I knew that my sister, Barb, at a low time in her life, just couldn’t face being a software engineer anymore.  She had been writing code for decades and she had had enough.  She got a job at a video store and it gave her enough of a break that all kinds of new inspiration came to her.  She returned to school and got her MBA.  And she pursued her passion, which was training for voice over work and learning multi media.  It really got her moving again.  I decided to find something to do to get me out of the house and get me moving!

These economic times have eliminated so many possible jobs that my only option was to find a volunteer gig and I started volunteering at our local whole foods, organic coop, Briarpatch.  I work in the wellness department dusting shelves 3 hours a week on Tuesday morning.  I love it.  I take great pride in my obsessive-compulsive need to put all the vitamin bottles back in neat rows with all labels facing the same way.  The best thing is that it really got me going.

I started thinking about selling sculpture again and promoting Jeff and the monuments.  Ideas started coming again!  And I started being led to opportunities.  I thought maybe we could connect with interior decorators and we went to the Sacramento Home Show to hopefully meet some.  There weren’t any.  But, whom we did start meeting was landscape designers.  Landscape designers led to pool designers who led to architects.  Architects let to art consultants and galleries and public art administrators.  And all of a sudden, we have a sculpture in a show at a very well respected gallery in Oakland.  These are areas that we never pursued but it feels like just the right place to go now.  It’s time that Jeff is known outside of our little circle.  It’s time that he takes his place with the other masters of our time.

And it all started with dusty shelves.  We’ll keep you posted about our journey.

For Jeff, it is about leaving his legacy.  Of course, all of his bronze sculpture will be around for a thousand years but he loves the idea of a monumental sculpture of his surprising and delighting the world centuries after he is gone.  He likes the idea that his ideas and creativity will live on after him.  We envision the permanent home maybe being an Olympic venue, World’s Exposition, a major city or even a theme park.

For me, I love the look on someone’s face when they first look through the sight hole of any of the monuments.  It is a paradigm shift.  Most people have an expectation of what they will see when they look at “The Eye of the Creator.”  They are prepared to politely listen to Jeff’s explanation of these abstract shapes.  They show some interest in all the faces. When they get their first glimpse of the world through the sight hole, there is a reaction that is identical with almost everyone.  First, they look surprised at what they see then they start smiling.  That first glimpse is like Christmas morning, or a new snow or an unexpected present.  It is unexpected and fun.  In addition, I have seen it over and over again with almost everyone so I know that with the monumental version will be even more fun.

Imagine looking up at five or six story monoliths (the final size is dependent on whoever partners with Jeff to build it).  Faces that are 10 feet tall suspended above you and just when you think you have seen them all, an eye of the one you are looking at becomes the eye of another one next to it.  You see one face that reminds you of your dad.  Some of them are reminiscent of figures from history that you know you have seen before.  Some are just new and wonderful.  However, the size is what is amazing.

Have you ever been to see Mt. Rushmore?  The faces are huge but you can only see them from far away.  “The Eye of the Creator” will be right there in front of you.  You will be able to place your hand on the bronze.  It will be an experience to remember.  Then you will climb the stairs to the sight hole.  Most people will know what they are expected to see but when you actually look at the world, made up of the monoliths and faces that you have just intimately explored, it will be a “monumental” experience for everyone.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the children’s reactions.  We don’t get many young visitors to the studio but the ones who have seen it all do kind of the same thing.  They look through the sight hole and see the world.  They don’t always seem to believe their eyes and move back to see the monoliths one more time.  They go back to the sight hole again and reassure themselves that they really did see what they thought they saw.  I notice them wandering back a few more times for just one more look.

We are actively seeking the company, city, state, country or individual who will partner with us to build the monuments.  We have five different designs each designed to be approximately 50 feet tall and 150 to 200 feet long.  It is a revenue, recognition and good will generating proposition for the partner and if you know anyone that should see it, please direct them to our video and proposal at www.jefftritel.com.  You are all invited to the unveiling as soon as the first one is built.

Audiences and sponsorships are well documented in sports, but until recently, little has been known about Arts audiences. How do they compare?

Over one-half (56%) of those with an interest in the Arts say they would “Almost always” or “Frequently” buy a product sponsoring Arts or Cultural events over one that does not. In contrast, according to previous Performance Research studies, only about a one-third (36%) of NFL fans, one-third (34%) of America’s Cup yachting enthusiasts and less than one-fifth (17%) of the 1996 Olympic Games audience chose products based on their sponsorships. (The highest sponsor loyalty numbers have traditionally been seen in motorsports, where as many as 72% claim to preferentially select sponsors’ products)

Even more revealing was that almost one-half (48%) of Americans with an interest in Art and Cultural events indicated that they hold a “Higher” trust in companies that sponsor these events compared to those who do not, while only 16% of Olympic Games enthusiasts claim a “Higher” trust in their sponsors.

What does all this mean for corporate connoisseurs? For those brands marketing to a more refined audience, there is ample opportunity. According to the nationwide study, this new breed of art and culture consumers sketch themselves as “Family oriented”, “Active”, “Mature”, “Fun loving”, “Traditional”, and “Socially liberal”. They can best be described as married (58%), middle income ($30-$60K), baby boomers (average age 47) with a penchant for traveling. These consumers with an interest in the Arts are brand loyal purchasers that appreciate corporate involvement and are not yet inundated by the advertising and sponsorship clutter so apparent in other pastimes.

So has the picture been painted? ….. Does this study predicate a corporate free-for-all in sponsoring events such as last season’s Philadelphia Cezanne exhibit or Boston’s Opening Night at Pops?

Not necessarily. Although most forms of advertising used to promote corporate art and cultural sponsorships are widely accepted, the audience did have their “beaux des Arts” standards, particularly eschewing affiliations with alcohol, beer, and tobacco companies. Curiously in addition to the above “sins”, in a list of over twelve possible promotions, “Lobby based auto displays” were specifically identified as “Inappropriate” in the world of art and cultural sponsorship.

Performance Research measured the nationwide art and cultural audiences in an independent study of over 600 respondents ranging from occasional (1 per year) to frequent (5 per year) visitors of Museums, Galleries, Performing Arts or Cultural Events.

What information is on a Certificate of Authenticity?
Our Certificates of Authenticity state the name of the original owner, the name of the sculpture, the edition size of the sculpture, the specific number in the edition that this certificate is authenticating, purchase date and Jeff’s signature.

How is an artwork authenticated if there is no Certificate of Authenticity?
An artwork can be authenticated by the artist, if the artist is still living, or by a recognized authority on that particular artist if the artist is deceased.  Art authorities are found at auction houses, museums and universities.

I purchased my Tritel Sculpture on the secondary market and I have no Certificate of Authenticity.  How do I have it authenticated?
Jeff is happy to authenticate his sculpture.  The sculpture should be shipped to us in Grass Valley for Jeff to make a positive identification.  He will then issue a Letter of Authentication stating that the sculpture is indeed an original Jeff Tritel.

I am selling my Tritel Sculpture.  What kind of document will transfer ownership most effectively?
A document should be created stating that the original owner is transferring ownership to the new owner.  And the original Certificate of Authenticity should accompany this transfer document.  These documents become part of the provenance of the artwork which is the history, origin, location etc.

When is a sculpture not an original?
As the value of an artwork increases, there are art pirates who will duplicate an artwork and try to pass it off as an original. Molds are made from the original and castings made from those molds.  Often there is very little quality control and almost no thought given to the intent of the artist.

I received an art education in those three months that has served me ever since.  I was very fortunate to be traveling with Jeff because Jeff has three degrees in art one of which is in Art History.  He had studied slides, books, movies and photos of all the great masterpieces and great artists throughout history and he knew his stuff.  He had just never seen most of the things he studied in person.

We spent the three months looking at every sculpture, painting, cathedral, fountain, garden and castles that we could get to.  I learned about Picasso while looking at all of Picasso’s great works and understanding the progression of his genius.  I learned about Rodin, Renoir, Van Gogh, Rembrandt and on and on and on all while looking at the work they had done and all during the entire time I had Jeff sharing stories, anecdotes, history, comparison and art fundamentals.

I had thousands of wonderful experiences but two things really stand out in my mind.  First was learning about Picasso.  I thought I knew a bit about Picasso.  I owned a print of “Hands with Flowers” which was my favorite (and still is).  But I learned the story of this incredible talent who was so good that as a child he was able to paint and at the age of 13 was admitted to the Barcelona School of Fine Art.  I remember a portrait of his mother that was painted at the age of 8 that really impressed me.

The other significant experience that I had was seeing Michelangelo’s “David.”  When Jeff and I walked into the Academia and I saw this magnificent sculpture for the first time, I was unable to stop the tears that started cascading down my face.  It was such a powerful and moving experience!  The 16 foot tall marble looked so lifelike that I thought I could see it breathing!  Jeff and I both had such a dramatic experience that a year later, when our son was born, we named him David.

It was such a wonderful education.  I wish all of you could have the same advantage of seeing art through the eyes of an artist who loves art.  Art is the history of emotion, of discovery, of new ways of looking at the world.  It is not always pretty but all good art is emotionally moving.  I’m so grateful that Jeff gave me the gift of understanding art and the artists who create it.

Most artists become identified with a recognizable approach to their work.  Van Gogh, Renoir, Seurat and Cezanne are all generally classified as impressionists, but you would never mistake the work of one as the work of another.  Rodin’s sculpture is fluid and heroic, Roy Lichtenstein’s comic-book style is unmistakable and Alberto Giacometti’s attenuated and highly textured figures are uniquely his own.

Picasso is an entirely different animal.  He experimented with everything and mastered it all.  Realism, no problem.  Abstraction, piece of cake.  He was equally at home with scathing satire as well as joyful celebration of life.  His work went from matchbooks to monuments.  His good friend Georges Braque once stated that he hated to show new work to Picasso because he would immediately absorb the new idea and then turn around and do a new and better version of it.

Picasso, like Da Vinci, was one of the great creative minds of the world and any show of Picasso’s work is an event not to be missed.

On occasion, I have been criticized for not developing a single style like a “mature” artist.  I just remember Picasso and smile.

A sculpture picnic!  I thought what a good idea!  We could bring food, sculpture (new and old), a badminton net, music, mosquito repellant and us and you could bring food, a ball and bat, sunscreen and you and maybe a friend or two.  We can visit , talk about sculpture, play a few games and relax while we renew old acquaintances.

I need to know if you think this is a good idea.  Our first one would be in Contra Costa county in the beautiful park on Center Ave. in Martinez.  (This is the first location because my sister, Barb, lives across the street from the park and we can stage from her house.)  The park is friendly, has special areas that we can reserve, easy to get to and has lots of parking.  I am contemplating early May.

What do you think?  Please let me know if you like the idea, would like to come to the picnic in Martinez, have an idea for a park in your area (just Northern California for now), want to suggest a different venue to get together or any other topics pertaining to Jeff and I getting together with you.  If you want you can call me at 530-268-1048 or email me at tritel@tritelstudios.com or leave a comment here.

I remember the man in Bakersfield, California who, observing one of my male nudes, asked, “Why don’t you at least put a loin cloth on him?”  “Loin cloth?!?!  Well, I would if I was sculpting Tarzan of the Apes.

In truth, penises were not my idea.  I do think that they were a good idea but I didn’t think of them.  I am simply affirming that this is what people look like.  We’re beautiful.  And we are what we are.  I remember the old Wendy’s commercial; “Parts is parts!”

In December, 2005 a two ton bronze sculpture by renowned sculptor Henry Moore was stolen from the 72 acre Henry Moore Foundation in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, England.  The sculpture, valued at over 3M£, was melted down and sold as scrap metal probably for around 1,500£.  The Foundation issued a reward for the return of the sculpture of 10,000£!

Reclining Figure by Henry Moore stolen from Henry Moore Foundation and sold for scrap

Art theft is on the rise.  Up over 500% in the last three years, not all sculpture is taken to be melted for scrap.  Occasionally art is “stolen to order” which means that a rare or unable to be purchased artwork is stolen by thieves in the employ of a wealthy art collector who will go to criminal acts to own a particular work of art.  These artworks are seldom recovered because the new “owner” is very careful to keep his new prize a secret.

When an artwork is stolen to order, I can understand wanting to own something so beautiful that you can’t live without it.  Art is a very valuable commodity.  You can have almost anything custom made.  You can order cars, home theatre systems, houses even a furless cat but it is almost impossible to commission a masterpiece.

Masterpieces happen from the passion of the artist.  Often the artist was commissioned by his patron but masterpieces are a serendipitous blend of timing, inspiration and skill.  And, when an artist is deceased, we have no chance of ever having more creations from that particular artist.  So, my astonishment that so many sculptures are being stolen for just the value of the metal is overwhelming and raises a number of questions.

What has happened to our society that the arts are being valued less and less?  To have so little regard for an artistic masterpiece that thieves could actually cut it to pieces to sell it for salvage causes the same outrage that I feel when I contemplate British soldiers using the face of the Sphinx for target practice.

The Sphinx showing damage caused by British soldiers using face for target practice

Is this a by-product of the elimination of the arts being taught in schools?  Is our faster, newer, more technologically advanced society losing its connection with the things that give life its color and its flavor?  One of my favorite quotes is “if you have two loaves of bread, sell one and buy a lily.”  In Europe the arts are so valued that families plan the purchase of a beautiful ceramic or sculpture the way American families plan the purchase of a big screen television or other bigger, faster, newer, soon to be obsolete item.

Do I have an answer?  I don’t even have a suggestion.  When the economy tanks the first thing to go is support for the arts.  Fortunately, I know that the pendulum always swings back the other way.  I’ve seen it so often over the last few decades.  When the economy is bad, the arts suffer.  When the economy is good, support for the arts returns.  But never quite the way it had been.  Artists will always create.  They are driven by the passion inside them.  The question that is uppermost in my mind is whether our society will continue to protect and revere the creations of our generation’s artists.  Only time will tell.