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Best Documentary -IGFF for
Independent Film "Highly Recommended. A variety of experts and collectors in the arts provide commentary on Alvar's works and themes, and Alvar himself comments on his inspirations. Together they form a concise overview of the artist’s endeavors. He seems to be completely in love with life, and that love translates into the beauty of his creations." -EMRO Review "I love Alvar's iconography. He uses so many images and pictures to convey a message; similar to what was going on in medieval times and during the Renaissance and Baroque periods." -Dr. Leslie Hammond, Appleton Museum of Art, Ocala, FL "Alvar, through his art, wants people to see beauty in the simple, every day objects of life, as well as in human relationships, and in the color of nature and earth." -Marjorie Agosin, Wellesley College "I believe that Alvar's broad appeal as an artist arises in his unique ability to integrate the culture of the Mediterranean past with the culture of the Mediterranean present." -Montserrat Puertas, Dept. of Culture of Cataluña This stirring and inspirational documentary celebrates the vision and art of one of Spain's major living artists, Alvar Suñol. One of the most collected artists in the world, with a loyal and growing following that now spans three generations he is best known around the world simply as "Alvar." Recognized for painting, lithography, sculpture and ceramic work, he was commissioned for monuments in Paris to honor Pablo Casals, and in his hometown of Montgat, honoring Mediterranean culture. Respected actor Monte Markham is the voice of Alvar, as this program weaves the artist's highly personal and immediately recognizable imagery throughout, telling his lifelong story. Shot on location in Spain and the United States, here we see and learn how his art evolved, and we are at once absorbed into Alvar's "universe" - an idyllic world of nostalgic fantasy, where villagers interact with one another in harmony, where lovers unite, where parents watch over their young, and all break bread together. Here we not only learn of the artist, but also of his message, to learn to listen to the music of life, to enjoy the arts and to celebrate the harvest of earth's bounty. Produced by ASV Productions, Inc. 07DR JSCA 44 min. |
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Creecy: Celebrating the Art and Life of Herbert Creecy |
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"Highly Recommended!" This is a touching tribute to the imaginative, abstract expressionist artist, Herbert Creecy, who was known for his signature art of 'multi-color squiggles arrayed in dense compositions'; he painted such notable works as "In the Eyes of the Birds," "Valley and Cloud," and "Whistling Wind." Instead of seeking the limelight and fame in New York, he chose his home in the South and was hailed as 'one of Georgia's finest artists.'" -National Media Review "Dynamic art mirrored the life of Herbert Creecy." -Catherine Fox, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution "Creecy's influences ran broad and deep, reflecting a passion for nature, an acute awareness of his environment, and an examination of issues; he explored space and color, pushed materials to new effects, and sought to engage the viewer both conceptually and viscerally." - Debra Wolf, Art on the Mark Herbert Creecy, best known for his impressive abstract expressionist paintings, was born in 1939 in Norfolk, Virginia, and grew up in Buckhead, the fashionable district of Atlanta, Georgia; after attending the University of Alabama, he graduated from the Atlanta School of Art in 1964. His paintings have been chosen by many of America's finest museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, NY, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, the Akron Art Museum in Akron, OH, the High Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia in Atlanta, GA, the Indianapolis Museum of Art in Indianapolis, IN, the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FL, the UCF Museum of Art in Orlando, FL, and the Housatonic Museum of Art in Bridgeport, CT, which helped him gain fame as one of Georgia's most important artists. Although cancer claimed his life in 2003, Herb left behind a legacy of paintings, drawings and sculptures for all to enjoy. Besides seeing the artist doing the work he loved so much, what makes this heartwarming biography even more touching are the personal perspectives from his friends and colleagues, including Gudmund Vigtel, David Heath, Catherine Fox, Alston Glenn, Mary Comstock, and the producer Alan Stecker. Produced by ASV Communications, Inc. 08DR JSCA 30 min. |
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Best Arts Documentary -NY Intl.
F&V Festival Silver Award: Best Art Doc -Telly Awards Outstanding Entry: Silver Award -Davey Awards Artist Patrick Dougherty, also known as the "Stick Man," is an internationally acclaimed sculptor who has created over 175 site-specific sculptures throughout the world, including Crossing Over at the American Craft Museum in New York City; Toad Hall at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden in California; Childhood Dreams at the Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona; Nine Lives at the Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, Ohio; Trailheads at the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh; and Twisted Logic, which is the focus of this documentary, at the Grounds for Sculpture, the 35-acre public sculpture park located in Hamilton, NJ, founded by the renowned American sculptor J. Seward Johnson. A native of North Carolina, Dougherty combines carpentry skills with his love for nature, using sticks and tree saplings to twist, weave and wrap his medium into immense, organic sculptures. What makes this exhibition and program so unique is not only do we see the artist build his sculpture firsthand, but also he involves scores of volunteers from the community to assist him with the creation, integrating their suggestions, while constantly sharing his vision of the final work. Produced by BG&V Productions, LLC. 08DR IJSCA 52 min. |
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Leonardo da Vinci World Award of
Arts Winner -The World Cultural Council "Recommended. Well known for her mother-child subject matter, and as a colorist who paints in an impressionistic style, Edna Hibel produces a wide variety of fine art and collectibles, including paintings, giclees, lithographs, serigraphs, porcelains, music boxes, and dolls." -Library Journal This biographical documentary is not only a complete study of Edna Hibel's work, but also presents a personal perspective of this "lady of the fine arts," including candid interviews with the artist and memorable reflections by family and friends. In this context we see how Edna's life experiences influenced her art and artistry, and discover that beyond her personal success has been a continued effort to reach out to charitable causes to help promote the universal message of peace and love. Lastly, we are treated to a profile of one of the great artistic events in America, HibelFest, where we get the unique opportunity to see a painting demonstration by Edna, to meet the artist in person, and to view hundreds of examples of her works of art in a variety of mediums, each created "with love, Edna Hibel." Produced by Chip Taylor. 08DR JSCA 52 min. Associated Programs: Edna Hibel 2: A Personal Portrait and Edna Hibel 3: Hibel's Russian Palette |
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"Recommended. This documentary is well done. Viewers see
how Edna Hibel's life experiences and travels shaped her art and artistry.
Examples of her work are beautifully photographed and showcased. The program
highlights pivotal events in an extraordinary, inspiring life. Video
technique and effects are outstanding, editing was judicious and effective
resulting in a film suitable for adults of all ages." -EMRO Review Told as only a close member of the family could, this documentary presents a personal portrait of artist Edna Hibel by her granddaughter, Sami Plotkin. Offering candid interviews with the artist and memorable reflections by family and friends, we learn how Edna’s life experiences influenced her art and artistry, and discover that beyond her personal success has been a continued effort to reach out to charitable causes to help promote the universal message of peace and love. Produced by Chip Taylor. 08DR JSCA 30 min. Associated Programs: Edna Hibel 1: With Love, Edna Hibel and Edna Hibel 3: Hibel's Russian Palette |
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"Edna Hibel - always the working artist - has painted an
exquisite portrait of Russia here." -Ed. Media Review As an artist Edna Hibel is a living legend, and in this remarkable program we have the rare opportunity to view her in a unique setting - as the only woman ever allowed to film a documentary in the former Soviet Union. Here she weaves frank interviews with ordinary Russian and Ukrainian citizens in a variety of cultural settings against the backdrop of Russian visual, architectural, dance and musical arts to reveal the unraveling of the former Soviet empire. She balances her own sense of wonder about Russia with a variety of never-before-seen visually artistic scenes, including the last recorded interview of the Hermitage's late director, Boris Piotrovsky. Produced by Edna Hibel. 08DR/CL JSCA 60 min. Associated Programs: Edna Hibel 1: With Love, Edna Hibel and Edna Hibel 2: A Personal Portrait |
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Pierre H. Matisse 1: An Artist of Love and Freedom |
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Pierre H. Matisse is a grandson of the renowned artist,
Henri Matisse, arguably the most important French painter of the 20th
century. Pierre in his own right is a remarkable artist, as is his life
story that dates back to memories of he and his father joining together to
assist the French underground against the Nazis during World War II. Pierre
is filled with memories of Henri, and naturally his art instinctively
reflects the sensual colors and sense of beauty he inherited from his
grandfather; however, he is very confident of his own individualism as an
artist, he is an "emotionalist," an artist of love and freedom, pushing "art
to the next level of understanding." In this candid biography, we not only
gain a personal insight into Pierre H. Matisse's incredible life story, but
also we discover facets of art that only an artist with his unique insight
could share. It is filled with a multitude of examples of his original art,
including complete series of his paintings, sketches and paper cuts.
Produced by Chip Taylor. 07DR Level 1 - JSCA 50 min. Level 2 - CA 52 min. Associated Program: Pierre H. Matisse 2: A Workshop With Pierre - The Art of Paper Cuts |
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2002 Salt Lake Olympic Poster
Artist: Pierre H. Matisse Henri Matisse, considered by many the most important French artist of the 20th century, applied his understanding of the relationship between color and shape to his famous paper cut creations. His grandson, Pierre Henri Matisse, is a remarkable artist in his own right. Pierre is also known worldwide for his mastery of paper cuts, each an original of his own, but certainly inspired by his famous grandfather. In this special program Pierre volunteered to put on a workshop to demonstrate the art of paper cuts. Here viewers get the rare chance to see the step-by-step process by a living master of the art. Also the program concludes with a visual display of a select number of Pierre’s most beloved paper cuts, including the Official 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Poster - Bobsled. Produced by Chip Taylor. 08DR IJSCA 30 min. Associated Program: Pierre H. Matisse 1: An Artist of Love and Freedom |
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"Recommended. Salazar expounds on the meaning of his
work, art versus commerce, and other topics; also quotes from Matisse,
O'Keeffe and Picasso are interspersed." -Booklist Popularly known as "Salazar," Roland Rose is a unique artist who inspires artists and lovers of art with his commitment to "pure" art, "painting what's inside you, painting what you feel." In this biographical program we see his abstract-expressionistic paintings confirm his devotion to painting for the joy of expressing his feelings, not solely for commercial gain. With Salazar each original is unique, there are no copies. Inspired by his time spent in Maine and Mexico, here we see examples of the artist's major works, while learning of his life, his philosophies, and a Jewish heritage he discovered late in life. Produced by Chip Taylor. 08DR JSCA 45 min. Also available in Spanish Associated Program: Salazar 2: "Four Seasons of the Master Myth" Associated Collectible: Maine Lobster Platter |
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A companion piece to the biography, Salazar 1 (Roland
Rose), this program was personally written and narrated by the
abstract-expressionist artist Roland "Salazar" Rose, who reflects on the
"seasons of the spirit" - "what it is to live a life and what happens in
life." Produced by Chip Taylor. 08DR JSCA 30 min. Associated Program: Salazar 1 (Roland Rose) Associated Collectible: Maine Lobster Platter |