Well hello, sailor!

Posted: 12 March 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Rona | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

 

Savvy old school sailors

 

‘The fame of heroes owes little to the extent of their conquests and all to the success of the tributes paid to them.’

– Jean Genet (1910-1986)

 

Portrait of Jean Genet by Richard Avedon

 

I have a bit of a soft spot for sailors.

 

Rona Green, Rusty Steel, 2009, linocut, ink & watercolour, 38 x 28 cm, edition 13

 

Several of my pictures salute the sailor man including Greasy Rhys, as well as his mates Rusty Steel and Topsy Turner.

 

Rona Green, Topsy Turner, 2009, linocut, ink & watercolour, 38 x 28 cm, edition 13

 

Part of the inspiration for these works is the flash of master tattoo artist, Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins.

 

Norman 'Sailor Jerry' Collins (1911-1973)

 

An example of Sailor Jerry tattoo flash

 

I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the sailor – other fans include:

 

Herman Melville, author.

 

Friedrick Ledebur as Queequeg in the 1956 movie adaptation of the 1851 novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville

 

Jean Genet, novelist, playwright, poet, essayist and political activist.

 

Querelle of Brest by Jean Genet

 

Otto Griebel, artist.

 

Otto Griebel, Ship Boilerman, 1920, oil on canvas

 

Paul Klee, artist and musician.

 

Paul Klee, Sinbad the Sailor, 1928, watercolour on paper

 

David Bowie, renaissance man.

 

Aye aye, David Bowie!

 

Tom of Finland, artist.

 

Tom of Finland, Sailors, 1985, pencil on paper

 

Jean Paul Gaultier, fashion designer.

 

Advertisement for Jean Paul Gaultier's 'Le Male'

 

One of the things that particularly tickles my fancy about Navy culture is sailors nicknames.

Crew mates are given monikers such as ‘Chalky’ White, ‘Nosey’ Parker and ‘Smokey’ Cole.

 

John 'Dusty' Rhodes and Bindie

 

The following print is a tribute to my great uncle, John ‘Dusty’ Rhodes (and it’s a tip of the hat to Bindie as well!).

 

Rona Green, Dusty Rhodes, 2011, linocut, ink & watercolour, 76 x 56 cm, edition 23

 

You may have noticed the 8 balls on Dusty’s hands – these are a reference to the character Bean, in the movie Cadence.

 

Charlie 'Bean' Sheen (pictured left) in Cadence

 

It’s time for me to sail away so i’ll leave you in the capable hands of Turbonegro, performing their song Sailor Man…

 

 

And here’s a bonus sailor:

 

A hirsute seafarer

 

Hold fast!

 

Precocious pets

Posted: 5 March 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Artists, Rona | Tags: , , , , , | 4 Comments

 

‘Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet.’

– Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954)

 

Colette and four legged friends

 

Pets are a favourite subject matter of mine.

The following prints are a set of portraits I created in homage to my pets Freddie, Byrd, Shane and Googie.

 

Rona Green, Lagomorphia, 2005, etching

Freddie

 

Rona Green, white Byrd, 2005, etching

Byrd and Shane

 

Rona Green, pretty boys, 2005, etching

Googie

 

Another artist – whom I adore – who was also inspired to depict pets was Lucian Freud (1922-2011).

 

Lucian Freud, 1947

 

Lucian once said ‘A painter’s tastes must grow out of what so obsesses him in life that he never has to ask himself what it is suitable for him to do in art.’

 

Lucian Freud, Girl with a Kitten, 1947, oil on canvas

 

Lucian Freud, Girl with a White Dog, 1951, oil on canvas

 

Lucian Freud, Eli, 2002, etching

 

Lucian Freud and Eli with gallerist William Acquavella in front of the painting Portrait of the Hound, 2011

 

Lucian’s brother, Clement Freud (1924-2009), a broadcaster, writer, politician and chef, was also an animal fan.

 

Clement Freud and Henry, 1966

 

So much so that he featured in a series of dog food commercials in the 1960’s:

 

 

Enjoy!