India Witkin's video about her talented grandfather!

Hello!  I have a video to share that was co-produced by India Witkin, granddaughter of artist Jerome Witkin and a student in the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.  I invite our "Witkin watchers" to enjoy "Architect of Dreams," which is just a few minutes long.

 https://vimeo.com/125202329

Link to You Tube video of Jack Rutberg's 2014 interview with Jerome Witkin

Hi, everyone! I am posting a link to a 2014 interview that Jack Rutberg did with Jerome Witkin in conjunction with the Texas National at Stephen Austin State University. I must state that I am not thrilled that someone saw fit to remove all of the links that I've posted to the Jerome Witkin Wikipedia page over the past couple of years, but I figure I can share things on my own blog! The interview runs a bit over 53 minutes, but is worth a listen for those who want to know about Jerome and his work. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3N7l5MXkj0

Happy 75th to Jerome Witkin: WCNY Arts Talk interview from 2011 now available on Soundcloud

A happy 75th birthday to artist Jerome Witkin, and also to his twin brother, photographer Joel-Peter Witkin!  By way of celebrating this milestone birthday, I have again made available my 2011 interview for the WCNY-FM Arts Talk series.  Since the Arts Talk postings are unavailable on WCNY's website now, and since I no longer use RapidShare due to the now-prohibitive cost, I have posted the interview on SoundCloud.  (Thanks to WCNY Vice-President for Radio and TV Jim Aroune for allowing the use of the interview).  The interview originally aired on 11 September 2011, in conjunction with the "Drawn to Paint" exhibition at Syracuse University. It has also been shared on the Jerome Witkin is AMAZING Facebook group.  Here's the link; enjoy! https://soundcloud.com/marie-lamb/jeromewitkin091111 

Catching up, and some things for our "Witkin watchers"

Hello!  It's been a few months since I have posted, and a lot has happened.  As some of you may know, I had to give up the "DXing with Cumbre" radio program earlier this year due to a heavy workload at WCNY-FM.  Although I'll certainly miss it, I did the program for 18 years, and some things have to take precedence, such as work and helping to run the radio station.  I hear from many of you via Facebook and Google Plus, and feel free to keep in touch.

As for the photo, it is of world-famed photographers Joel-Peter Witkin (left) and Christian Witkin (center); of course, on the right is my friend and a frequent subject of this blog, renowned painter Jerome Witkin. Jerome and Joel-Peter are identical twin brothers (Christian is Jerome's son), and they have had a joint exhibition in Los Angeles called "Twin Visions," which has attracted a lot of attention.  This exhibition of paintings from Jerome and photography from Joel-Peter is at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts in L.A., and has been held over through the end of May.  Those of you who are on Facebook can find photos and more at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Rutberg-Fine-Arts-Inc/217280261669440 

Some other links related to the Witkins and their exhibition are here.

Story from Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-review-brothers-witkin-at-jack-rutberg-20140505-story.html

Story from the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/edward-goldman/separated-and-united-by-a_b_5235988.html

You can also hear and download a two-art interview with Jerome and Joel-Peter at the website of KCBX radio in Santa Monica; the show was for the "Ears on Art" program.  http://kcbx.org/post/jerome-and-joel-peter-witkin-twins-and-internationally-known-artists

From the Hollywood Times: http://thehollywoodtimes.net/2014/04/16/a-tale-of-twin-visions/

Also, I'd like to congratulate Jerome because of his honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degrees from Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Connecticut; he recently spoke at their graduation ceremonies.  More at this link: http://www.theday.com/article/20140517/NWS01/140519732/1018

Congratulations to both Jerome and Joel-Peter on the success of "Twin Visions," which was many years in the making; we're very proud that this has finally happened, and that it's been such a success!

I hope to have more time to post on this blog again; thanks for your patience, everyone!

Jerome Witkin to speak at William & Mary on Monday, 10/7/13

Hello, everyone! I have not posted much due to work, and also due to a recent case of food poisoning. However, I am taking a little time to let everyone know that Jerome Witkin is speaking at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA on Monday, October 7th.  More information about it here on the website of the Virginia Gazette:

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-figurative-painter-jerome-witkin-will-lecture-in-free-event-at-wm-on-monday-20131003,0,1366476.story  (Photo: Jerome Witkin's "Self-Portrait in Red and Black")

More for the "Witkin Watchers"--a two-part interview!

I have not forgotten all our Jerome Witkin fans!  I just found a link to a website that has audio of his two-part "Ears on Art" interview from KCBX-FM in San Luis Obispo, California!  You'll need QuickTime to listen, but that's free to download.  Our thanks to Thomas Butler for sharing this on his website, which has lots of informative stuff for artists, educators, students and anyone with an interest in art.  To hear both parts of the interview, just go to http://www.tomsclassnotes.com/Site_7/Witkin_Interview.html  and enjoy!  

For Martin Luther King Day: "The Insult and Young Martin"

For this Martin Luther King Day in the USA, I am sharing "The Insult and Young Martin" by Jerome Witkin (of course!) in tribute to Dr. King's memory.  This is a very large work, which I have seen in 2011; it took up a large wall in the XL Projects Gallery in downtown Syracuse.  I wish that this photo were big enough to do this justice, but you can only show so much on a computer screen. (If you click on it, that will enlarge it a bit so you can see more details.) Luckily, it will be in the "Drawn to Paint" exhibition when that retrospective of Witkin's work comes to the Palmer Museum at Penn State University in February 2013.  If you can get there, please do, so you can see this and many other Witkin paintings and drawings!  More at https://artsandarchitecture.psu.edu/news/drawn-paint-art-jerome-witkin

For the New Year, more videos of Jerome Witkin at LCAD!

Happy New Year, everyone!  I just found this link to a YouTube video by Eric Minh Swenson of Jerome Witkin from his recent visit and show at Laguna College of Art and Design.  Enjoy, and as JW says, "May all good things visit you!"

And here are more from MFA critiques at LCAD:

And two lecture videos from LCAD:

Videos of Jerome Witkin's November 2012 visit to Laguna College of Art & Design

For our fans of artist Jerome Witkin, I have links to two videos from his November 2012 visit to Laguna College of Art and Design in California.  They are on Vimeo, and anyone may watch them, but you have to join Vimeo and sign in if you wish to comment; it's free.

The first link is to a drawing demonstration in an art class.  The video is just over 11 minutes.  It is, of course, sped up to fit into a short video, but it's fascinating to see JW at work, as if you're looking over his shoulders.  They also include some of his remarks to the students, especially about the importance of studying anatomy.

http://vimeo.com/54575943

The second video shows JW visiting the studios of a few students and giving crits of their work, along with various insightful comments.  It runs about 11 minutes.

http://vimeo.com/54600770

BTW, the photo above was taken while Jerome was at LCAD.  There's a set of 47 photos, including this one, on the school's Facebook page.  Here's a link to the album; Facebookers can "like" the LCAD page, and then check out the photos here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151268501648128.501608.91173713127&type=1

More info, and another poster, for Jerome Witkin at LCAD

I have found another poster for Jerome Witkin's show and talk at LCAD, and here's a link to more information: http://www.lcad.edu/news.php?id=299  (BTW, the woman in the drawing is Rebecca Stronger. I have seen this in person; it's a remarkable drawing!)  I've also received a link to a news story about the show, which will include this painting, "Parking Lot off S. State Street."  It's an urban landscape painted in Syracuse, New York, where Witkin has lived at taught at Syracuse University since 1971.

Here's the link to the story about Jerome's exhibition and talk: http://stunewslaguna.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6931:jerome-witkin-110612&catid=12:front-page-archive&Itemid=14 

Jerome Witkin to give artist talk in Laguna Beach, CA!

If you are near Laguna Beach, California, or will be on November 13th, one of this blogger's favorite subjects, artist Jerome Witkin, will speak about his work at Laguna College of Art and Design at 2 P.M. Pacific Time. I don't know if the school plans to provide online video or audio of the lecture, but if they do, I will let everyone know!  BTW, the title of the painting shown in the poster is "A Boy and his Mother: The First Chair," and it dates from 1999.

Jerome Witkin interview by Marie Lamb now available here!

For our Jerome Witkin fans, I am now sharing my September 2011 interview with him here at "On the Lamb."  It runs about 17 minutes, and was originally on WCNY-FM on September 11, 2011 for "Arts Talk" in conjunction with Jerome's "Drawn to Paint" exhibition at Syracuse University.  Since the "Arts Talk" web page is being taken down from the WCNY site due to the end of the series, I am sharing this interview here.  Here is a link where you may download the audio as an mp3 file or listen to it.  I hope you enjoy it; it's my personal favorite of all the interviews I've ever done in almost 25 years of radio!  https://rapidshare.com/files/209554161/JeromeWitkin091111.mp3

For Jerome Witkin fans: a brand-new official website!

(Photo: "The Two Of Us: Bergen-Belsen and Israel" from JeromeWitkin.com) 

We'll have a new DXing with Cumbre show this week, after our technical woes.  However, I know that some of you also enjoy the artwork I share here from time to time, including that of Jerome Witkin, who did the "Marie Lamb, The Chatterbox" portrait of me.  I have something to be chatty about today!  A few months ago, Jerome told me that there would soon be a new official website for his work.  I got a Google Alert about it this morning, so I am sharing the good news about JeromeWitkin.com !  Although webmaster Andrew Saluti mentions that the site is a work in progress, there are a number of Jerome's pieces you can see there, plus some YouTube video links and contact information for Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, the art gallery in Los Angeles that represents Jerome.  You can leave your comments, too, and Andrew Saluti invites Jerome's fans to check back often for updates!  Congratulations, Jerome; it looks good so far, and it's well-deserved!

As promised..."Marie Lamb, The Chatterbox!"

As promised in several places, I am delighted to share my portrait! It was painted by (who else?) Jerome Witkin. Mr. Witkin decided to paint me after I interviewed him for WCNY-FM in September of 2011; the offer was unexpected, but I took it, and it changed my life...no exaggeration!  Jerome worked on the painting in the fall of 2011 and in the spring of 2012. He suggested that I borrow it for display at WCNY-FM, and of course, I accepted such a generous offer! When I went to hear Jerome's talk about Karl Schrag at S.U. on September 18th of this year, I was surprised to learn that he had the painting ready for me to take back to the radio station! Jerome and one of his students got the painting into the back seat of my car, and it just barely made it in there! The painting's title is "Marie Lamb, The Chatterbox." Its title, the chattering wind-up false teeth, and the radio in the background are humorous references to my quarter-century in public radio. The photo does not do justice to this magnificent painting, which is on a pretty grand scale!  However, I hope you enjoy it, and words are not enough to express my gratitude to Jerome, not just for this incredible painting, but for his wonderful friendship and support, the greatest gifts of all!

P.S.: This photo of me with the portrait was taken on September 27th by one of our WCNY ReadOut volunteers, Patty Wilkowski, who has been following the progress of this project from the beginning!  I had a set of wind-up teeth on my desk, so we got a plate from the station kitchen and turned the teeth loose while Patty got the picture!  

Remembering 9/11: "Taken" by Jerome Witkin

For 9/11, I am sharing a picture of Jerome Witkin's multi-panel painting called "Taken." As Jerome has mentioned in interviews, he had a cousin who was a first responder in New York on that day. She died of cancer after inhaling the chemical-laden dust and debris while working to save lives at the World Trade Center. He did this monumental work in tribute to her, to the other first responders, and to all whose lives were taken on that fateful day. As Jerome himself said in a 2010 talk at Indiana University, "It is a privilege to paint such difficult things." You can hear Jerome Witkin discussing this powerful work, and his art in general, in this WCNY Arts Talk interview from September 2011 at https://soundcloud.com/marie-lamb/jeromewitkin091111  There is also some more about it here: http://imagejournal.org/imageupdate/35_031001.htm  This small photo does not really do justice to this large-scale work, but I am sharing it here today to remember Jerome's cousin and all the others who died 11 years ago on this date, or in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Jerome Witkin to present gallery talk on Karl Schrag exhibition on Tuesday, 9/18

(This news is from the S.U. Art Galleries.  For all the Jerome Witkin fans in Central New York and beyond who follow his doings on this blog, you're invited to attend!  Please come and give our "J-Man" a good crowd!  Thanks, and hope to see you there--Marie)

Jerome Witkin, Professor in the Department of Art at Syracuse University, will open the 2012-2013 Syracuse University Art Galleries lecture series at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 18, in the SUArt Galleries in the Shaffer Art Building.  Witkin on Schrag: A Conversation with Jerome Witkin focuses on the current exhibition Karl Schrag: Memories and Premonitions, on display until October 21.

A student of Karl Schrag’s at Cooper Union College, Witkin will present a gallery talk and walk visitors through the exhibition of prints, drawings and paintings.  A unique component of the gallery talk will be Jerome Witkin’s perspective on Karl Schrag as a mentor and teacher, as well as an artist.  Considered one of America’s most important living figurative artists, Witkin celebrates over 40 years of teaching, the majority of which has been at Syracuse University.

The exhibition Karl Schrag: Memories and Premonitions is the first major examination of the artist’s work since his death in 1995.  The exhibition includes 70 original works of art by the influential artist, including paintings, prints and drawings.  Curated by SUArt Galleries Director Domenic Iacono, the exhibition highlights numerous prints from the Syracuse University Art Collection, as well as loaned work consisting of paintings and drawings from the artist’s family.

Witkin on Schrag: A Conversation with Jerome Witkin is free and open to the public. Complete information and related programming is available by visiting the SUArt Galleries website at suart.syr.edu.  Parking is available on campus in the Q4 lot. Please notify the attendant you are here for the lecture in the SUArt Galleries.

About The SUArt Galleries

The SUArt Galleries strives to provide the best possible environment for art appreciation and scholarly development. No photography will be allowed in exhibition spaces. For approved, press-ready images, please visit the exhibition website. 

The SUArt Galleries, accessible through the Shaffer Art Building on the SU campus, enhance the cultural environment of SU and the Syracuse area through meaningful educational experiences and encounters with the University's permanent collection and traveling exhibitions. It is the main campus venue for the visual arts and home of the University's extensive permanent collection. The facility hosts a variety of temporary and permanent exhibitions throughout the year. The SUArt Galleries is a member of SU's Coalition of Museum and Art Centers (CMAC).  There is a link to more information at http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2012/suart-lectures-09-12.html  Also, our friends on Facebook can learn more, and invite their friends, at https://www.facebook.com/events/447993801910511/ 

(UPDATE: Allow me to wish Jerome and his twin brother, noted photographer Joel-Peter Witkin, a happy 73rd birthday!  Marie Lamb, 9/13/12)

For our Jerome Witkin fans....

Since some of the people coming here for Cumbre DX info have become interested in the art of "On the Lamb" title creator Jerome Witkin, whose "Self-Portrait Standing in the Snow" is shown here, I'd like to invite any Facebook members to join the group "Jerome Witkin is AMAZING," a group which was founded a few years back by one of his students, artist Nicole Troillet.  You can check it out at the link, and apply to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2226674884/

UNC Asheville talk by Jerome Witkin from January 2012: 2 video links

I'm sharing links to the video of Jerome Witkin's talk at UNC Asheville on January 18th, 2012.  The video is available for viewing or for free download. Part 1 is 24:12 and is at http://www.viddler.com/v/ab31b2 and part 2 (about 31:00) is at http://www.viddler.com/v/b17607d7 .  Very informative, especially for those getting acquainted with Witkin's work.  Enjoy!  (BTW, an unfinished version of the "Marie Lamb, Chatterbox" portrait is at around 28:00 into the second video. Jerome had me sit for it again about two months after this talk was given; thus, the finished product is very different from the original shown in the video.)

Jerome Witkin extrait ted YouTube sharing

Jerome Witkin pour le web YouTube sharing