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Pop-up exhibition includes art of late Phil Hartman

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Phil Hartman delivered a lot of laughs but there was a lot more to the Brantford-born entertainer than great comedy, says Mike Tutt.

“A lot of people don’t realize this but prior to getting into comedy he was an artist who created more than 40 album covers and other original art,” Tutt said. “He was a graphic artist for about 20 years and I have originals of some of his early work, which I’ve included in this pop-up exhibition.

“The idea is to generate some interest for a series called the Art of Hartman focusing on his graphic arts career.”

Tutt’s pop-up exhibition at 84 Market St. opened Friday night (June 28) and continues June 29 and 30 from noon to 5 p.m.

One of the Hartman works featured in the exhibition is called ‘Screw Head” created on October 21, 1967.

“It’s an original pencil drawing and apparently Phil created this as protest against the Vietnam War,” Tutt said.

The exhibition also includes pencil drawings of still life objects.

“They’re amazing and really show his talent and there is also a drawing of a model that he did in 1968,” Tutt said. “I also have some samples of his album cover work and other examples of his work.”

Born in Brantford on Sept. 24, 1948, Hartman co-developed the character of Pee-wee Herman, spent eight seasons on Saturday Night Live and was the voice of multiple characters on The Simpsons, including Troy Mc-Clure, Lionel Lutz and Lyle Lanley.

In 1997, Hartman was added to Brantford’s Walk of Fame, now Prominence Point, at a ceremony that he attended, marking his first return to the city since leaving as a 10-year-old.

Hartman died May 28, 1998 after being shot by his wife Brynn Omdahl while he slept. She died by suicide hours later.

More than a decade later, Hartman was posthumously inducted into the Canada Walk of Fame in 2012 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014.

Earlier this year, Brantford city council approved plans to honour Hartman with a large mural on the Sanderson’s Centre east wall in the city’s downtown .

Work is underway on a documentary that focuses on Hartman’s early work as a graphic artist. The documentary covers Hartman’s story, beginning in Brantford, the family’s move to California and Los Angeles. The documentary aims to highlight the relationship Hartman had with brothers John and Paul. John became one of Hollywood’s top music agents, manager and promoter working with the Grateful Dead, The Doors and Jefferson Airplane among others.

The documentary is being led by Kim Saltarski, of Amazing Ain’t It Inc.,  who is the executive producer and director, and Karen Hawes, producer and writer, who are working with Paul Hartmann and Tutt.

Plans also call for The Art of Hartman, The Gallery Exhibit Tour that is expected to include multimedia displays, clips from the documentary and never seen before home movies.

Tutt’s pop-up exhibition this weekend is also a 40th anniversary celebration of one of Tutt’s creations.

“I was living in Toronto at the time and I wanted to do something with my art to remember 1984,” Tutt said. “I took a gesture drawing that I can done a few years earlier because I thought it gave a feeling of what 1984 would be like from George Orwell’s book 1984.”

A gesture drawing is sketch of a subject, usually a human being, that is done quickly.

Tutt printed 500 copies of his gesture drawing and sold for $10 at several downtown Toronto locations. He then added other images to the print including hockey great Wayne Gretzky and former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Both prints are part of his exhibition as is one autographed by current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“What’s interesting about the one signed by our current prime minister is that the autograph closely resembles the style of my drawing,” Tutt said.

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A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

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LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.

More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.

The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.

They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.

“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”

It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.

Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”

Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.

“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

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In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone  BBC.com



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