Monday, August 20, 2012

Dennis Bezanowitz, parts 508 - 511



508. Dennis immediately started to apologize for the green on the Mallard's neck saying, "I can't get the green right, I have rubbed it out over and over again, I am going to try sap green next, the thalo is too acid." On the walls of his studio room were numerous posters all of the work of Andrew Wyeth; I began to have an uneasy feeling about the commission.



509. I showed Dennis the pictures of the work of Franze Kline in my book and I asked him if he would be interested in doing five paintings for thirty-five dollars each, to look something like it. I told him the coffee shop owner would supply the paint and Masonite panels. I will never forget the look of incomprehension on Dennis Bezanowitz's face, as he tried to take in what he had been asked to do. He seemed to think I was making fun of him, or trying to ridicule him.


510. "But these pictures are just big doodles that anyone could do, why don't  you do it yourself, any moron could do it. Not that I think you are a moron, but do you know how many hours I have been working on this duck, here look at this log book, I have already put in fifty hours. This is a real painting, done with oils on canvas like the old masters, why would I want to paint big doodles, when I can do this."  "For the hundred and seventy five dollars, I replied."


511. Dennis agreed to do the fake Franze Kline paintings for the coffee shop, but I had misgivings. I was worried that his perception of the work as 'large doodles' would mean that he would create huge stupid diagram paintings for the place, and not the "abstract expressionism" people were talking about.

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