Portraits in the manner of William Adolphe Bouguereau, French, 1825-1905
Landscapes in the manner of Jan Van Der Heyden, Dutch, 1637-1712
Paintings in the manner of
Inspiring Smiles Forever
Complete Works, Portraits, Landscapes, Still Lifes, Sculpture, Lego Artist...
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I hope the below does not happen to the Sitwell's Mannequin. It was just stolen not confiscated by the City.
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20090429/NEWS01/904300325/
Ken, BarBe mannequin causing stir
By Cliff Radel • cradel@enquirer.com • April 29, 2009
Ken must go before the board because he has applied for a permit to let BarBe stand on the sidewalk and lure customers into his barbecue joint, KT's Barbecue.
BarBe will work the sidewalk while wearing a bikini top and a pair of tight-tight Daisy Duke short-shorts.
Ken - whose name is Kenny Tessel - plans to carry BarBe into the May 13 meeting. He also plans to do all of the talking.
BarBe - whose name is BarBe Q - stands 5 feet, 10 inches tall. But, she can't walk. She only weighs 20 pounds. And she can't talk. She's a mannequin. Under Reading's rules, she's a sign.
And all new signs need a permit.
Three weeks ago, Tessel placed BarBe outside his four-year-old establishment. The former actor and chef to the stars - Roseanne Barr and Dean Martin's kin - put her out there to drum up business,
"I'm down 40 percent from last year," Tessel said. "And if I learned anything from my 25 years of experience in Hollywood, it's that sex sells."
He stood outside his barbecue restaurant and gently draped his hand on the right hip of BarBe.
She stood motionless. Her mirrored base was anchored to the sidewalk by a log of white oak. That's one of the three woods Tessel uses to smoke the meat he sells.
Tessel stepped back to admire BarBe's attire and adjust her sign with the message: "I'm BarBe Q. Tell Reading you like me!!"
Show of Art Work by Tom Lohre and a Lego Robot Assistant named “Artisto”
Thursday January
3, 2008
Image for publication http://tomlohre.com/presspix.jpg
Caption: This latest work by Tom Lohre was made with the assistance of his Lego
Robot “Artisto,” shown. The robot lays in the color in and Tom refines the placement.
The Story:
In 1987 Tom started exploring the possibility of having a machine paint. In
2003 he discovered Lego's MindStorm Robotic system and spent four years learning
the software. On January 5th, 2007 at 9PM Tom finally cracked the code to write
a program that took information from an image in the computer and fed it to
a robot.
In the past year, Tom has learned that “Artisto”, the name Tom has given to
the robot, is like a classical assistant. Artisto lays one of eight colors in
generally the correct spot and Tom manipulates it to refine it’s placement.
Tom initially creates an image in the computer that Artisto follows. The painting
process takes 18 hours for a 16” x 20” having 4163 dots. Tom can turn “Artisto”
off while working on a painting so the painting does not have to be done all
at one time. All the paintings in the show are close ups of faces because the
resolution is so low that he has to rely on the viewer to fill in the blanks.
In the future, Tom sees “Artisto” having 16 colors to select from with Tom working closely with Artisto continually adjusting the paint as it is laid down.
Link to the paintings in the show: http://tomlohre.com/newart.htm
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ao63w0zxbb66ef6/Sitwells068.pdf?dl=0
Press ReleasePortraits, Clifton Scenes and Ohio River Boats by Tom Lohre
Thursday, September
7th, 2006 until October 9th, 2006
Photos:
Portrait of six-year-old Sydney painted as an "Ice Fairy" in the Nutcracker Ballet. Even though the girl is six-years-old Tom painted her as a Prima Donna Ballerina. The painting took two years to complete. Tom painted the tutu from life from the Cinderella tutu used by the Cincinnati Ballet Company. The portrait shows Sydney in the line of the fairies with the Ice Palace in the background. You may have seen Tom working on the portrait in the winter of 2005 in the entrance to the Ludlow Garage, Clifton, Cincinnati, Ohio. The background was taken from a drawing of Da Vinci.
Hiroshima mon Amore , Commission
The Mistress of Destruction, an allegory of the nuclear threat depicting a high priestess with her tiger biting a snake that encircles the globe. The work was created during the cold war but now has special significance because of al Qaeda. 48" X 52", oil on canvas, 1978
The Story:
Tom Lohre will be
showing portraits, Clifton Scenes and Tall Stacks paintings through the month
of September at Sitwell’s Coffee House on Ludlow Avenue next to the Esquire
Theatre. The opening will be September 7th, 2006 from 5 to 7:30PM.
On display will be
two of Tom’s impasto impressionist oil paintings, one showing the historical
side wheeler "Cincinnati" docking just ahead of the Mike Fink's Restaurant,
unloading passengers. The work is predominantly gray and heavy impasto impressionism
being painted with a palette knife. Another impasto work shows Delta Queen Landing
in Cincinnati. Also on view will be two student works of the Mike Fink Restaurant
and the towboat "Clare E Beatty."
The Clifton paintings will include Ludlow Avenue paintings of Telford Street in winter, Bulletin Board, Ludlow Garage, Sitwell Interior, Balcony Apartment above Spiral Light and A Signature Getter on Telford. You may have seen Tom working on the sidewalk on Ludlow Avenue in the fall of 05 and the spring of 06. When the weather was cold this spring Tom could be found painting in Dan’s Barber shop and Bender Optical.
Also featured are three portraits. One is of "The Mistress of Destruction,"
an allegory of the nuclear threat depicting a high priestess with her tiger
biting a snake that encircles the globe. The work was created during the cold
war but now has special significance because of al Qaeda. This work was show
at the SOS show at the Mockabee in the spring of 06.
The largest work on display is 5'x5' commission of entrepreneur George Chandis.
The portrait shows him seated on a couch surrounded by the things he enjoyed,
a Persia rug under his feet, a four corners tapestry on the couch, a Maurice
Clifford painting on the wall behind him and the city of Atlanta out the window.
The most risqué work on view will be a double portrait of two men. The composition
is composed around their astral signs in the night sky. Both men are riding
an Arabian horse with one man holding o to the other as he dangles off the side
of the saddle.
Especially on view for the opening, Thursday, September 7th, 5 to 7:30 will
be the just finished portrait of six-year-old Sydney painted as an "Ice
Fairy" in the Nutcracker Ballet. Even though the girl is six-years-old
Tom painted her as a Prima Donna Ballerina. The painting took two years to complete.
Tom painted the tutu from life from the Cinderella tutu used by the Cincinnati
Ballet Company. The portrait shows Sydney in the line of the fairies with the
Ice Palace in the background. You may have seen Tom working on the portrait
this last winter in the entrance to the Ludlow Garage. Most portraits go straight
to the client so the display of Sydney is a one time chance to see the finished
portrait before it is delivered.
The Balcony, Ludlow Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio, 8" x 10", Oil on board, April 2006
“The Balcony” shows the second floor apartment above the shop “Spiral Light.” Tom was working on another painting when he notices this woman planting flowers. The ornate railing was always a favorite view and the greening of the balcony gives direction to the painting. This painting was done just inches from speeding cars.
These paintings were painted on the street. Working from life guides the color and form to be the best with the least. Sometimes it means sitting a few inches from speeding cars. The optimal setting for life work is where the artist can best focus on giving the art what it needs. Working from inside a quite shop looking out the window produced the best results.
Tom considers this a pivotal painting in his “Urban Landscape Series.” By chance he saw the two women just as they are clothed and depicted. The scene is simplified of additional objects like bikes, more planters, signs, etc. but the color and overall effect gave Tom a euphoric feeling he had never experienced. It was as if the feeling a great painting give the viewer was continually experienced by Tom as he worked on the painting. He worked on this painting from Bender Optical. The quite warm office was an excellent place to work.
Ludlow Garage in Snow, 12" x 16", oil on board, March, 2006, $900
Tom worked from inside the barber shop to paint this work. The woman was seen walking by. You can imagine the spring snow being here on day and gone the next. You can still see the empty parking spaces from the morning rush hour.
Telford Avenue with Snow II, 16" x 12", oil on board, March, 2006
Sitwell's Coffee House Interior, 20" x 16", oil on board, March, 2006, $600
Esquire Theater, Ludlow Avenue, Cincinnati,
Ohio
20" x 16", Oil on plywood, November 2nd, 2003, $1,200
Painted from life. A palette knife was used to apply the oil paint.
Evanswood Linden Trees
24" x 30", oil on canvas, 1999, $900
Sometimes Tom receives his portraits back. When there are no heirs and when Tom has kept in touch with them, his patron’s executor allows the return of artwork. One such return is “The Mistress of Destruction”, aka “Hiroshima mon Amore.” He painted many portraits of his patron, Birdie and in this work she let him do what he wanted.
The largest work on display is the 5'x5' portrait of entrepreneur George Chandis. The portrait shows him seated on a couch surrounded by the things he enjoyed, a Persia rug under his feet, a four corners tapestry on the couch, a Maurice Clifford painting on the wall behind him and the city of Atlanta out the window. At his premature death the painting went to his father who thoroughly enjoyed the work as if his son was still with him. At 90 he wanted to ship it back to Tom before he went into a nursing home..
The most risqué work on view will be a double portrait of two men. The composition is composed around their astral signs in the night sky. Both men are riding an Arabian horse with one man holding on to the other as he dangles off the side of the saddle.
Painted from life in New York City. Rhett commissioned two such paintings one for each of his boyfriends. The style of the painting closely emulates Tom's master, R_. Tom had been living and working with him in Palm Beach for a year. The horse is painted in the manner of the Arabian stallions Ralph had been painting for the Sheiks of Saudi Arabia. Rhett was one of the first to die of AIDS. This work was never delivered and the other hangs in The Monster Bar on Grove Street in Greenwich Village.
Painted from life in New York City. Rhett commissioned two such paintings one for each of his boyfriends. The style of the painting closely emulates Tom's master, R_. Tom had been living and working with him in Palm Beach for a year. The composition is arranged around the sun signs of Rhett and Todd. Tom spent a good amount of time studying bulls at the Bronx Zoo but Rhett preferred a horse. The horse is painted in the manner of the Arabian stallions Ralph had been painting for the Sheiks of Saudi Arabia.
The oil painting shows a woman looking up at a floating earth. A snake encircles the earth and is about to strike. Below the earth is a tiger who is about to bite the snake. In the background is a nuclear explosion. Behind the woman is a tall ornate enclosed chair.
Painted for Birdie Bloch, a great patron of Tom's. He painted her portrait several times and in this painting she let Tom do what he wanted. He painted an allegory about the benefits and dangers of Nuclear energy. Tom spent a lot of time at the circus to study the tigers. The bench is from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The blast in the background was from a famous nuclear cloud photo.
The painting is an allegory of threat. Painted in 1980 at the end of the Cold War it was meant to show the nuclear treat of the Cold War. The woman represents humanity and the tiger in front of her represents the powers available to her. The chair behind her represents her authority. The Earth represents herself and the snake represents the treat of a nuclear holocaust. Today the treat is different but still there.
Panted from life in Atlanta. Tom lived with George for several months while he completed the work. The rugs and painting were dear objects of George. The painting is a Maurice Clifford's. Out the window you can see the view from Moore's Mill road looking towards Atlanta. Tom was introduced while George was visiting New York City and he commissioned his portrait. Just before arriving Tom had spend several weeks in Titusville, Florida painting the first space shuttle launch. George died suddenly of a heart attach at the age of 45. The portrait went to his father who dearly loved the portrait. The portrait being life size made it seem as though his son had not left him. After many years his father was checked into a nursing home and Tom worked with his close friend to have the painting shipped back to him. George was a art dealer in Atlanta and Tom had a one man show there in his gallery Nassau Visions in June of 1982.
Tom grew up on the Ohio River. His first job was working as a dock boy for the Mike Fink Restaurant. He could have been a river pilot but went into his father’s business of advertising and later fine art. The first work he sold was “The Clare E. Beatty,” to his father. Tom lived on the “Clare” while working for Captain Beatty. After graduation, Tom moved to New York City to work on Madison Avenue and in his off time he painted the Mike Fink Restaurant and sold it to Captain Beatty. At his death Tom was able to trade his heirs for the painting. Years later Tom was commissioned to paint Cincinnati Harbor and New York City Harbor. “The Delta Queen Landing in Cincinnati” is a study for the classic smooth surface finely wrought oil painting. Now Tom paints a work for each “Tall Stacks Celebration” in Cincinnati. “The Cincinnati Landing in Covington” was the work Tom completed at the 2003 celebration.
Painted from a postcard from the restaurant while in New York City. Later Tom sold the painting to the owner of the restaurant, Captain John Beatty. After John's death Tom traded the estate for the painting.
Tom's first job was working on the Mike Fink's as a deck hand. Later he was a rigger for Captain Beatty's salvage operation on the Ohio River.
Tom has painted many river paintings and this idea came from a Cincinnati Individual Artists Grant Proposal. The idea entailed producing a very detailed version of the composition where the people who live in the Over-the-Rhine area of downtown around a popular bar and restaurant named Stenger's would be painted into the painting. In addition all the major players in Cincinnati government would be painted also with the residents picking which position they would play. In the end the final painting would be blown up to billboard size and placed on the building wall across the street from the bar.
The pallet knife was used for its rapid coating of the surface of the canvas and its ability to scrape off poorly painted sections quickly and remixing a better color. There is a cleanness to knife painting that does not come from brushes. In the past I have used a brush like a knife by scraping off the paint from the brush, remixing it and then working it into the brush so as not to thin the paint with spirits.
