-FASINATING ART-IT JUST IS-

JEAN FRANCOIS MILLET

"THE GLEANERS"



MILLET'S "THE GLEANERS',A RARE PAINTING OF RURAL LIFE IN THE VERY EARLY PART OF THE 19TH CENTURY HAS THE GREAT HONOUR OF BEING THE

CENTRAL INSPIRATION TO TWO OF THE WORLDS MOST FAMOUS AND CONTROVER-

SIAL PAINTERS-VINCENT VAN GOGH AND SALVADORE DALI.THOU BOTH PAINTER'S

HAVE TOTALLY UNIQUE STYLES THAT SEEM TO HAVE LITTLE IF ANYTHING IN COMMON-THERE IS A THREAD THAT CONNECTS THEM.AS ARTISTS THEY BOTH

POSSESSED A SINGLE MINDEDNESS TO PUSH THIER ART TO THE LIMITS OF THIER

OWN CAPABILITY-NOT TO BE CONSTRICTED BY OTHER ARTISTS,THE PUBLIC OR

THE SALON(S}.

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT "THE GLEANERS" THAT INSPIRED BOTH PAINTERS TO

IDOLIZE IT ?BOTH ALLWAYS HAD A COPY OF IT WITH THEM AND REFFERED TO IT

OFTEN."THE GLEANERS" IS A VERY UNUSUAL PAINTING FOR IT'S TIME.PAINTERS

SIMPLY DID NOT PAINT PICTURE'S OF PEASANTS AND COMMONERS BEFORE

"THE IMPRESSIONISTS".I'VE HAD A COPY MYSELF SINCE I WAS 8-MY GRAND-

FATHER OWNED A CONACO GAS STATION AND THEY GAVE AWAY PRINTS{WITH

A FULL TANK OF GAS}.I STILL HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME AS I WRITE THIS.OF ALL

THE ART IN MY COLLECTION0I HAVE OWNED THIS PRINT LONGER THAN ANY

OTHER-IN FACT I BELIEVE IT IS THE OLDEST POSSESSION I STILL HAVE.I ALLWAYS
FOUND THE PAINTING FASINATING AND AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL-BUT I COULD NOT
TELL YOU WHY-IT JUST IS.
I

-GUITARISTS-PLAYING FAVORITES-

CHOOSING THE BEST GUITAR PLAYERS IS SUBJECTIVE AT BEST AND
BIASED AT WORSE.FIRST,THERE IS THE MATTER OF GENRE.I WAS PLAY-
ING SOME LIVE SHOW'S IN HOLLYWOOD AND A RUSSIAN CAB DRIVER
ASKED ME WHO WAS A GOOD NON-ROCK PLAYER-SOMEBODY WHO
PLAYED IN A STRAIGHT ARTISTIC STYLE-ABIT JAZZY-BUT NOT TO FAR
OUT-I SAID "PAT METHANEY".
THEN YOU CLASSICAL GUITARIST'S LIKE "SEGOVIA" AND ACOUSTIC
AUTURES LIKE "LEO KOTTKE".
MOST PEOPLE ARE THINKING OF ROCK GUITARISTS WHEN THE
QUESTION IS ASKED AND EVEN WHEN YOU NARROW IT DOWN TO
ONE GENRE IT'S STILL A SUBJECTIVE MATTER.EVERYONE HAS THIER
FAVORITES.I REMEMBER READING AN INTERVIEW WITH ERIC JOHNSON,
JOE SATERINI,AND YAWANGIE MALSTROM ONCE."KURT COBAIN" CAME
UP AND SATERINI AND MALSTROM WERE QUICK TO POINT OUT HIS
LIMITATION'S-JOHNSON ON THE OTHER HAND NOTED THAT COBAIN
NEVER LOOKED AT THE GUITAR WHEN HE WAS PLAYING-AS IF HE WAS
PLAYING BY PURE INSTINCT-AND THAT IMPRESSED HIM GREATLY !
JOE AND YAWANGIE WERE SURPRISED BY THIS REVELATION AND QUICKLY
STATED THAT THEY COULD NEVER PERFORM SUCH A FEAT.LOOKING
AT THE GUITAR WAS AN INTREGAL AND NESSASARY PART OF BOTH OF
THIER PLAYING STYLE'S AND ONE THAT IF TAKEN AWAY WOULD MAKE IT
IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO PLAY.SO THEY ALL GAVE KUDO'S TO COBAIN
FOR HAVING THIS RARE AND UNIQUE TALENT.

WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-2009-COPYRIGHT-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED