"Refreshment Time"

Refreshment Time -- Oil, 16 x 20

I found it! Here's the painting "Refreshment Time." For a few minutes I thought maybe I didn't have the painting--I have so many old picture frames up in the attic, with and without paintings in them, I didn't know which box to look in. I painted this in 1962 when I was 19 years old. I'm not sure if I have the perspective correct on the pitcher and table, but I must have gotten something right because the judge for the art show, Dr. Chew, the director of the Westmoreland Museum of Art at that time, made the comment while rapping his knuckles on the pitcher, "Now that's real porcelain!" I never displayed the painting on the wall because I wasn't happy with the background. I should try to do this as a new painting ( I still have the pitcher) with a different background. I like the colors and the way the pear turned out. I did some pears earlier this year just for practice. I will probably post those next to compare.

Another Art Club Painting

Here's another painting I did for an art club exhibit. The art club purchased it and donated it to the Donora Library. I scanned the original black and white photo since it was better quality than the old yellowed newspaper clipping. Too bad I don't have a picture in color. I should go to the Donora Library and see if the painting is still there, if the Donora Library is still there also. Apparently, I titled the painting "Electricity Failure." I actually remember painting this in my attic room in oils with the lights off and a candle lit so I could get the lighting right. Good thing I didn't burn down the house. In case you can't read the caption, it says:

PAINTING PRESENTED -- "Electricity Failure", an oil painting by Melanie Dacko of Belle Vernon, R. D. 1, which was purchased by the Donora Patrons of Art at the 1963 exhibit of the Valley Art Club, has been presented to the Donora Public Library. Here Mrs. Ruth Muoio, librarian, and Rabbi Isaiah Tarshish, a visitor at the library, admire the painting displayed by the artist, Miss Dacko. (on the right). Mrs. Muoio was winner of the "Best of Show" award at the exhibit or her "Still Life." Miss Dacko was winner of second honorable mention for her oil painting "Refreshment Time."

I believe I still have the painting "Refreshment Time" up in the attic where I am living now, but I will have to find it and post photo later.

Art Club Artifact

Here is another art club artifact from my past. The club included members from Charleroi, Donora, Monessen, and Monongahela. Technically, I didn't live in Monessen, but we were at the edge of Rostraver Twp. near Monessen. Members were given a blank cover program booklet for the new year and there was a contest for the design. This is the cover I designed and if I recall correctly, I won a prize of some sort. I should have stuck to doing miniatures--maybe I should be doing the "Painting a Day" in small sizes or ACEO's. I might actually give that a try some time (the miniatures that is). I don't think I could do a painting a day, at least not yet. Too much housework to do. This kind of reminds me of Karin Jurik and her paintings of people looking at paintings in a museum, except my design looks more like a cartoon than a painting compared to her paintings. I think she is an exceptional painter. I would put a link to her blog if I could figure out how to do it.

Introduction

I am starting this blog as a record for me and my family and as a challenge for myself.

The challenge part of this blog for me will be to compare what I did when I was quite a bit younger to what I can do now. Am I a better or worse artist than I used to be? (My hand is not as steady as it used to be and I haven't been painting as much as I should.)

When I was in my late teens and early twenties (about forty years ago) I did some art work that got disseminated around the Mon Valley area (Monessen, Pa. etal) and some in the Pittsburgh area. I don't have pictures of all of this art, but those that I do have I will post and comment on. I will try to remember any art work that I did that I sold or gave away and possible location. When I was living in the Mon Valley area, I belonged to an art club and had several paintings purchased by the art club (patrons prize?) I know where they went, but are they still there? For example, one of my paintings was selected to be donated to Mon Valley Hospital. They used to have it in the lobby at the center of a wall with leaf wallpaper I think. They remodeled, but where is the painting now? I don't have a good picture, but here's what I have.

I don't know who these people are. This painting was done in pastel. My Aunt Rose said she liked the painting, but if you had to sit in the lobby for a long time, the holes in the log looked like two eyes staring at you. I guess this is where adjusting reality to fit composition applies.