Artist Statement
I regard myself as an artist/reporter, a recorder of people, places and events. In 1947 I found myself sketching on the street corners of Cape Town and of war-ravished Europe. In 2000 I find myself doing the same thing in different parts of the world. It is a compulsion to record a passing moment. A sketchbook commands respect, a degree of awe and instant communication in a way a camera cannot. It is a passport to people. In Portland sullen street kids talk to me. In Egypt I had to employ someone to restrain the crowds that gathered to watch. In Guadaloupe a belligerent man threatened to smash my wife’s camera but ran to fetch his child once I produced the sketchbook. In Italy construction workers abandoned their jobsite to pose for me. In Jerusalem, however, it took a week for me to be accepted by the wary inhabitants. Finally a child explained to another, “He’s not Israeli/Palestinian/Greek, he’s an artist, silly!”
I am influenced by Daumier and Toulouse Lautrec. The drawing and the actual line are important for me. I obtain immense satisfation in realising a situation or movement with a simple pen stroke. I hope to be remembered as a chronicler, that viewers will look at a painting or sketch or cartoon of mine and will say, “Yes, that is right. That is how it was/is!”
Hadassah Magazine
New York
Early Life: | |
1927 | Born Ermelo, South Africa |
1947 – 49 | St. Martins & Beckenham Art Schools, London |
1952 – 58 | Artist Reporter, Cape Times, Drum Magazine, Johannesburg Star |
London Years: | |
1959 – 70 | Political Cartoonist, Guardian, London |
1960 – 65 | Political Cartoonist, Sunday Times |
1964/65 | Runner up Kate Greenaway Medal |
1966 – 71 | Political Cartoonist, Punch Magazine |
Greece and the Mediterranean: | |
1971 – 1983 | “Retired” to Greece and sailed the Mediterranean; illustrated many books and was featured in many exhibitions |
1978/79 | Invited by Jerusalem Foundation to stay at Mishkenot Shaananim |
New frontiers: | |
1983 – 84 | Lived in Geneva, Switzerland |
1984 – 2000 | Lived in Portland, Oregon, travelled the USA, published “Papas’ America“, “Papas’ Greece“, painted horse and cat series, many exhibitions. |
2000 | Died in Plane Crash, British Columbia |
Alan Coren, Editor
Punch Magazine
London
Selected Exhibitions | |
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Portland: Oregon Historical Society 1991 Ritz Carlton Hotel 1991 Chetwynd Stapylton 1991-2000 | Los Angeles: C.G. Rein Galleries 1989 Theofilos Gallery 1999 LA/91, LA/9 Arts Fair |
Houston: C.G. Rein Galleries 1987 Dowmunt Gallery 1980 | Denver: C.G. Rein Galleries 1987 National Portrait Gallery 1971 |
London: Indian Tea Center 1968 Guardian Newspaper 2004, 2005 | Minneapolis: C.G. Rein Galleries 1987-90 |
Jerusalem: Old City Museum 1981 | Geneva: Galerie Weber 1983 |
Washington DC: Senate Office Building 1986 | Khabarovsk: Military Museum 1990 |
Chicago: Grady Galleries 1984 | Palm Springs: Maxims Hotel 1987 |
Boston: Maliotis Center 2003 | New York: Foundation for Hellenic Culture 2003 |
Athens: Gallerie Kourd 1983 Hellenic-American Institute 2004 Theofilos Gallery 1999 |
Retrospectives | |
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Boston Maliotis Center, 2003 | New York Foundation for Hellenic Culture, 2003 |
London Guardian Archives & Gallery, 2004 | Athens Hellenic American Union, 2004 |
Portland Design Source Gallery, 2005 Hellenic Museum, 2015 | Chicago National Hellenic Museum, 2010 |
Demetra, Kessenides, Writer
Greek
American Magazine
SELECTED COMMISSIONS & ASSIGNMENTS | |
India 1967 | Indian Tea Board (paintings and books) |
Jerusalem 1978-79 | Jerusalem Foundation (book) |
Egypt, 1980 | Collins Publishers (book) |
Caribbean Islands, 1982 | Sun Line Cruises (brochures) |
Palm Springs, 1986 | Palm Springs Life (articles) |
Miami, 1987 | Florida Magazine (articles) |
Chigasaki, Japan, 1996 | Shonan Sai Festival (posters and original art) |
Portland 1997/1998 | Artist for Nike Grand Master Games (poster, publicity) |
Portland 1999 | Emanual Hospital (painting) |
Portland 1999 | Greenbriar Inc (paintings) |
Palm Springs, Palm Beach 1999 | Polo America (posters, cards, publicity) |
Harold Haydon, Art Critic
Chicago Sun-Times
SELECTED COLLECTIONS | |
Indian Tea Center, London | Sun Line, Athens & New York |
Stavros Niarchos, Athens | Vorres Museum, Athens |
Fiat, Inc., Turin | Georges Livanos, London & Athens |
James Callaghan, London (ex. British PM) | Old City Museum, Jerusalem |
Prince zu Furstenberg, Munich | Caterpillar Inc., Peoria |
Charter Investment, Portland | Evergreen Inc., Seattle |
Bank of Vancouver, Vancouver | Ferguson, Wellman et al, Portland |
Intel, Hillsboro | Ralph Lauren, Palm Desert |
National Portrait Gallery, London | Gainey Vineyard, Santa Ynez, CA |
Keg Restaurants, Vancouver, BC | Folsom Auto, Sacramento |
Red Lion Hotels, Sacramento, CA | Hilton Hotel, Portland |