Found Objects II: Bill Colt, Step by Step

Maroon Sunset by Bill Colt

In my last blog, I talked about two artists who recycle materials to create unique art pieces. There’s another artist at Wilde Meyer who also is into recycling, using old newspapers and magazines as a background for his acrylic paintings. Bill Colt goes to antique stores and flea markets to find old magazines, comic books, engineering manuals and random reading material.



Tuskegee's Finest by Bill Colt

Bill’s a corporate pilot, and some of his paintings include pieces of aviation maps, old Pan Am ads and aviation engineering manuals. His collage technique is pretty methodical, as you can see from the interesting photos he was willing to share when he was creating his painting entitled “Estelle,” which Bill was commissioned to do for  Del Frisco's Grille, a new restaurant in Phoenix.

To start, he creates texture on his canvas with joint compound and bits of things like cheesecloth. 

Then, he collages pieces of his printed materials on the canvas with gel medium. In this photo, you can see the vintage ads he uses. I like the one for Duz soap – I think that was from the ‘50s. The blonde woman smoking the cigarette reminds me of Betty in “Madmen!”



As the creative process takes over, Bill draws his image in charcoal (I can still see the Duz ad and Betty.), and then paints with acrylics, covering agood portion of the collage work.

To finish, he glazes his painting with a product that deepens and enriches his colors. Here, Estelle is looking right at us in a very engaging way, and although there is really no correlation between the cow and the old ads, the images work very well together. The owners of Del Frisco liked this painting so much, they commissioned Bill to do another version for their restaurant in Washington, D.C.

Estelle by Bill Colt
48"x48"

The different papers give Bill Colt’s artwork an additional dimension and an element of graffiti. Like Charles Davison, Bill’s paintings can be enjoyed at a distance, and then examined up close to see what’s beneath the paint. That makes these paintings especially interesting to me.

Artistic Challenges: Commission Paintings

Most artists have been asked to do a commission piece at some point in their career. Like many things, there are pros and cons to this request. It’s always flattering to know that someone likes your art, and it’s nice to envision making some money. But one must take a deep breath and realize that creating a painting to someone else’s specifications is not always easy.

So, should you or shouldn’t you? I guess that depends on your temperament, and how well you could work with someone who is not an artist but has an “artistic” vision.



"Our Colorado Country" acrylic on canvas 48" x 84"
by Stephen Morath



Detail: "Our Colorado Country"
by Stephen Morath



In the case of Stephen Morath, an artist exhibiting at Wilde Meyer Gallery, a recent commission proved to be a major undertaking, concluding in a very interesting painting. The work, entitled “Our Colorado Country,” was commissioned by a Colorado couple who saw one of Stephen’s paintings at Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs. They wanted a similar painting, but requested some specific elements be added to the work. The result is a complex 48”X84” painting that depicts the Colorado landscape as well as the life of this couple.



Detail: "Our Colorado Country"
by Stephen Morath



 

If you look carefully, you can see the couple seated on a bench, looking out at the landscape ahead of them. The orange VW Beatle is a car that once belonged to the wife, who is also shown riding a horse.

The two cats belong to the couple; the license plate is theirs, as is the house number on the mailbox. They like old movies; hence the movie camera next to the bench. They also enjoy old records, so Stephen added a Victrola.



Detail: "Our Colorado Country"
by Stephen Morath

 
 





 There are many more items from their list, including an airplane with a Red Cross symbol (she was a nurse with the Air Force); their house on a hill; a falcon; wine glasses and a book. (By the way, the man in the clouds with the guitar is John Denver – that was Stephen’s idea to depict the spirit of Colorado.)



Detail: "Our Colorado Country"
by Stephen Morath







Detail: "Our Colorado Country"
by Stephen Morath









 So, does all of this work?

According to Stephen, the couple is very happy with their painting, and while it took longer than expected, he enjoyed their collaboration. Sometimes an artistic inspiration can come from sources other than the painter himself!