chapter 434

6/19/2016

Provincetown Pastel

spiritual journey in the artist colony

A year after we were married we took one of many future trips to Cape Cod. In Aug 1973 Kathy sat for a portrait in pastel chalk by Malcolm Paul Newman. We considered doing one in Hyannis but I this was done in Provincetown at the Starving Artists street art studio.

When someone passes away there are sensitivities about how you speak of them and to whom you are speaking. For me, I want to think of the positives, celebrate her life and not be in a state of sadness. Everyone must cope in their own way.

It hangs at my Mother-in-law's house and will someday go to my daughter.

If you are of a certain age, you'll recognize Englebert Humberdinck sketch in the top left above. The likeness is similar to this My Marie album cover produced in London. Englebert was a big hit back in those days and we saw him perform at the Starlight Theater (Tent) in Latham.

Another of Malcolm Paul Newman's work is this 1976 watercolor at the Warf which appears on the Provincetown Town website. I also found this reference to the artist's wife at Provincetown who related that he has passed away. Will try to connect with her at Cortile Gallery where I thought she worked (went in Sept. - wrong gallery, did not connect).

Why this chapter now? I had started it 5 years ago before Kathy passed but this week I was spurred to complete it. Colleen had sent me a post card recently from P-town and brought me back a block of frozen delicious clam chowder from the Lobster Pot restaurant there. This week we watched Packed in a Trunk, a poignant documentary on HBO about artist Edith Lake Wilkinson. A coincidence or was it spirit.

Edith's paintings had been packed away in a trunk in an attic for 40 years after her death. Her Great Niece, Jane Anderson, was determined to shed light on Edith's hidden and unknown artwork. Above is one of her prints of what is now the Larkin Gallery in Provincetown where Edith spend many of her productive years. She was one of the pioneers of white line woodcuts. Another of her views of this same scene is evidenced here of 405 Commercial Street. The Larkin produced her first return showing in 2013. Provincetown is a special and gay place to many people and the Provincetown Artists Colony is one of the oldest in the United States.

I took this photo on that trip 40 some years ago from the Macmillan Pier looking back at P-town with it's historic Center Methodist Church , now the Public Library. Just now did I get it out of the closet and give it a little Adobe dry brush editing. I'm guessing that our Newman artist did his same painting from that same pier. And as I look closer, I believe he painted the same boat "Santina" with the little red dinghy on top and red hull below waterline in his rendering. The Lobster Pot restaurant would be just left of this frame at the landward end of the pier although it wasn't established until 1979.

Spirit guides exist. The hawk flies. There is more to life than meets the eye, but you must look and you must feel.

Provincetown Art Association and Museum 

Packard Gallery 

Artist's son Jack David Newman cured Malaria  (photo/ pastel upper right corner)  founded Zagaya

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