INSPIRATION
I received a few questions about my newest pieces, specifically the two triptychs at the end of the Introspection series on my website.
"Is this a new series?"
"They are so different from what you have done in the past. What is the inspiration?"
I don't know for sure if I am going to make a series yet, but I can talk about what partly inspired the pieces I have made. The inspiration came in part, from two artists that I knew from my youth (I was the son of an artist) and are very different.
First, artist Bryn Manley who did silk screen printing and taught at the University of South Florida in the mid-1960’s and second, Joe Testa-Secca who like my father also taught at the University and is primarily a painter.
Bryn Manley
My parents bought the Manley's house when we came to Tampa in 1968. A few of his pieces stayed behind with our house. Manley used a lot of bright colors and was almost pop-art as I remember. All I knew about him was that he was this cool artist guy with a British accent, leather jacket and rode a motorcycle. I was about 8 years old at the time.
Once he and his wife sold the house to my parents, I think they were on their way to Australia. He left a few pieces behind at the house so I saw his work a bit from time to time- what I remember was the contrasting hues more than anything else. I liked the contrast but other than that, his work really didn't speak to me at the time. I was very young.
Joe Testa-Secca
I had seen Joe Testa-Secca around the neighborhood where I grew up, but never had the opportunity to speak with him. I knew he taught at the art department at USF, where my father taught, but that was all I really knew. I never saw any of his artwork as a youth.
Fast forward fifty years …Early in 2019, I had the opportunity to see an exhibition of Joe Testa-Seccas’ work at the University of Tampa Scarfone/Hartley Gallery. Age was catching up with him and I didn't know if he would know who I was. I introduced myself and his face immediately lit up as he said," You're Frank's boy! Of course I remember your father; fabulous painter!".
The impact of his show on me that night was incredible. He had a piece called Shaman Five which is five different portraits of the same Native American Indian, all in the same frame. I was blown away. It was like a punch to the stomach but the impacting fist never leaves. It stays put at the point of impact, applying pressure until you have to do something about it. Repetition, as with Warhol's repeating Monroes, elevated this portrait to more than just a mortal being. This was not just a person, he captured the spirit. Repetition but different-this was it!
Testa- Secca's portrait inspired me and also somewhere in the back of my mind were Manleys silk screens and contrasting colors.
My Triptychs
The subjects in these triptychs are homeless. People are more than their circumstance but that is all we usually see. Their spirit transcends circumstance and I hope to convey their spirit in these triptychs -more so than just a single portrait can portray. Repetition but different.