Definitions and an opinion

Found this somewhere stumbling around the internet. It's a little clumsy, like I am, but it spells a few things out. Copied and pasted, uncorrected.

The opinion at the end rings true.


Description explanations: We adopt the same terms used by auction houses worldwide when cataloguing works of art. They are: The first name and surname of the artist: In our opinion this is a work by the artist. The name of the artist preceded by "after": In our opinion this is a copy of the work of the artist. Bears signature/date/inscription: In our opinion the work has been signed/dated/inscribed by a person other than the artist. Attributed to: In our opinion this is probably a work by the artist. Circle of: In our opinion this is a work of the period of the artist and showing his influence. Follower of: In our opinion a work executed in the style of the artist but not necessarily by a pupil. Manner of: In our opinion a work executed in the style of the artist but of a later date. You agree to these terms by bidding. They're good enough for Sotheby's and Christie's so they must be good enough for us!
We firmly believe it is better to buy an original painting by young or unknown, but extremely talented master artist, or even in manner of great master painters or attributed, but definately not buying Giclee, prints, serigraph or copy prints made on cheap machine from China, which is strickly business and nothing else, just take your money today but tomorrow render it worthless. If you believe some Giclee is worth thousands, good luck but thats nothing but throwing your money through the window, because any kind of reproduction by machine has no hand or soul of a master artist who put his heart into his paintings. We think it is better to
support original art.

It always amazed me that consumers would visit a gallery and pay thousands for contempory artists' giclees in fancy frames.

For those of you out there, except for the artists themselves, producing giclees of highwayman art, I fart in your general direction.

Don't miss the pony ride......

.....I mean, I wouldn't.

Hey, highwaymen art collectors, posting this just in time.........

From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, August 20, 2009...................Spady Museum in Delray Beach
"See how crafts were made way back when. Exhibitors will demonstrate how to make lye soap, brooms and other crafts. Highwaymen artist R.L. Lewis will be painting and raffling off one of his original works, painted on-site.

Kids' activites include pony rides, face painting, bounce house, petting zoo and old-time games."

Hey, pony rides rule.

Or if you just want calendars and mousepads, go here : http://rllewisartist.com/cart.php
Or coffee mugs and tee shirts, go here: http://www.cafepress.com/1highwaymanart
or here: http://www.samnewtongallery.com/
or for stationery, here: http://www.highwaymenartist.com/store/00011.html

Or if you just want to be confused, go here: http://www.highwaymenpaintings.com/highwaymen-art.htm
or here for "official" confusion: http://theofficialhighwaymenartgallery.com/index.html

Just sharing the knowledge, boys and girls.
You know, this will be very useful if you're not in the market for superb vintage paintings that will increase in value over time. Everyone can afford a mouse pad, right ? But a Harold Newton, well.......................

I've been neglecting this blog, I know, and I feel guilty about it.

I've been writing other stuff and have been focused on that. That's my official excuse.

I've always loved baseball.........

and here's some personal stuff that has nothing to do with art.

Here's how old I am.

HBO is running a documentary on Ted Williams this coming Wednesday. I saw a trailer on TV and it includes film of Ted's last at bat. If you watch the background, 3 rows back of the visitor's dugout, (we're in Fenway Paaaahhhk), you see me at age 12 with my Grandpa. We were among the 10,000 in attendance. Sept 28, 1960, babies, 5 decades ago. Ted went deep on the last pitch he saw, rounded the bases head down, then retired from playing after 21 years with my beloved Red Sox............the only Baseball Hall of Famer to finish his career by hitting a home run his last time at bat.

In case you didn't know, Ted Williams was the greatest hitter who ever lived.

Harold Newton was probably painting a sunset in Florida while all this was going on in Boston. I don't think he cared about Ted Williams, but maybe. They had several things in common.

Being the best at what they did for a living, for one. Fishing for another.
And don't forget, lovin' the ladies.

Like my famous cousin, John says, "Stay thirsty my friends."

http://www.hbo.com/events/ted-williams/index.html

July 29......a new comment on "I've always loved baseball.........":

Great story - I am a huge O's fan. However we travel in the summers often to New England and I always catch a Sox game. In fact we have gone enough times that one of my sons has deserted me and is a Sox fan. Great stadium and town. On the day you were at the game my mom went into labor and I was born in the wee hours of Sept 29,1960.
Todd South

Michael Jackson was bizarre, for sure........

...but since the news of his death broke, I just cannot get this out of my head.
And I'm not what you'd call "a fan".

"Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
[ Michael Jackson Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son"

I challenge ANYONE to listen to it and not want to at least tap your foot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En-cHBv7UpA&feature=fvst

Same thing with "Beat it".

I also wonder if he deserves to rest in peace.

Although the accusations against him were probably legitimate, his brain was undoubtedly warped due to the way he was "handled" as a pre-pubescent celebrity child in the no-holds-barred shark filled world of the West coast entertainment industry.

Like Elvis, he had no chance at being "normal".

At least that's my take on him, the so-called "King of Pop".

Oh yeah, I figure some of the highwaymen listened to his music while they were creating some of their art.

And that, gentle readers, is the tie-in.

Officially summertime, sum-sum-summertime.

The solstice is upon us today and I celebrated this morning's sunrise, as I do every summer solstice, by sacrificing a virgin on the stone altar in my back yard, and making a wish.

I've been doing this for about 8 years now. Previously I had been just killing chickens and the occasional lamb (as they do in the islands, mon), but I thought going way back to Druidism might help increase sales, and and it worked, so I'm staying with virgins.

I mean, I have to do SOMETHING to get some sales going for the summer, because there are just no decent shows to do til August that are within 7 hours driving time. Potential buyers don't get to see all the great stuff I offer for sale except thru the internet. They don't know I have something new and fresh unless I work the phone and become Joe the telemarketer.

I guess I'll go do some more of that today.

By the way, as if the gators, snakes and spiders weren't bad enough here in south Florida, now we got 6 foot dinosaurs multiplying. Here's the link:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/article1011745.ece

Happy Father's day tomorrow to those of you who were successful at that.

Until next time, as my cousin John likes to say, "Stay thirsty, my friend".

He would like us to think he's the most interesting man in the world.

Rest in Peace J. Daniels

This afternoon about one o'clock Johnny Daniels joined the list of deceased highwaymen.

We now have eight souls on that list.

I can just about hear Ray Charles singing, ".......When the Smoke Cleared, There was Thunder from the Throne, and Seven Spanish Angels took another Angel Home."

Rest in peace, Johnny, you have left us plenty to remember you by.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/may/26/johnny-daniels-original-member-highwaymen-dies/

Comment received:

Hello Bob,
I, too, was very sorry to hear about the sudden death of Johnny Daniels, who seemed in great spirits and health back in April for the Fort Pierce Highwaymen Festival. He was one of the best and most talented of the artists and he will be missed.
Thank you for keeping track of all the news involving this most interesting group of people.
Catherine Enns

May 31, 2009 8:01:00 PM

Shows are becoming scarce................

....especially with summer upon us. So there's no show activity to report. Next weekend I'll be in Melbourne, and last year's May show up there was very good. But that, of course, was last year.
As a bonus, we all watched the space shuttle launch at 5 pm as the show had just closed. It sure looked close, but it was surprisingly quiet, opposite to what I expected.

June 5, 6, and 7 will be the final show of the season in West Palm Beach. The new promoters are thinking about going back to a full years schedule, a show every month.

I sure hope they will, (he said selfishly).

DMG World Media, the British Bozos who owned the show prior to the Puchsteins and Tuckers, flat out panicked when we had the year of the hurricanes and cancelled out all July to October shows for the future. Oh, gee, the billion dollar conglomerate lost a little money because the Salvation Army, as well they should, commandeered the Fairgrounds for emergency operations a couple of times that one stormy season. As a result, rather than taking a "risk", these twits (rhymes with Brits) eliminated 20 or so potential "paydays" to their loyal Florida vendors who worked the summer shows, hundreds of us. I lost all respect for the ball-less bastards at that point, for shrinking their annual contract from 12 shows to eight. They could not have been more dealer-unfriendly.

Now we've got Florida people in charge, and unlike the Brits, they have cojones. That was proven by the fact that they stepped up to the plate and bought into this show while weaker promoters are shriveling up and barely staying functional.

And, having known Bill and Kay, and Yvonne and Jim for years, I know they love and appreciate their dealers (vendors) and do everything they can to treat us right.

So, from the beginning of June until August, I have no shows scheduled. Every summer I think about maybe doing a Mt Dora, or even going back up to Atlanta for a Scott's show again (we did them years and years ago). Maybe this summer I'll be able to overcome my distaste for Doyle at Mt Dora and the drudgery of the trip up I75 to Atlanta and back.

As far as sales, we sell stuff when there are no shows, too. Check out a couple of kick-ass Fritzes we just posted and sold on the Other Florida artists page. And a gorgeous and super-rare James Ralph Wilcox original watercolor from the 1890's. It's always the best stuff that sells.

Until next time, gentle reader, keep a cool tool.