My great mentor and friend, Arthur Stern is a renowned architectural glass artist. Based in Benicia, California, Arthur has been working for 40+ years. He is primarily known for his complex and elegant public installations of original glass work, found in in 38 US states and 6 countries. He also makes glass screens, sculptures and paintings. He is a master of geometry and refracted light. I have had the privilege of being his assistant over the years on many projects. His great generosity of materials, studio space or work when I needed it, and investment of knowledge and time has taught me so much about how to tread the path of a professional, visual artist.


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Professor Om Prakash Sharma, of India.
(December 14, 1932 - July 19, 2019)

MY EULOGY: It is with a deep sadness that I say ‘arrivederci e grazie’ to my wonderful teacher of art, my guruji and mentor in painting, the Great Soul, Professor Om Prakash Sharma, who passed this mortal life into eternity this past year, due to natural causes and old age. He was cremated on Thursday, and his ashes were spread by his children into the Ganges River at Haridwar, where the river meets plains.

I knew Om’s paintings were something truly special the moment I laid eyes on them. Unlike anything in the west. Om was a true genius, a true artist, as well as a committed teacher and professor, gifted musician and sitar player, and an insightful scholar, possessed of a golden mind and sharp intellect well into old age, not to mention a loving husband, father and grandfather.

He was such a giant of an artist in my eyes, and his accomplishments pile up over the course of his long life. Om Prakash (also known as prof. O.P. Sharma) left a massive body of thousands of beautiful paintings, created over 7 decades of practice, each one different and unique, like blossoming flowers of creativity. They were “offerings” he told me, within them one finds masterful color and composition, and images of tantric union, temples, mandalas, goddesses, and ragmalas (musical paintings).

Although he was in a Brahmin caste, he grew up poor like so many in India, and with no encouragement in art from his family. But he persevered, and eventually gained his degree and after exhibiting for several years he was presented with many awards, including the Fulbright Scholarship. It was this scholarship that allowed him to first come to New York City, where he enrolled in Columbia University (Robert Motherwell was his advisor) and classes at the Art Students League, and became friends with Mark Rothko, John Cage, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, and many other New York City artists of the early 1960’s. He also held concerts of the Indian sitar, including playing at Lincoln Center. He would run around the city with his friend Pandit Ravi Shankar (they had the same sitar teacher) exploring the city’s cultural offerings and visiting studios. He eventually returned to Delhi to take up teaching posts and raise his family. From 1961 to 1981, Sharma served as the head of the art department at the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, teaching art to architects, which he loved and where they gave him a spacious studio and flexible schedule. In 1981, Sharma was appointed as the Dean at the National College of Art, Delhi serving until 1992, doubling its size. He told me that although the pay and prestige was better, (He was now the top academic artist in India) the studio provided was much smaller and the time commitment was so great he had little time to paint in these years.

He became primarily famous as the founder of the “Neo-Tantra” movement of Painting, which took the geometric and mystical ideas of Indian tantra as a departure point for beautiful, glowing modernist paintings. Overall he had over 100 solo and group exhibits around the world, and his work is in many important museum collections. 16 of his works are in the National Gallery in Delhi, at least 4 on permanent view when last I visited. He traveled, lectured, exhibited, and wrote books, and was a meticulous record keeper.

I only knew him the last 6 years of his incredible life, but his impact on me was great. He changed my whole approach to art and painting. I met him through his son Yogesh, who introduced me to his work and who eventually invited me to India with him on a trip to meet the master. Om was so very kind to me, generous with his knowledge, a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. He really showed me how to paint, to control my colors and technique, to be ordered in my compositions. Just watching him work and going through his finished canvases was an education in itself. He taught me about Indian art and architecture, and I got to stay with him in his house and studio in Delhi, travel with him on a life-changing trip to his ancestral village of Alwar, visit a famous museum collection of Indian miniature paintings, as well as a trip through the Punjab and saw a great seihk temple, to the modern city of Chandigarh, and into the foothills of the Himalayas. We visited the exiled Dalai Lama’s temple there together in Daramsala, and marveled at the Buddhist tankha murals. He told me many stories about his life, and growing up, and his world travels, and about tantra, spirituality, and art. He was unvarnished in his critical assessment of my own art work up to that point, followed by suggestions on how to improve, but that was a really good thing for me, and helped me grow immensely in my practice. (One of my great regrets is that I never got around to sending photos of my latest works of this year for him to see, which I know he would have approved of and finally seen much of his timely lessons coming to full fruition.) In 2016-2017 I had helped to organize an exhibit of 90 of his best works here in Northern California. He actually traveled all the way here for the opening and it was a great treat to spend more time with him, and learn about his time with Rothko and in New York. He was truly a great artist and teacher.

It is my wish for the future to one day establish a permanent gallery of his work here in the US, to educate the people about his legacy, about Neo-Tantra art, and the beauty of his accomplishment in the Arts. I can only hope to have a career as long and as illustrious as his.

The world is a little darker now that his light has left us, but for my own part I strive to let the lessons, spirit, and light and color he imparted to me live on in my own paintings, and in this small way preserve a little of his great spirit.
I miss you guruji, and pray May the Lord Protect You And Keep You Close.

Professor Om Prakash Sharma (December 14, 1932 - July 19, 2019)
"OM TRIYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHE, SUGANDHIM PUSHTIVARDHANAM, URVARUKAMEEVA BANDHNAN MRITYORMRIKSHIYA MAMRITATT"
-Mahamrityujaya Mantra
(...chanted for the uninterrupted travel of departed soul to its final heavenly abode)

To learn more about him go here:
Om Prakash Art Legacy Project
or visit Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_Prakash_Sharma_(artist)


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Kaji Aso sensei, (1936-2006) was a beloved professor of mine at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Sensei taught me Watercolor painting but actually he taught me so much more, especially about balance and process in painting, how to see color as an experience, and how to cultivate a zen-like approach to mark making as an expression of the life force. Sensei had a wonderful easy and gentlemanly manner, and he valued and honored his students.
Kaji Aso was what I consider a true Renaissance Man. He was a master of many visual Arts, including painting, Japanese brush ink calligraphy, etchings, and sculpture among others. His art is in the collections of museums around the world, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. Thirteen of his works are registered as Japanese National Properties. He wrote hiaku poetry, philosophy essays, and short stories. He was also an accomplished Zen Tea Ceremony Master, and he had a beautiful, authentic tea house built into the ground floor of his studio/residence, the first such structure in Boston. One Spring day, I was blessed when he performed an unforgettable tea ceremony for me.
In his prime, he ran in and completed the Boston Marathon 36 times (a 28 mile run), and he led groups of students on kayaking trips down many of the world's longest rivers, including the Nile (Egypt), the Volga (Russia) and the Mississippi (US) among others.
His approach to life was elegant, refined, traditional, and dignified. Kaji Aso's mastery of Arts and his zen philosophy was so infused into his life and teaching, it permeated everything he touched with a refined beauty.
If you ever find yourself in Boston, I encourage you to visit his studio/gallery and learn about this great man.
He is greatly missed.



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I have been truly blessed with finding the friendship of my spiritual brother and mentor, Israeli composer and musician Yuval Ron. Yuval is a great creative light, a true World musical genius who tours his ensemble all over the globe playing sacred music, an Oscar winning film composer, a teacher, lecturer, and a peace activist. He has really taught me so much about how to be a gentle soul, lead others to truth, and to be open to the divine creativity in my own life.

To support his charity work "Inspired sound Initiative", which brings music to disadvantaged children, click here:
www.inspiredsoundinitiative.org


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Gallery Sam was founded by art collector and dealer Evan Morganstein, in Oakland CA. With a focus on abstract 20th and 21st century painting and sculpture, Gallery Sam has a large inventory of fantastic works, and also represents many living, established artists as well as artist estates. The gallery participates in approx 4 national contemporary art fairs per year and is open by appointment. Find them on artNet.com and Facebook, or click on the name above.



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Tim Kent is one of the most talented painters working in New York City today. His large impressive work in oil painting is rooted in the classical tradition of European painting, engaged with history, landscape, the city, and social commentary, all passed through a deconstructivist, contemporary lens. He's whip smart and super talented. We met when we were both young, broke unknown artists scraping by in New York city. I’m happy to be able to call him my friend for almost 20 years.

I have been blessed with the friendship in recent years of this talented artist and fellow Son of Italy, Anthony Pinata, who I met while we were working at the Oakland Museum. He's a talented painter from a talented family of artists, a new dad, and an all-around terrific fratello.

Friend and past collaborator, Ben Levy's LevyDance is one of SF's premier contemporary Dance companies. Hosting a bi-monthy Salon here in San Francisco, the company also is an incubator and showcase for artists and performers of many mediums. I had the pleasure of doing several 'live' painting events over the years at the Salons, and it was always enjoyable to meet SF's rising dancers and musicians.

As a sensitive, artistic boy I sometimes used to get bullied in grade school. That is, until I began studying Martial Arts with the great Sensei Daniel J. Duffy (1948-1991) at his dojo of traditional Kyokushin kai Karate. Here, from the ages of about 12 to 16, twice a week I kicked, punched, sparred, sweated and “KIAI’d”! I learned discipline, confidence, strength, fortitude, courage, control, and how to defend myself. I trained, I won tournaments, I learned to use weapons, and face my fears. I gained inner qualities that I carried with me into adulthood and which marked my entire life, thanks to Sensei Duffy. He was a truly great man, and he left us too soon, in the prime of his life.

Sensei Duffy graduated from Lynn English High School and then immediately joined the Marine Corps. He served during the Vietnam War, and held the rank of sergeant when he finally left the corps. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, and joined the Massachusetts State Police in 1974. Officer Duffy worked as a road trooper in the Andover, Concord, Foxborough, and Grafton barracks area and at Logan Airport, before being assigned as a drill instructor at the State Police Academy in Framingham MA.(Hoo-ah!!) There he trained troopers as well as local police through the Criminal Justice Training Council. He taught state police cadets firearms instruction and motor vehicle law, but his specialty was self-defense. He held a fourth-degree black belt in karate and operated a karate class at the YMCA in Franklin, which is where I first met him. Sensei Duffy's first exposure to the Martial Arts began in 1965 with the study of Shotokan Karate and Judo. This nearly life long fascination with the Martial Arts brought him to also formally study Ryu Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Chuan Fa, and in his opinion, the best of all styles, Kyokushin Karate. Sensei Duffy was also a "branch chief" in the hard Japanese 'knock-down' style of Kyokushin karate, one of only 10 people in the United States to hold that title in 1991.
Sadly, Sensei Duffy passed away at Southwood Hospital in Norfolk Massachusetts in 1991 after a lengthy fight with cancer. He was only 43. Trooper Martin Driggs, his close friend, said that Mr. Duffy stayed on the job despite occasional hospitalizations for radiation and chemotherapy for the cancer he fought for 12 long years. He had never given up fighting.
I would visit him sometimes after his surgery at the hospital, and he never minded. At his funeral, he was given full State and local police Procession, and full military Marine Honors, (taps, rifle salute, flag folding) It was clear by the huge procession and turnout that he was beloved and respected by Military men, policemen, churchmen, local families, politicians, kids he taught karate and hockey to, just about everyone. He was laid to rest in Franklin Cemetery. He was a deeply revered man.
For me, he was a great teacher, and I was proud to know him, and I still value what I gained in his teachings, and honor his memory to this day.
Rest In Peace, Sensei.

My wonderful Alma Mater...
Some of the best years of my life were spent at this wonderful school, which at that time was a branch of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which is across the street. It is now a school within Tufts University.

Im thrilled to have been accepted into this wonderful graduate school, run by the Western Order of Dominicans, and where I will be focusing my current studies into Theological Aesthetics.