In October of 2004 I traveled to San Francisco to interview a remarkable late-blooming artist named Arthur Krakower. A retired merchandizing executive and commercial real estate developer, Arthur returned to school in his 70's to study painting. After earning a bachelor’s degree from San Jose University in 1999, he enrolled in a master’s program at California College of the Arts (CCA). In 2001, at 80 years of age, Arthur Krakower became the oldest graduate in CCA's history.
I interviewed Arthur at the prestigious CPF Gallery on Third Street, where a solo exhibit of his fresh, hauntingly beautiful paintings was just finishing its run. (You can see a sampling of his work at www.arthurkrakower.com.) The show, which drew a tour bus of serious art collectors, was a success by any measure.
Now 85, Arthur is still painting, still showing his work, still jazzed. He e-mailed me the following note last April:
Prill— Memories of our last meeting and interview crept back again because my new show of paintings and monotypes opened in San Francisco last week, and I thought of you and wished you were there!! Over l00 people came to the reception, and I sold 20 paintings and monotypes....
In June I will be going to Italy because I have been invited to be in the Otranto Residency... No tourists. Fifteen of us living and working at art. I hope there will be another show from the work I will be doing there.
Keep well.
Fondly, Arthur Krakower
No comments:
Post a Comment