The Painting of Jim Perkins

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Brushes with Greatness:

The Painting of Jim Perkins

by Mark R. Leffler

Jim Perkins, Photo by Robert Martin

About a year ago Mary Malocha, the Curator of Exhibitions & Collections at the Saginaw Art Museum was looking around for an artist to
feature in the first of a series of Artist in Residence programs.

"I had heard of Artist in Residence series at other museums." She saw it as an opportunity to invigorate the museum, which has begun several new series in the past several years. Through staff member Kara Harris, she heard about a local painter whom Malocha was aware of already, but as a musician and not a visual artist. "I just knew him as a musician. Kara said he was an artist and that she knew him. I called him a year or so ago."

This serendipitous chain of events has led to Saginaw artist Jim Perkins

being the current Artist in Residence at the Saginaw Art Museum (SAM).

An exhibit of his paintings and sculptures is on display through April

29th. The exhibit is sponsored by Hudson's Project Imagine, The Michigan

Council for the Arts & Cultural Affairs and the Saginaw County Enrichment

Commission.

Over 180 visitors filled the two-story Ring Mansion (originally the

residence of Lizzie Merrill Ring and Clark Lombard Ring and their family)

for the opening reception. "It was very satisfying," Perkins says. "I was

very pleased."

Jim Perkins takes a moment from his Grand

Opening to pose with one of his favorite works

SAM Executive Director Sheila Redman and Pit and Balcony Theatre Company's

Artistic Director Joseph Bertucci came up with the idea of cross promoting

the opening reception with the opening night of P&B's current production,

Beth Henley's Pulitzer prize winning play "Crimes of the Heart." The result

was the largest crowd ever for a one person show at the SAM (and the

consumption of several cases of wine and complementary cheesecakes, and hor

d'oeuvres.)

Some visual artists are touchier than others about the labels applied to

them and their work. Perkins doesn't care much for being called an artist.

"No, I'm a painter. Everybody's an "artist"," he says.

In considering his many paintings on display, mixed with Perkins' original

works are copies of 19th century French and English masters, all drawing

heavily upon the detailed discipline and lifelike qualities of classicism

as rendered by the great 'Master' painters.

Indeed, Perkins even opts to mix his own paints rather than purchase them

in pre-mixed tubes, preferring the inimitable, lifelike, and ethereal

quality of fleshtones achieved through the paint-mixing techniques of the

Dutch Masters.

Perkins explains what he views as the difference between his paintings and

more contemporary art, often the product of formal university or art school

training.

"My painting is not modern, it's not innovative.  The 'style' I use is

really not taught in universities. In New York and Minnesota there are

schools that teach this ... older painting instruction. Making copies. Just

painting."

It's a style of painting that he enjoys tremendously. "It's based on a

tradition. There's a craft. Painting is just a wonderful thing to do. You

know Churchill painted. It's very physically and mentally relaxing,"

relates Perkins.

He sums it up simply: "A painter loves to paint."

Just as a cover band's selection of songs lends it an identity, Perkin's

choice of which artists to copy reveals his deep admiration for 19th

century French and English portrait and landscape painters. On display at

the SAM are his copies of John Atkinson Grimshaw's "London Quay," John

William Waterhouse's "Lady of Shalott," Lord Frederick Leighton's "Bath of

Psyche," and Sir Edward Henry Landseer's "Titania & Bottom." All are 19th

century English painters.

He dips a little further back for his copy of Pieter Breughel (the Elder's)

"Wedding Dance," one of the 16th century Flemish master's best known works.

Yet, perhaps the most curious item on display is a stereo opticon, sort of

a 19th century Viewmaster. It employs duplicate photographs to create a

stunning three-dimensional image of a stunning model, whose hair and arms

project out toward the viewer in exquisite black and white.

'Christina' by Jim Perkins, Oil on Canvas

(click for larger pic)

The photograph used for the stereo opticon was also used to create the portrait "Christine" that was chosen for the promotional postcard announcing Perkin's exhibit. The photographic image has also been accepted for international juried shows in England, Chicago and Los Angeles. And recently in Los Angeles it was awarded a silver medal.

The stereo opticon was created by Perkin's friend Doug Doughty. Perkins likes the photograph and portrait's "Pre-Raphaelite look." Doughty also
works with him to create the frames for many of the paintings. They use a "faux bois" technique (literally "fake wood") where Doug cuts the materials and Jim paints them, creating the illusion of wood.

There are a few sculpture pieces on display, but it's a medium that Perkins

hasn't worked with much. "I always told myself I wanted to do more

sculpture, but I just don't seem to find the time."

Born and raised in Saginaw, outside of a year spent at a local college,

Perkins has never had formal art training. At 48, he has spent most of his

adult life in a diligent course of self-education in the history and

technical craft of painting.

His earliest memory of an interest in painting stems from seeing a neighbor

who painted. "As a kid we had a cottage and there was an artist who lived

nearby. He would draw on cardboard and he incorporated it into the

cottage...in the walls...on the ceiling. I remember stacks and stacks of

white cardboard. "

Asked when he first took his painting seriously, Perkins replies instantly

and firmly, "I always took it seriously."

The life and art of Leonardo da Vinci was an early inspiration to Perkins.

His interest flowed from Renaissance art to Flemish painters and 19th

century art. He also focused on the French and English academies and the

work of 18th century English landscape painter John Constable.

A particular favorite of Perkins is William Aldreth Bouguereau. He admires

Bouguereau's "handling of paint" and states flatly that "He's the greatest

figure painter."

Wednesday, April 4th, Perkins will lead a figure drawing "open studio

event" with nude models, part of the museum's  Studio SAM Series.

More events tied into the Artist in Residence program are planned for

April. Friday April 6th SAM will present "Cafe des Artistes" featuring

musicians and dancers, some from Joan Malone and Doris Marsh's dance

groups. The program will have a late 19th century theme.

There is also a poetry contest where entries are to be based on a work

viewed in the Perkins exhibit. The deadline for entries is Friday, April

6th and awards will be handed out at a reading and award ceremony Tuesday,

April 17th at 7 PM at the SAM. There are cash awards for the top four

poems.

Music is another interest of Perkins, and he has long been a figure on the

Saginaw Music Scene, winning an award for Best Solo Artist at last year's

Review Music Awards Ceremony, although he stresses that his regular gig

playing Wednesday nights at Saginaw's Hamilton Street Pub is something he

does for fun. Old Town regulars know him for his distinct blend of

classical and flamenco style playing and his love of acoustic folk songs.

The Saginaw Art Museum is located at 1126 North Michigan Avenue, Saginaw,

MI 48602. For more information on programs and exhibits call (517) 754-2491.

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