PHOTOS
This is the headline the Huffington Post used to promote my show MIAMI SAYS ART / THE RETROSPECTIVE. as well as my blog about how the exhibit came to be, and where Miami culture has gone in the thirty five years since I created the original show, MIAMI SAYS ART.
The portrait featured in the headline is of Dr. Arnold Lehman, Director of the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Arnold was the Director of the Metropolitan Museum and Art Center in Miami, when he gave me the opportunity to create my first one person museum show.
Here's a photo I took of my pals Mariilyn and Thomas with the Gubler clan, at their post wedding reception, at Sandy Valley.
It's always fun seeing my portrait people come to life. Aside from my portrait of Marilyn, with her handsome horse, Rusty, I've also created portraits of her daughter, Laura Dahl, and her son Matthew Gray Gubler. Here Matt is promoting my show MADE IN VEGAS.
I, along with five other artists, was invited to create an original Easter egg for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Many thanks to Roberta and Josh Gordon for their glorious ostrich egg, and to Corey Levitan for a terrific story.
Photo by Jerry Henkel / Las Vegas Review-Journal
Tim and I were honored to be featured in the Valentine's Day story LOVE IN THE LIMELIGHT, which ran in the Las Vegas
Weekly and Las Vegas Sun earlier this year. The interview was written by Sarah Feldberg, and the bright fun photos were taken by Leila Navidi.
During the Licensing Show at Mandalay Bay, Tim and I had a chance to hang out with Jill and Tony Curtis, as we were both represented by Fame Farm Licensing. Here he is celebrating his 85th birthday,holding my Sumos Like It Hot card.
In the early '80s Mr. Grant was visiting Miami, appearing in An Evening With Cary Grant.
It was a wonderfully surreal day and evening we spent together. He owned one of my portraits of him, and we spoke endlessly about art, especially the works of David Hockney, whom he greatly admired. I will always remember Cary Grant telling me I was an "Amazingly talented young man." Now there was a star.
Back in 1994, I had the thrill of a lifetime when I was commissioned to create the art for The Esther Williams Film Festival on Miami Beach. We spent a week together, attending a myriad of events. Here we are signing posters at one of the Festival screenings. My underwater portrait of E.W. was met with great enthusiasm, and is now the logo for The Esther Williams Swimwear Collection.
Back in 2009, our dear friend Marilyn Gubler invited us to go tubing.
It proved to be one of the most exhillarating experiences of our lives.
We loved being able to enjoy tubing which is really outside our "Comfort levels."
What a fun time we had gliding over the water.
In 1976, Barbara and I journeyed to sculptor Duane Hanson's Florida studio, where I photographed him for my show, Miami Says Art. Here we are at Hanson's home, sitting under Warhol's Chairman Mao.
Photograph by Thom Elliott.
During the fifteen years we lived in L.A., one of our closest friends was the incredible Estelle Getty.
Several times a month, we would either have Estelle over for brunch or we'd join her at her home for what always turned out to be a star-stuffed casual afternoon. I will always remember Estelle teaching Tim to make matzo brie in her kitchen.
Aside from being a fan and collector of my art, Estelle once said to me in an off the cuff moment, "Marty. You're funny, and believe me, I know funny." How I miss this dear talented lady.
During the late '70s, I had the pleasure of writing celebrity interviews and movie reviews for MiamI Magazine.
They were often accompanied by my drawings of the stars. Here I am, backstage at the Parker Playhouse in Ft. Lauderdale, with the glorious, larger than life, Miss Carol Channing.
Photograph by Thom Elliott.
Wonderful Town, with Lauren Bacall, was set to open in Miami. I was commissioned by producer Zev Buffman to create an original painting of the actress to be used for the TV ads.
FALL IN LOVE ALL OVER AGAIN was our tag line. On opening night, Zev had me present his star with my portrait of her.
Photograph by Thom Elliott.
In 2008, I had the honor of being invited to participate in the book, America At Home by Running Press.
Here's one of the photos taken in my studio by my good friend Brad Zucroff, who also served as Art Director of America At Home.
In 1976, Miss Vanderbilt visited Miami to promote her new designer jeans. We spent a delightful afternoon together at her suite, and I wound up drawing her for my show, MIAMI SAYS ART. She was charming and witty and incredibly beautiful. Many know her today as the mother of Anderson Cooper.
Photograph by Thom Elliott.
Several seasons ago, when Top Chef visted Las Vegas, we were invited by our good friend, Marilyn Gubler, to be a part of the shoot at her Sandy Valley Ranch. Oh the fun of being a part of "Reality TV"...and meeting Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi.
Photograph by Roberta Gordon.
Last year, at a charity event we attended, I had the fun of being sandwiched between Pawn Stars' Rick and Corey Harrison. They have become local icons through their History Channel show Pawn Stars, filmed here in Vegas.
In the 1970s, I had the opportunity to meet Howdy and Buffalo Bob Smith, when they briefly revived the show in Miami.
I'll always remember my writer pal, Margie Klein, interviewing Clarabell the Clown and asking him if it bothered him that people didn't take him seriously. He responded by honking his horn.
Photograph by Thom Elliott.
