Rare Rockwell Originals On Sale at Middletown Art Show

The November 3rd Art Show and Sale has been postponed and a new date will be announced, most likely sometime next week. The Middletown Arts Center was not affected by the storm and all artwork submitted for the show is safe and dry. The lecture/demonstration series beginning on the 9th and 10th may still run. Further notice regarding them will be issued sometime early next week.

Superbowl Painting by Mike Kupka

duCret School of Art has teamed up with the Middletown Arts Center, in Middletown, NJ. On November 3rd, celebrating it's 85th year, duCret will be having an Opening Reception running from 6pm - 9pm, which will kick off a month-long art show and sale, including four special art demonstrations featuring four notable NJ artists throughout the month of November. The Opening Reception will be held at the Middletown Arts Center location, at 36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ, 07748. The admission is free to the public and there will be live musicians, a silent auction and refreshments.

Slated to be NJ’s largest representative art show and sale, the scope of the show includes many American influences, several of whom are in the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame. The show and sale will cover many genres, including: Walt Disney art, NFL art, Fantasy art, Fine art, Western art, Romance & Paperback Novel art, Still Life art, Landscape art, Religious art and Animal art –all with a standard of excellence that the school prides itself on.

Some of the featured artworks will include artists: Peter Caras, Norman Rockwell, J.C. Leyendecker, Robert McGinnis, James Avati, James Bama, Bob Foster, Paul Lehr, Mike Kupka, Mark Romanoski, Peter Ambush, Vince Natale, Rich Bazzanella, Mike Donato, Rhoda Yannow and world renowned wildlife artists Leslie Delgyer and Doug Allen etc. Many of the artists will be on premesis on opening night.

On sale will be very rare memorabilia, including:

• Norman Rockwell, 4 Freedoms Original War Bond Posters, signed. These posters are perhaps one of the last things that Rockwell signed, as he died one week later.
• Norman Rockwell’s Original ‘Facts of Life’ Saturday Evening Post Cover, a comprehensive graphite sketch.
• Several Robert McGinnis Original ‘Milo Marsh’ Detective Book Series Cover Paintings.
• Bob Foster, Original cover painting of the first paperback in the Twilight Zone Book Series.
• Extremely rare Rockwell and J.C. Leyendecker memorabilia, including signed proofs.
• Several Original James Avati Paintings, including the cover painting for the book ‘The Dollmaker’.
• Norman Rockwell, Original ‘Razor’s Edge’ movie poster, complete with press packet, a letter from Tyrone Power and the premiere tickets.
• A very rare, and possibly the only one in existence: Air force poster painted by Norman Rockwell, with a B&W photo of Rockwell painting it. The posters went to print but were later rejected by the Air force. All posters were then destroyed, however, an employee working on the line, saved one for a friend of his, who happened to be a Rockwell fan. Peter Caras was able to obtain it and held it in his private collection. Though it can’t be proven, there is a rumor that the model in the poster was the young Ronald Reagan.
• Several James Bama original paintings as well as signed artists proofs.

Painting by Mark Romanoski

There will also be a silent auction featuring many originals, limited edition and signed prints, pen and pencil roughs and an engraved ‘Imagine Peace’ Apple iPad by Yoko Ono, along with a signed Peace Bed postcard of her and John Lennon.
All proceeds will benefit duCret School of art, which is NJ's oldest non-profit art school and community center.

 

The show will enable the public to mingle with some of the states most accomplished artists, four of whom will be giving demonsrations and lectures in the month of November.

PETER CARAS

‘ROCKWELL AND THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION’
Friday December 1, 2012 2pm - 4pm

Peter Caras has been an instructor at the duCret School of Art for more than 30 years, teaching Controlled Palette Painting and Advanced Illustration.  To date, Caras has over 1,700 published illustrations to his credit and is considered one of today’s foremost paperback cover artists. Mentored by Norman Rockwell and Jim Bama, Peter will discuss how these relationships proved inspirational and changed the direction of his career and will offer personal insight as to what it is to be illustrator and artist in today’s world.

LESLIE DELGYER

PASTEL TECHNIQUES IN ANIMAL ART
Saturday December 15, 2012 1pm - 3pm.

Internationally acclaimed wild life artist, Leslie Delgyer is a duCret graduate and currently sits on the board of directors. She is the past President of the Society of Animal Artists. Prince Phillip has commissioned her, in conjunction with the World wildlife fund; in 1987 she painted portraits of than Ronald Reagan’s two dogs. An artist whose work is represented in the public, corporate and private collections throughout the world, Leslie will share some of the award winning techniques that changed the world of pastel.

MICHAEL DONATO
RENAISSANCE PAINTING TECHNIQUES

TBA

Michael will be demonstrating a monochromatic underpainting technique that is the first stage of a painting process used during the Renaissance period. He will discuss glazing and scumbling techniques that are used over the underpainting to achieve color effects and further enhances form. These techniques were employed by artists such as Raphael, Tritian, Leonardo, Vermeer, Albrecht, Durer and later on, Rembrandt. These techniques, although born in the Renaissance, are used by some of today’s painters in the expression of contemporary subject matter. Michael Donato’s illustrations have appeared in both editorial and children's markets. His commissioned paintings have appeared in galleries and are part of private collections. Michael Has been teaching drawing, advanced painting, and illustration for the past 20 years, and continue to do so at duCret.

MARK ROMANOSKI
COMIC AND FANTASY ILLUSTRATION

Saturday December 1, 2012 11am-1 pm.

Mark is an instructor at du Cret for more than a decade. He is an illustrator who specializes in comic and fantasy art including: DC Comics, Marvel, Harry Potter and World of Warcraft. He is the protégé of Peter Caras, Joe DeVito and Tim and Greg Hildebrandt (Tolkien). Mark will discuss and share some drawing tips and techniques in comic book and fantasy illustration and will show guests how to make the unbelievable, believable in all mediums. Mark will take time out at the end of his demonstration to review and critique personal portfolios.

Located at 1030 Central Ave, Plainfield NJ, duCret has long been a major center for the development of artistic talent in the state. Listed among the many who have studied at duCret are nationally acclaimed painters, portrait artists and illustrators, as well as graphic designers who are now affiliated with some of the nation’s most prestigious advertising agencies. The school is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSC); approved by the State of New Jersey Department of Education/ Labor and Workforce Development; and is a member of the Private Career Schools Association of New Jersey.

Somerset County Traffic Box Program Features Local Artists

 

Featured Artist Vivian Bedoya

Sometimes networking can pay dividends to not only the few who employ it into their business practices, but it can extend to benefit many others as well, as in this case. A few years ago Pat McGarry from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission and a duCret representative attended a business networking event. They were strangers to one another. At the event participants were encouraged to speak about what they were doing and mention areas where they needed assistance. When Pat mentioned she was seeking graphic design services for her new art project, a jovial voice from the duCret rep erupted from across the room, which ultimately led to a business meet at duCret. The duCret School of Art has long offered a service to local businesses, whereas students looking to develop their portfolios can design brochures and logos for business owners at a reduced rate.

 

In this case, Pat had initiated a very unusual and out-of-the box idea to use the artwork from local artists to cover the unsightly traffic control boxes in various towns. As with any extraordinary idea that is initiated - she met with alot of red tape the first year that she endeavored on the project. Throughout that year however, she consistently met with and worked with Graphic Design Instructor Phil Laskowski and his graphic art students from duCret. What has resulted two years later is not only a first, but a second beautiful brochure featuring 22 of the very first NJ artists chosen to be featured throughout the tri state area. Recently the Courier News ran a cover story on the 'artwork on traffic boxes' and word is out now. Chosen artwork submitted each year by artists from all over the state is reproduced on a special vinyl adhesive film which is then applied to the exterior of the boxes. The artwork produced varies and ranges from photographic images of florals to landscape scenes to whimsical patterns and each box is a vision and enhancement to the areas in which they stand.  The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission encourages to residents to take a drivable tour via its brochure, which can be found posted in many local shops throughout the Somerset County area. In this case, the networking of two multiplied into opportunities for many artists across the state, including many duCret students and no doubt, this project will continue multiplying opportunities for other artists in the many years to come. We'd vote that this intriguing idea of Pat's is definately a home run! We also predict that it's such a great idea that other states will pick up on it in due time! duCret School of Art is located at 1030 Central Avenue, Plainfield NJ 07060. It is a professional artists career school as well as a community art center. Click here for more information on duCret.