2K11 Painting for a Purpose.

Finishing Touches: July 9, 2011

Everything I do in the beginning stages of a painting is setting the stage for the highlights, the caligraphy, the "Icing on the cake". I work to suggest my subject with an economy of brushwork: "One brush stroke instead of 50", "Indicate, not Explainate!"

 After finishing the  painting on location I climbed the nearby hill. I had an eagle's view of the valley below. A warm breeze blew  upward,  and carried with it the sounds of laughing children...but there was nobody around for miles.  Kim told me later on that Talia would often come up to this area to play with her friends.  I view this sacred spot as a portal to another dimension.   Once again on my way down the hill carrying my gear. I saw Talia and Michael arm in arm up above their grave. They both had HUGE smiles and were waving to me. I caught my breath,  acknowledged them and gave thanks. Talia ran to the edge of the knoll  and began to beckon me to come back. However I got the sense that they would have wanted me to stay... and, maybe cross over? I guess I could have climbed back up and sat down with her and Michael and had a conversation... but in my reality I have much more work to do while here on the Earth.  .

Creating Home; Talia's View July 8, 2011


My goal: to capture the space;  light, and sense of space.

I wanted to immortalize this final resting place of Talia and Michael Klein, and I want to help Kim, and all who love them,  to have opportunity to feel at home when they gaze on this painting.

At the end of the first day of painting, after I laid in the masses of color, I wrapped up my gear and started the short hike down the hill. I looked upward to the grave site and saw Michael and Talia standing together; smiling and waving to me!

I stopped in my tracks, did a 2nd take at the apparitions, then responded with a 'Ah...hello', and 'thank you'.  They didn't speak a word. They didn't have to.

I've never seen as clear a physical apparition of a spirit(s) before.  As I descended down the hill again I looked up to see Talia smiling and waving to me. She had run to the edge of the knoll and playfully gave me a huge smile and wave.  I said, "good-by, I'll  be back.

I thought to myself, how cool was that?"  Then I thought...nobody is going to believe me when I tell them about what I just witnessed.

But then again,  I'm sure Kim will...

Talia's View: the Beginning July 7, 2011


Arriving on the spot,  and thanking  spirit, I set up over Talia and Michael's and  grave.

I begin to line in the painting. Staying open, and present, I sketch:  stealing from nature, reconfigure and simplify the elements before me,  and  line-in the contours.

I paint in anticipation of the low light arriving in a couple of hours at sunset.

I want the view to the Pacific Ocean (that body of water which has no memory) to be the ultimate focal point.

I quiet myself and begin to sketch.
I listen to the silence.

Quantum of Solace. July 6, 2011

Place of Peace:  I can't begin to imagine the depths of sorrow a parent must feel at the loss of their only child. Kim Klein took me to the land once played on and treasured by Talia. She visits the place whenever she comes to Santa Barbara; to sit, reflect and,  "connect." 

As an artist, my challenge is to get to the configuration of my subject; to tune in,  tap in, and turn on, so I can empathize with my patron; immortalize this subject on canvas,  and capture the feeling in paint.   I'm faced with a wide vista of possibilities as far as the subject to paint, but it's undeniable that this sacred spot holds memories of a time gone by.  One can't help but feel the nostalgia permeating the air. But because it's present time,  I shall create the word:   Nowstalgic!


I'm feel like I'm being asked to become a psychic medium, or a Trance Channel...

I ask myself, "how can I best be of  service here? 

I must show  compassion, with a  deep sense of detachment.

The Spirit Song of Talia Klein July 5, 2011

Ballad of a Delightful Spirit.

We never know the impact one solitary life will leave on this world.

In my experience I've seen graveyards full of headstones stacked one on top of another; some ornate and recognizable, some anonymous, with names completely eroded. Gone, are they that lye beneath, who've passed this way, and vanished; taking along with them their stories. I can only imagine what their lives were about.

On occasion I am graced with the opportunity to atone with the life of someone who has passed over into spirit. I am commissioned to create a painting, (usually, a portrait of the person), in order to help bring their story to light, or at least keep it alive for their loved ones to enjoy and remember. This humbles me, and it takes me to depths I've never been before.

Personally, I've developed the philosophy that some of us are on long assignments, and some of us are on short assignments. But whatever, my philosophy makes little or no difference in the lives of those grieving for the loss of a child. I can't even begin to (nor would I want) to imagine the depth of solace a parent experiences when fate takes their child away from them, unexpectedly.

Talia Klein was a bright 13 years of age when her light went out, on December 23, 2007. She was a passenger in a small private plane carrying her father, (author Kim Klein's ex-husband), along with her best friend and classmate. Bad weather ensued, wrong decisions were made, and the plane crashed into the side of a volcano in the country of Panama. All on board, including the pilot, were lost except Talia's best friend.

The event made international headline news; Kim's ex-husband was Michael Klein, internationally known hedge-fund manager, whose wealth included islands off the coast of Panama, which included a fabulous resort on one of them, where he often took his daughter and friends on trips. Talia was their only child.

Details surrounding the crash were sketchy and somewhat hypothetical. It took rescuers three days to navigate the dense jungles of Panama and find the crash site. When they reached the site, the miracle Kim had hoped for had vanished. Talia's best friend lived to tell the story as best she could remember.

In January 2011, Kim asked me if I would consider doing a landscape painting for her, from up on some property once owned by Michael, where they buried the ashes of Michael and Talia. She invited me up to see their final resting place.

She took me to an incredible valley up behind Santa Barbara. It looked like Shangri-la. Climbing up on a high grassy knol I took in the view from this sacred spot. It overlooked the Jesusita trail. There is a bench to sit on and contemplate in the silence.

It was here, after seeing this view, I agreed to create a special painting for Kim; a landscape vista that would be painted at sunset, while standing right over the burial site of Talia and Michael. I would tune in to their spirits, listen to their song and create this painting for Kim to keep with her wherever she lives, for the rest of her days.

Photo: Talia Klein, 13

LA Painting: Mas Graffiti Art. June 28, 2011


Graffiti Art is everywhere. No wonder it is an actual form of art, earning it's place in post modern 20th Century.

Some of it is pretty darn good, too!

I once helped hang a show consisting of Graffiti Art at the Cabrillo Arts Center in Santa Barbara. The Curator of the exhibition informed me of the following: Tagging, is when one person spray paints his mark, or graffiti, over another's mark, or graffiti. The sprayer is the "Tagger".

In some gang circles this is considered an act of war, and blood must be spilled.
In dark neighborhoods the graffiti lasts a longer time, but eventually it gets whitewashed over; destroyed, like a Tibetan Sand Painting...

Nothing lasts forever.

L.A. Painting: Oprah's Magic Bus June 27, 2011

Money isn't everything but it can sure move you into the right neighborhoods.

In the darkened streets of the LA Arts District, we were surprised to see this iconic box-car on wheels stuffed away under a street light.

This bus, appeared out of the shadows. Judging by the size and grandeur of the names painted on it, it it was like a rolling Hollywood walk of fame.

I couldn't help but compare this concept to Ken Kesey and the Merry Prankster's Magic Bus called,"Further". Only today, few know or remember who Ken Kesey was, and who in the hell were the Merry Pranksters?

What did William Shakespeare say? "What's in a name?" (This was a loaded question).
The bus is like a rolling Black and White Billboard where the name of the game is: the names in the game draw fame. I thought it was the Oprah Bus (The Biggest name gets Top Billing of course), but I was mistaken. The prankster's have the names plastered on its side: names like, Steven Colbert, Keifer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, etc., which is cool. Apparently they put out more money toward this cause than most).

It's all about ADVERTISING! I've seen Buses at Rock Concerts with marques on them stating, "Know One You Know". So there's the dichotomy; famous names verses the nameless.

This bus has a history worth checking out. Google "1secondfilm.com". The whole concept is based on international collaboration; to create a one second animated film showing 12 paintings, documenting it, then show a list of names of supporters/producers up on the silver screen at the end of the show, for one hour! Kind of a strange idea, but... it's a non profit fund raiser with good intentions; the money raised will go to a worthy cause to benefit The Global Fund for Women.

I noticed the bus was tagged by a graffiti artist. (Is nothing sacred any more?) I guess not, if you are a graffiti artist vying for fame; all the world is your canvas!

www.thomasvanstein.net

LA Painting/Grafitti Art: June 26, 2011




After slipping unscathed through Skidrow's Tent City and the thousand or so homeless living on the sidewalks; we paid a late night visit to the Art District. The gutters were surreally clean; devoid of refuse.

This area is prime for urban nocturne painting with 20th Century Art Deco Buildings, and bridges, spanning the L.A. River, 19th century brownstone warehouses lit with minimal light, and facades constructed out of stacks of shipping palates.

We came across this mural painted by famed photographic muralist "JR",( a Parisian who doesn't quite know what his initials stand for).

In researching this Mural, it was one of three he painted as part of the Los Angeles Freewalls project. I was surprised to see that another soul had come along and defaced the face. They re-configured JR's mural, giving it a more clown, less frown-like expression.

The "Tagger" in question has turned a phot0-realistic portrait of a character, into a his own graphic arts project. The Mural now looks like something out of the Beatles movie, "Yellow Submarine", or an elucidation (hallucination), from a 1960's Peter Max Bed Spread I had as a child. These murals added spice to an urban jungle that's wild.

Either way, this mural is now more foreboding; yet is still strangely attractive to ponder upon. The cubist-like face stares at you as you await the signal's change from red to green.

It is not the oddest thing I've ever seen...