WFMU's Velvet Painting Gallery

Visitors to WFMU are often amazed and amused by Station Manager Ken's collection of velvet paintings adorning the hallways of our Jersey City home.  The whole collection is now available for your viewing pleasure here as a set on our flickr site. 

Ken started collecting the paintings about 6 years ago, after the chaplain at Upsala College (who was based next door to WFMU on the Upsala campus) donated 5 paintings he had.  These first seeds in the collection include the "Vampire Lady" and the "Fantasy" paintings (one of which later became the subject of a 'FMU t-shirt).  Ken became interested in the medium and began collecting them, finding many on Ebay.  In particular he was impressed by the ones sold by Bill Robison, a velvet painting collector and dealer who traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, to commission most of the works seen here, including the "Velvet Republicans".  Ken's favorite in the collection is also his most recent aquisition:  Zell Miller, seen above in his Republican National Convention glory.

To the right:  JonBenet Ramsey, Dick Cheney, Osama Bin Laden, and George W. Bush.  The full collection can be viewed here.

Enjoy!

Comments

[Jeff T]

Truly beautiful collection, I real treasure.

[Matt]

Very Important Tip: These types of painting take well to a digital camera's sensor. I found one years ago at a garage sale of JFK, photographed it, and put it in the book I wrote, Digital Art Photography for Dummies.

[Matt]

Another Tip: These types of paintings, not only take well to the digi's sensor, but also make impressive prints when you use the Canon 2200 and print from Photoshop CS/CS2/Elements, using those programs' color decisions (and not the printer's color choices).

[listener colin in Toronto]

And if you are looking for another place to get custom work done, I'd suggest going to Thailand where the art is alive and well. I snapped this photo in a night market in Bangkok. Perhaps one of the Jersey City cityscape at night?

[shawn]

The painting of George W. Bush looks more like Robert Mitchum than it looks like George W. Bush. I wonder if that was done on purpose. Bring 'em on, indeed.

[Ed Word]

Its alot less creepy viewing them from a far, that hallway gives me the willies...

[Chaka]

what's with the mouse?

[William Travis Robison]

I'm not sure if this is an overly spammy thing to do, or not; but I cannot resist: I am Bill Robison of The Patriot Portrait Collectibles of Indignico Inc. and Ken, The Station Manager, is my biggest collector.

So, first off, if these velvets--or at least those which came from me--inspire questions that you MUST have answered, then feel free to write and ask them. ([email protected])

For example: the Mitchum thing? Unintentional bonus. And the rat on Osama's shoulder? It was in the source image I gave to the artist (Ramirez). And it didn't seem photoshopped in, it seemed like it was part of the original shot, and if anything airbrushed out in all the mainstream media's use of the same image.

And secondly, if these velvets inspire a need to OWN one, then write and ask whether or not that velvet you want is in stock and how much? ([email protected]).

And then finally, if you'd just like to view the velvets en masse, go here: http://www.velvetpaintings.com/galleries/galleries.shtml Ok: there you go. And, perhaps: Sorry. And also, Megan if all of that was just too spam for words, then feel free to delete it.

[Scott Rose]

I think the velvet artwork of JonBenet is beautiful. The world should never forget her or her story. I believe, would she have still been amount us that she would have been another Marilyn Monroe. I also have created artwork of JonBenet but I used the medium of semiprecious gemstones and Devonian age marble. I think the velvet art is a magnificient way to remember people.
Sincerely,
Scott Rose