Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 04, 2023

Homage to Isherwood - Berlin Diary

 by Gregg Chadwick



Gregg Chadwick
Berlin Diary
30”x22” ink on paper 2018

Painted as an homage to Christopher Isherwood, "Berlin Diary" depicts a fleeting moment in a city of dreams. As I created this artwork, I listened to the haunting soundtrack from the film "A Single Man" based on an Isherwood novel set in Los Angeles. Painted in ink and gouache over a monotype substrate, "Berlin Diary" combines vibrant color and movement to create a scene of mystery and possibility. Isherwood's life in Berlin from 1929 to 1933 inspired his "The Berlin Stories" which was adapted into a play, a film, and the musical Cabaret. In 1939 he moved to the United States as war loomed in Europe and settled in Los Angeles. Isherwood's life and work helped spur on the gay rights movement. Isherwood's books include the novel "A Single Man" and his autobiography, "Christopher and His Kind." Isherwood died of cancer on January 4, 1986. Isherwood and his lifelong partner artist Don Bachardy were fixtures for years in the Los Angeles artistic community. Author Peter Clothier recently wrote this on his admiration for Isherwood: 

"Isherwood’s early stories and poems were the first I read that spoke directly and personally to a teenage boy who was struggling to find his own voice, his own individuality as a writer as well as his own place in the world. I gobbled up his “Goodbye to Berlin” and “Mr. Norris Changes Trains” as though I had written them myself. Later combined as “The Berlin Stories”, they were clearly fiction only in name, novels that so intimately described personal experience that their main character was called, frankly, Christopher. As a writer, Isherwood saw himself as the hub of everything that happened around him and his work invited this young admirer, gave him permission to do the same."


Isherwood and Bachardy in front of Hockney's portrait 
Photo by Calvin Brodie
via The Metropolitan Museum of Art  

Like Peter Clothier, I began reading Isherwood when I was in my late teens. I was at UCLA and became intrigued by Isherwood and Bachardy while looking at reproductions of David Hockney's 1968 portrait of the two of them. 

On the occasion of a brilliant reading of Isherwood and Bachardy's letters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's MetLiveArts, actor Simon Callow said this about the portrait:

"When David first painted it, he and Christopher were beacons as gay men who were comfortably and unapologetically out at a time when that was very uncommon. It was the apparent effortlessness of it that made it so striking: their relationship was no big deal, they seemed to be saying. So this wonderful double portrait of a gay couple was, in its cool and unaggressive way, an affirmation of the normality of homosexuality, which was somehow even more radical than the already gathering voices of the militants. In a sense, Hockney and Isherwood and Bachardy were saying: 'Some people are gay. Get over it.' Like its 18th-century models, the portrait celebrates the quotidian: being gay doesn't have to be a drama."



#art #paintingsofinstagram #painting  #hollywood #Art #Jan4 #AYearInArt #GreggChadwick 

#ContemporaryArt #ChristopherIsherwood #DonBachardy 

#TodayInArt 

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Love

Sunday, January 30, 2022

Art for Someone You Love

 


Gregg Chadwick
Promenade
7"x5" oil on panel 2021
Private Collection, Austin, Texas

Honored that my painting, Promenade, is included in the new Art for Someone You Love collection on Saatchi Art curated by Erin Remington (Assistant Curator at Saatchi Art). Erin writes,"Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock, Jacob Lawrence and Gwendolyn Knight––art history is full of extraordinary and remarkable love stories. Discover a new work in this collection of artworks inspired by passion, love, and all things romance."



Collectors With Their New Painting at The Other Art Fair, Barker Hangar 2018
Gregg Chadwick 
Love In a Blue Time
7"x5" oil on panel
Private Collection, Los Angeles, California

I enjoy painting couples. I continue to create a series of artworks depicting partners caught in moments of intimacy.



Gregg Chadwick
The Runners
5"x5" oil on panel 2018
Private Collection, Los Angeles

With Valentine's Day coming up I would like to remind you that commissions are available for me to paint you and your loved one. Please contact me at greggchadwick@icloud.com for details. I like to make my small 7"x5"oil on wood panel paintings easily available so they are affordably priced. 


Gregg Chadwick
Timeless
7"x5" oil on panel 2019
Private Collection, Virginia


Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Sunday, February 11, 2018

He Called Her "Lightning"












Gregg Chadwick
Lightning (Edith Desch)
36"x 24" oil on linen 2018




Jersey Memories - Grandma Desch


by Gregg Chadwick

When I was little and my dad was off in Vietnam during the war, we lived in a small, rented carriage house behind a big estate. On the way to school each morning we would walk by the train platform full of commuters waiting for their ride into the city. I knew my Grandpa Desch drove trains and I often wondered as we passed over the tracks on the bridge on Ridgewood Avenue whether he was in one of the engines down below. It's only thirty minutes by train from Glen Ridge, New Jersey, to Penn Station in Manhattan. Yet, there seemed to be a world of difference between my town with its quiet gas-lamp lit streets and the bustling avenues in New York City. The train was the artery between those two worlds and I never forgot it. 





The kitchen in Garwood was where Grandma Desch would spread her warmth. 

In a similar fashion, the quiet evenings at the house where my dad's parents lived in Montclair were a world away from my mom's parents' boisterous home in Garwood. Being one of eleven children, my mom was thrown into a swirl of hugs, greetings, questions, and desires the minute we walked through the door of the Desch home. Small in size, but full of warmth, my grandparents' house was a neighborhood gathering place. A black and white TV was usually on in the living room with a ballgame playing or often on weekend afternoons a pulpy science fiction film. Grandpa would often hold court here on his days off from the railroad. I remember Grandpa mussing up my hair when we arrived in a warm hearted gesture that implied get comfortable and join the fun. I was considered shy as a kid in this environment, and with my Southern California accent, I wasn't quite a true Jersey kid either.  If the living room was Grandpa's domain, the kitchen in Garwood was where Grandma Desch would spread her warmth. Usually wearing an apron, Grandma's world extended from the stove, to the sink, to the screen door leading out to the second story porch. Her meals were hearty and reflecting our Irish/German roots ranged from corned beef and cabbage to sauerkraut and sausages. My favorite breakfast at her house was a plate of browned potatoes fried up in her cast iron pan. 


"What's your exit?"

I remember Grandma giggling one morning when I spread mustard on my bread instead of butter because of a billboard I saw along the New Jersey Turnpike that depicted buttered bread with such a mustardy yellow that I thought it had to be a French's condiment ad. The New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway run the length of the state and at first meeting folks from Jersey often ask,"What's your exit?" Grandma and Grandpa Desch lived off of Exit 136 in Garwood, New Jersey. When we drove there from Exit 148 in Glen Ridge we would often detour through Irvington to grab an Italian hotdog or sausage at Jimmy Buff's. 




Gregg Chadwick
Jersey Rain (Jimmy Buff's)
30"x 40" oil on linen 2016


There are a few classic New Jersey staples: pork roll sandwiches such as Taylor Ham, saltwater taffy at the Jersey shore, and Italian hot dogs at roadside restaurants up and down the state. But, it is the smell of Taylor Ham cooking on a griddle that always brings me back to Grandma's kitchen.


An accumulation of memories

After painting my grandfather in Jersey Central Engineer (Arthur Desch), I was asked by my Uncle Jake to paint a companion piece of Grandma Edith Desch. His wish to honor both of his parents with my paintings of them was of great interest to me. In artworks such as these two portraits, venturing back into my childhood memories is an essential part in crafting a painting. Sadly, my grandmother passed away in 1976 and time has faded even the photographs we have of her. I would have to dig deep and remember the woman that my grandfather nicknamed Lightning. Hearing my extended family's stories of their times with the Desch clan helped me settle upon an idea for my portrait of Grandma Desch. She needed to be in her kitchen and she would need to have a warmth of spirit. Her painting would be built from an accumulation of memories. 


 Gregg Chadwick (center), his brother Kent Chadwick, 
and a group of Desch cousins in Garwood, New Jersey 



Gregg Chadwick
Jersey Cantos
16"x 20" oil on linen 2016

















Friday, November 11, 2016

Love and Protect the Vulnerable Among Us

by Gregg Chadwick

Dear Loved Ones,
As you know Tuesday’s election results have released a toxic brew of misogyny, anti LGBT, anti immigrant, anti global warming, and outright racist actions and rhetoric from out of control Trump supporters.
There is so much hate out there for trans folks - as well as lesbians and gays and people of color.
People have asked me what they can do. First off - love and protect the vulnerable among us.
Words are not enough. Action is needed so that our families and communities feel protected from the hate.

The California Legislature has stated such in no uncertain terms:
"By a margin in the millions, Californians overwhelmingly rejected politics fueled by resentment, bigotry, and misogyny.
The largest state of the union and the strongest driver of our nation’s economy has shown it has its surest conscience as well.
California is – and must always be – a refuge of justice and opportunity for people of all walks, talks, ages and aspirations – regardless of how you look, where you live, what language you speak, or who you love.
California has long set an example for other states to follow. And California will defend its people and our progress. We are not going to allow one election to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, scientific advancement, economic output, and sense of global responsibility."







Here are some actions that you can take now that were originally presented on the Huffington Post by Alex Berg. I have edited and added my own thoughts to her list.
1. Be physically present. Gender nonconforming and transgender Americans already face disproportionate violence and criminalization across the country, which has been exacerbated by laws dictating which bathrooms trans folk can use. Similarly, those in same-sex partnerships still face violence and harassment when together. You can offer to accompany LGBTQ people to the bathroom, walk with us outside, sit next to us on the subway and stand beside us in other spaces to ensure that we have an ally who can provide a physical presence in unsafe spaces.


2. Donate to LGBTQ organizations and people. If Trump and Pence do what they say, queer organizations will be gearing up for legal battles. You can ensure that these organizations can do this work by throwing them some coin. Check out Lambda LegalHuman Rights Campaign, the New York City Anti-Violence Project, It Gets Better Project (to combat LGBTQ bullying), and the Lorena Borjas Community Fund, which provides funding to bail out queer detainees. If you want to donate directly to LGBTQ people, you can search GoFundMe for those raising funds for transition-related healthcare, which is not covered by most insurance.

3. Get involved with your school board or PTA. Parents, this one’s for you. The Supreme Court will hear its first transgender case this spring about Gavin Grimm, a 17 year-old transgender boy who is fighting for the right to use the male restroom at school. Grimm’s case will decide the fate for transgender young people across the country, while Trump has said he would rescind existing guidelines that advise schools to allow trans kids to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity. But, you don’t have to wait for that to happen. Agitate on your PTA committees and before your school boards about their policies for transgender students. Are there gender-neutral restrooms at your school? What are the policies for locker rooms and sports teams? And, are teachers and administrators actively supporting LGBTQ student alliances? Even if you don’t have an LGBTQ-identified kid yourself, you can help bring attention to their safety.

4. Recognize that queer people also face racism and other forms of discrimination. Trump has used racist, xenophobic and Islamophobic rhetoric during the duration of his campaign, which has resulted in an uptick in hate crimes. documented daily on twitter and other social media platforms  LGBTQ people of color face homophobia, transphobia and misogyny that is racialized, meanwhile queer Muslims face profiling as both Muslims and LGBTQ people. We can amplify the voices of queer people of color by sharing their stories and statuses and centering them in LGBTQ spaces. Learning about intersectional identities is just one click away.

5. Become LGBTQ culturally-competent in your field. If you are a doctor, lawyer, teacher, waiter or in virtually any field, you can educate yourself to provide competent care to queer people, use the correct language when coming into contact with us and volunteer your skills to help us. It is difficult to find doctors who can meet our specific healthcare needs, but there are resources you can use to educate yourself. If you are a lawyer, you can volunteer your legal skills to help us navigate the criminal justice system or to acquire accurate documentation. And, if you work in any field, you can educate yourself about correct terminology and always be on the look out for bullying, harassment and violence.

6. Contact your local lawmakers. The backlash against queer rights isn’t just happening federally. North Carolina’s bill #HB2 which walked back LGBTQ protections and made it illegal for trans people to use the appropriate bathroom was a house bill, passed by legislators who were elected at a local level. Find out who your local representatives are and where they stand on LGBTQ rights. Then, give their office a call. Here is a tool by Common Cause that will help you find your elected official -> http://act.commoncause.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sunlight_advocacy_list_page

7. By fastening a safety pin to their clothing, people are declaring themselves allies to folks who have been maligned by Trump and his followers, to show that they stand in solidarity with anyone who might be afraid. 





8. Support progressive journalism such as Mother Jones or the Nation

As the son of a Marine I was taught at a young age how to fight and how to win.
We lost a significant battle on Tuesday night. Our LGBT family and friends are in tears.
They are afraid that their families will be torn apart.
After hugging my wife and daughter this morning, I got to work.
I will fight with my pen, and my brush and my physical presence when needed. 
Feel free to join up with me on Facebook or follow me on twitter. We need to create a movement to prove that Love does trump hate.

So much more to come.
Sending my love
Gregg

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Reading Jana Prikryl's "The After Party"

by Gregg Chadwick





I have been carrying my copy of Jana Prikryl's engaging book of poems "The After Party" with me for a few months now. Before I go out the door, I almost always slip the collection into an open slot in my bag. On recent travels from Los Angeles, to San Francisco, to Carmel, to Milwaukee, to Memphis - Prikryl's book has been with me. Each destination flavors my reading of her poems, almost like memory itself. And in a sense that is what Prikryl does in "The After Party". In her book we travel with her through a series of moments, or times, or places, or memories. Unlike many books where the narrator disappears into the text only to reappear as an overbearing Disney-ride like explicator, in "The After Party" Prikryl joins us on a journey through time. Memory can be like an artist's drawing full of smudged marks, erasures, and fantasies. Prikryl acknowledges this in her poems and lets us glide through her veils of time. From the former Czechoslovakia to the "Thirty Thousand Islands" of the Georgian Bay in the Canadian realm of Lake Huron, Prikryl creates worlds of time-images. I urge you to carry "The After Party" with you. Read it on the train. Find a favorite passage while waiting in line at the pharmacy. Share it with your local barista. The book is that good. Prikryl reminds us that a life is made up of moments, upon moments, upon moments.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

A Toast to Hannah



Communicating the loss of a loved one is never easy. It is best done in person but words alone can also provide light in a difficult time. With deep sadness I have to send on news about the death of our beloved family member Hannah Johnson. Hannah passed away Sunday night in a traffic accident, and her husband Matt is fighting for his life in a hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. (Update on Hannah's Husband Matt: Matt is coherent, awake, conversant and stood up today!!)


Hannah believed deeply that all are created equal and that we all deserve an equal share of human rights. Hannah worked tirelessly for marriage equality in California and New Jersey. 



Pictured in this New York Times photo from 2009 is my courageous family member Hannah Johnson tearing up as she applauds a New Jersey Senate committee vote on a bill to legalize gay marriage. The struggle continues in New Jersey and in California
photo by Richard Perry / New York Times


Troy Stevenson, the director of Garden State Equality, wrote about Hannah's passing:

"This is a horrible loss for our organization, our movement, and many of us personally. The last time I spoke to Hannah was just over a year ago, on the day we passed marriage equality. She was my first call. I thanked her for all the work she and her team put in and we cried together about finally getting the votes we had fought so hard for. She told me then how much all of you meant to her, and how the work she did in New Jersey was the most important work she had ever done... That is the effect you had on her, she wanted nothing more than to bring equality to each of you, and to all of New Jersey. In the coming days, we will organize a memorial to celebrate Hannah’s life, and we will share those details when we have them. For now, I think it is important that we lean on each other for support. Some of you may not have known Hannah, but your fellow Garden State Equality members did, and trust me, she was one of the most amazing souls I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Those who didn’t know her would have loved her if you had, and those that did will love her forever...
As for me, I will never forget her; I will fight even harder in her memory, and I know that each of you will do the same. So, remember, when we win the freedom to marry, and we will win very soon, the first toast goes to Hannah."


For me, I am reminded by Hannah's passing to remember that we are called to take care of each other. Life is precious. Enjoy every second. 
And I know, with Hannah in mind, that I will fight for LGBTQ equality and human rights for all until the end of my days.
As an enlightened sage recently said to me, " Don't waste a single fucking moment of your life."

Love,
Gregg 


A celebration of Hannah's life will be held Saturday, May 25, 2013 at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive, Madison, WI, 53705. 
Hannah's family will be there at 4:00 to welcome friends and family. The service will begin at 5:00. Fellowship and light refreshments will follow the service.

The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to "Hannah's Fund for Matt" 
at Greenwood's State Bank, 117 No. Main St, Lake Mills, WI, 53551.


Hannah Marie Sinsky Johnson LeBlanc, June 28, 1983 - May 20, 2013

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Marriage for All Families: Stories From The Four 2012


Marriage Equality is on the ballot in four states this November: Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington. The Four 2012 has created an active, evolving campaign that brings the issues around Marriage Equality to light. Each day a new video or graphic will be posted and supporters of Marriage Equality are encouraged to repost the content via Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, blogs and emails.  Bruce Springsteen and Lady Gaga are featured in supportive ads on The Four 2012 website.

The Springsteen graphic created for the campaign reads: 
Listen to The Boss

 "The marriage-equality issue should be recognized for what it truly is - a civil rights issue that must be approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the law."

I couldn't agree more with that statement and urge those who support equal treatment for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to let their voices be heard now.
-Bruce Springsteen

 The Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Cory Booker, retweeted the Springsteen image yesterday and added:

 
Cory Booker
Yes, Bruce truly Rocks! RT : Have you seen what The Boss says about marriage equality? CC: 






The Lady Gaga graphic reads: 
This November Vote for marriage equality.

 I think that gay marriage is going to happen. It must.

We are not actually equal - humanity - if we are not allowed to freely love one another.

-Lady Gaga







Marriage for All Families: Stories From Maine


Published on Oct 2, 2012 by 
The first of a four-part series made in each of the states that have marriage equality votes this November, this short shares the experiences of same-sex couples who want to get married in Maine.

They have the same challenges, responsibilities, and aspirations as any other couple--but they are strangers in the eyes of the law. That's why marriage equality is so important: it aligns personality reality with legal reality, as a simple matter of fairness.

The series is produced in association with The Four, a social media campaign to support marriage equality in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington State. Learn more and get involved at http://TheFour.com.

Film produced by Chase Whiteside and Erick Stoll.
Music by Timmy's Work.

THANKS:
Ralph Baldwin, Jonathan Lee, Ian Grady, Marc DiCenzo, Steven Gustavo Emmons, Ryan Davis, Richard Socarides, Brian Ellner, and Jett House.