river from the mouth of the Licking river
. Tom used the time he had at the Behringer-Crawford FreshArt event and
to do the sketch while reading his books on the bank of Prisoner's Lake.
The sketch's resemblance to Ben Burman is as good as the sketch needed
to be. He looks forward to submitting this portrait idea to the Cincinnati
Artist Grant Program this coming Spring. He would be painting the portrait
while visiting various classes in the Cincinnati School District. His
intention is to get the children to read Ben Burman's books and teach
them a little about painting. The final painting would hang in the children's
library at the Cincinnati downtown branch.
The portrait shows Ben Burman on the bank of the Ohio nearby where the
plaque stands. He is wearing a suit and holds a notebook in his hand while
the characters of his children's books surround him. In the background
is Mt. Adams, a old steamboat and a modern towboat. Tom looks forward
to getting some good pictures of Ben Burman from the Tulane Library where
his papers are. Some other paintings he wants to do of this nature are
John Beatty and Harlan Hubbard.
Delta Queen Valley, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", November 9th,
1997, Property of the artist, Valued at $950
Mr. Mrs. Feldkamp, Charcoal on paper, 8" x 10", November 25th,
1997, Property of the Lukey Family, Valued at $140 apiece
Executed in the classical manner of three color charcoal on tinted paper.
By selecting a paper color that just barely makes the white noticeable
form can be created akin to a duotone print. Red highlights the cheeks,
lips and eyes. Black charcoal highlights the dark passages of the image.
By using a shading stick, a piece of paper rolled up into a stick and
tapered to allow smudging, the fine shadows can be added to the form making
qualities of this method.
The black & white photo of Mrs. Lukey was taken several years
earlier. Mr. Lukey posed for a photograph to match the one of Mrs. Lukey.
Traditional rules of portraiture were applied while transferring the portrait
image from the photos to the drawing paper. A few of those techniques
were to lighten the shadows. Enhancing the personal qualities of Mr. and
Mrs. Lukey and while faltering the face without distorting the perception
of their personality is essential. Additional form was created by leaving
a lighted part on the edge of the face in the shadow.
The additional information available from photos of the their children
was especially important. From such photos you can decipher various features
in the parents that are important character elements to be incorporated
into the drawing. Tom also used a famous sketch by Piazzetta, 1682-1754
Italian of a Peasant Woman with Hen.
Visited Ocracoke Island, Thursday January 15th, 1998
Received denial of grant application for Ohio Fellowship January 23rd,
1998
Speech given to Saint Agnes School on the occasion of the dedication of
his portrait of Saint Agnes donated to the school by the Class of 1967,
Friday January 23rd, 1998
It gives me much pleasure to present this portrait of Saint Agnes for
my graduating class of 1967. The donations of my classmates and teachers
made this possible. I would like to thank the reunion committee, especially
Mike Hebbler and Judy Recthin for their help. I would also like to recognize
Mrs. Jon Votel for suggesting I come to the school and lecture the students
on the process of painting the portrait Thank you also to Principal Hornblower,
Kim Banta, Father Helman, Fr. Sterling and Sister Madonna for their input.
A special thanks goes to my brother Chuck, without whose help this portrait
could never have happened.
You the students of Saint Agnes helped me paint this portrait by posing
as Saint Agnes dressed up in the costume I supplied. Darlene & Tony
Summe helped with the portrait by supplying pictures of Darlene when she
was in eighth grade. I used those pictures for the basic look of Saint
Agnes. I included all the detail I could in this painting. Each tree,
shrub and blade of grass have been lovingly painted as if they were the
same tree, shrub and blade of grass I too played by when I went to school
here. I painted the school in this painting with the green house moved
closer to the school so it could be part of the painting.
If
you want to be an artist you have to study and understand all types of
art. You will be creating very new and different types of art. Try and
remember that there are very complicated reasons why art today is so strange
and different. You will have to respect and understand all art in order
to be a great artist.
Thank
you again for the opportunity to work for St. Agnes School.
Jackson Price, Oil on glass, 1.5" x 2", January 12th, 1998,
Property of Linda Eubanks
Painted as a match to a earlier oil on glass portrait done of his brother
Dalton the age of one year. Each portrait is a very small portrait dressing
up the baby with a Santa suit. The portrait can be viewed from either
side.
Sailplane with Cooper's Hawks, Watercolor on paper, 36" x 10",
February 2nd, 1998, Property of Chuck Lohre
Painted from a description from Chuck Lohre while he was sailed above
Lane's Flying School. He noticed a squadron of Cooper's Hawks flying along
side of him. He saw that it was a mature female with two immatures. The
painting shows Chuck Lohre's Schweitzer 1-36, white with blue stripe angled
to the left as it neatly fits into the wide format. Above the sailplane
are three clouds of varying size composing a lane or weather front. Off
to the right is a squadron of Cooper's Hawks with the mother to the left
and her two immature on the right.
Groeber Home, Watercolor on paper, February 13th, 1998, 10" x 8",
Property of Janet Groeber
Painted in exchange for a airline ticket to Baltimore. Traditional watercolor
technique was used. A combination of washes carefully laid in without
dragging the surface. Afterwards form was increased by outlining with
a pen the various areas created by the washes.
Cooking, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", March 1st, 1998,
This and the next three artworks were preliminary work for the following
group of four. After abandoning color, Tom went to a closer form of the
type of artwork that his mentor, Thomas Rowlandson used in his artwork.
He used India ink, sepia acrylic ink and the clear solution that formed
on the top of a heavier yellow ink. The clear was used in mixing the four
shades or tints of a single color that was a combination of India ink
and the sepia color. The clear fluid acted as a binder and also allowed
the ink to flow properly from the pen. Just water in a pen makes the tint
bleed.
Tom
had been of late been trying to reinvent himself to move in the rare air
of high art. After intense study for several months He realized that high
art needs to be controversial. As much as he resent this type of art he
was destined to do it, He only needed a cause to work for. In the past
he had proven successful in promoting other causes but never his own.
He did not have a strong believe in cause. Now, he thinks he has a cause
that he can pursue for years to come. It was right under his nose all
along.
He
wants to paint the victims of Alzheimer's. Irene Moore, his wife, had
been so kind as to supply him with many photos of her mother as she was
during the latter part of her life. These watercolors are the start of
what He hope to be a long series of Alzheimer's portraits. As you notice
one of the paintings is Mrs. Moore dressed up for Venice Carnival. He
realizes that it may cause controversy. Controversy causes discussion.
Maybe the discussion that results will be helpful.
Gardening, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", February 21st, 1998,
Valued at $150, Property of Tom Lohre
Sitting, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", February 22nd, 1998,
Property of Tom Lohre
Gardening, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", March 2nd, 1998, Property
of Tom Lohre
Cooking, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", February 20th, 1998,
Property of Tom Lohre, Valued at $150
Venice Carnival, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", March 3rd, 1998,
Property of Tom Lohre
Sitting, Watercolor on paper, 5" x 7", March 4th, 1998, Property
of Tom Lohre
Venice, Watercolor on paper, 16" x 12", March 7th, 1998, Property
of Alice & Michael Keys
Painted for Mrs. & Doctor Keys for the annual Cincinnati Alzheimer's
Association Gala. The theme for this year was Venice Carnival. Carnival
started in Venice but was outlawed by Napoleon. In 1980 the tradition
was resurrected. This art shows a old Venice just before Carnival was
banned.
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