Art saved my life - Marvin Franklin, April 13th, 1952 - April 29th 2007
You decide, I have posted a short article from his obituary and collected a few pictures for you to see. The assessment is easy. This fellow deserves an award, our appreciation and maybe just a moment of pause to consider the plight of all these poor souls. Our modern world has spurned the internet, and fast living, and lots of manufactured goods but would this fellow have traded it all to live like John Sargent about 150 years ago? The difference is that John Sargent lived a long time precisely because the living was slower. Both had a keen eye to seeing and drawing. Some might take offense to compare the two artists as John Singer Sargent is one of the masters of all time. its just that Marvin Franklin work combined with the totality of his existence deserves credit. I am glad to have chance to give him just a little bit of notoriety. Maybe if you have a web site you can add a link kind of like a candle for him.
From Art times:
Best in Show” was presented by Commissioner Martha Hirst of NYC's Department of Citywide Administrative Services, to Marvin Franklin, a subway track inspector by night and a dedicated art student at the Art Students' League. His watercolor from his "Homeless Series" won him a year's artist membership in the Salmagundi Club. Several years ago the Club hosted an exhibition of work by people from Law Enforcement and not only work from those who do the artists’ sketches! This too was an excellent idea and helped to encourage and support people who are unfamiliar with the art clubs and organizations to become more involved. Too often people don’t realize that exhibitions at these clubs are open to the public.
art times info@arttimesjournal.com 845-246-6944
Marvin Franklin has earned a place in the Shoosty universe for his dedication and more importantly expertise in executing his drawing and painting. He was recently killed in an accident involving a subway train. He worked on the tracks at night and as an artist during the day. He never was without his drawing pad. His drawings were of real people in gritty places.
I do not know the hand signal of the "dude" from his neighborhood but I am sure that they were deserved.
Like the angels in the Italian Renaissance
Catriel Efrony - Master of Art, Mater of Life - my friend
Catriel
Efrony
My
favorite painting teacher.
It is a funny story how I met him in Sfadt (Tzfat)
(Safed) Israel, 2006.
I was on a tour with my temple trying to give my son
a meaningful Bar Mitzvah so we went to Israel and
spent 12 days touring the ancient cities.
What a great thing to do. ... and I am sure that in a
few years, say 20, my son will awaken his
consciousness and realize we were given and gift of
this trip together.
Meanwhile I learned a few things. First I am a Cohen
as told by my father as told by his and so on. This
means that I am descendant of the high priests. The
only people allowed to cross into the sacred zone
where the arc was kept. Now i tell you this becuase
during our trip it became Sabbath while visiting
Sfadt. This means that everything shuts down. Their
is nothing to do and no where to go. A strange thing
for an American. Well, I was not going to let this
stop me. I had a free day and wanted to walk the
city. I rustled up the guard, Schlomo who is
practicing to be a rabbi. He just happens to wear a
rifle as all kids his age must join the army. Its
kind of refreshing and liberating at the same time.
These kids grow up and reach their full faculties
during the army years. Meanwhile Schlomo was no too
pleased with me. He said "Steven it is Sabbath, you
can not draw and paint on Sabbath" I said "but
Schlomo I am a Cohen!" Now this is not a light
statement since I was in the hold land with a man
training to be holy. A Cohen in the holy land is like
being the president of the united states. this
carries much weight. So he said "Steven it is
written, if a Cohen tell you to do the wrong thing
you should not follow him". It was a mexican
standoff. so I walked and he followed not too happy
with me.
We stumbled upon the artist colony and sure enough
just as I suspected they were all busy enjoying. I am
intentional not saying working. Afterall these are
artists and working was never part of the plan.
It was a perfect sunny day. I made friends with a
Russian fellow. He could speak Russian and Hebrew.
Luckily my guide could speak Hebrew so I was able to
borrow or rent a canvas and paint. What a total joy
this was. Deep in a foreign country, with a full day
to just paint my heart out. I decided then and their
I was staying a few extra days. The Russian fellow
was an impressionist. I felt he was a very nice
fellow but he was painting to survive and surviving
by painting not very forward thinking work. It was
already deeply explored in my mind. But I liked him
and he was pleased with my interest and excitement. A
kindred soul able to speak through a visual dialog.
Later I walked some more and stumbled upon a genius.
Catriel Efrony. This fellow was painting the a kind
of soulful journey using the bricks which are what
makes Sfadt Sfadt. If you have ever been to the red
rocks in Colorado you would understand. Their is
something about sand stone formations that echo
peoples faces and other images. His work is the
epiphany of the city. It is like water flowing
through the rocks and creating a pool which reflects
the place but creates something else. Something
unique.
When you speak about Catriel Efrony you need to use
terms like shape and color, story telling and
heritage. A timeless journey. One that never ends.
but if you focus on the mechanism you completely miss
the point. One word describes his work "Poetry". A
lifetime achievment of ease and willfullness. Each
painting is a visual poetry, the most direct path to
communicating on multiple levels all at the same
time.
You can not achieve a conversation like this with any
other medium. Certainly not as easily as Mr. Efrony
does with just acrylic paint and canvas. the closest
medium would be metaphysics. Can you imagine entering
these spaces? It is a world of mysterious shapes but
somehow when you add the brilliant color and step
back it all makes sense.
As I mentioned I stayed a few extra days. I stumbled
upon the synagogue where the kaballah was expoused to
the world. It is a simple place and the images within
are sadly understated. Maybe that adds t o its charm
but it did not inspire my work plus i did not want to
paint inside the temple where the people praying
might misinterpret my being there. I did not want to
feel uncomfortable or worse out of my boundry.
I learned jsut a little bit about the Kabbalah during
the lecture about htis place. It focused on light,
pure light. Something about a light that escaped.
Some kind of allegory dealing iwth light. As a
painter you can imagine my interest as light is the
discussion all the time. and once again I see this
allergory and a threom a proof of what I have thought
all along about painting. It teaches you to see. Not
like a sharp shooter but to see with the minds eye.
something intangible and something I have chased my
whole life.
more on the kabbalah...
Now just arund the corner from this building there is
a tall stairs and a small park. Not like a park you
have evere imagined but a home that had its roof fall
during an earthquake and converted into a park with a
fine piece of iron work and a simple arch. Behind my
interest in the place was looking for the place to
set off my Bar Mitzvah boy painting. Here I saw a
"stairway to heaven" with an arch perfectly suited to
set off the Bar Mitzvah boy in an ecstatic state of
torah worship. What I did next only "mad dogs and
Englishmen" would consider. I set up my easel right
at this spot for four days. I painting it 4 times.
the first 2 were terrible. Flat and boring. I needed
inspiration and association with greatness. I sought
out Catriel and begged him to work with me for a few
days. It was a very funny and ackward time but I was
insistent and he finally relented. I created my setup
and brought it to his studio. I placed my work on his
easel with him over my shoulder. I watched the master
at work during the day and help as much as I could. I
think it was therapeutic for him as well... yelling
at me "Steve open up, let the paint drip and run" In
the end I had my masterpiece and bought one of his. I
am truley grateful for htis time wiht him and
consider this short period one of the most important
in my painting career.
Pictures of Sfadt, Israel
A close up
of a wall showing the flat facing stone used
everywhere is Sfadt,
Followed by the side of a building in yellow (golden)
light.
This magical city changes from purple (cool) to
golden (warm) everyday depending on the time.
And their are many colors in-between.
Here is an
image of a wall under construction, you can see it is
double sided with rocks and a hollow center which can
be filled for strength.
Followed by an image that shows the quaintness of the
tight walkways all over the city. It is truly a
medieval architecture designed solely for foot
traffic.
More
colors and shapes
A
collection of Catriel Efrony paintings
notice how they reflect the city.
Blowing a jazz like horn in an ancient city. ... or
is is a trumpet like the one that fell and city wall?
Morning for Rabin. The day after he was shoot.
A landscape. The clouds echo the local building rocks
just as every other aspect.
here is a link to more of his work -
Catriel
Efrony
Tel:
04-697-1541
Artist
quarter, TZfat 03-522-9592
Jaime's Bar Mitzvah Joy, 2004 Sfadt Israel, Shoosty
Photos of "Stairway to Heaven" during different times
of day.
Stairway to Heavan, 2004, Photo by
Shoosty