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Jon Friedman's Studio

July 17, 2010

Bill and Melinda are almost ready

One of the good things to come out of the immensely frustrating and endless battle to preserve the Hopper landscape* here in Truro from the predations of the wealthy, tasteless and combative has been the friendships I have developed with my like-minded neighbors, including the truly distinguished and wonderfully laid-back painter, Jon Friedman and his also distinguished but less laid-back wife, the writer Joanne Barkan.

a big gorgeous landscape

The last meeting of our little group of plotters was in Jon’s studio, set among fabulous perennial gardens near the Hopper house. We had the treat of seeing his very latest. Jon’s bread and butter is commissioned portraits. He has developed a sort of specialty in scientists and judges and his many official portraits include the likes of Nobel prize-winner David Baltimore (that hangs in the National Portrait Gallery), Nobel winner Harold Varmus; MIT president Charles Vest; a couple of other college presidents, two presidents of the National Academy of Sciences and a clutch of federal judges. Perhaps my favorite is his portrait of Judge David Tatel of the DC Court of Appeals. Judge Tatel is blind and Jon’s portrait somehow makes you perceive the judge’s blindness while also conveying that he can somehow see everything about you nonetheless.
The visitor to Jon’s studio right now will meet Bill and Melinda Gates, whose portrait is nearing completion.
In-between commissioned work, Jon paints big luscious landscapes that cleanse his palette, to coin a phrase.

Joan Holt, Jon Friedman, Chuck Steiman - plotters all

[*footnote: for those who have somehow missed my previous rants on this subject, the short version is: Edward Hopper spent summers painting in Truro for over 30 years, living in a modest house in the dunes from which he captured the breathtaking and unspoiled view over the dunes to the bay. His home has been preserved, as has most of the landscape, due to the generosity of the owners, whose mother inherited the property from Hopper’s wife, Jo, many years ago, and of many people who have donated money to purchase surrounding land. Until two years ago, when a remaining parcel was sold for an ungodly amount that could not be matched by private donors ($7 million) to a man who proposed building an 8000+ square foot house with six-car garage in front of the Hopper house. Legal battles ensued which are still ongoing(we won the first court decision, which is being appealed) and the house is almost completed, although it could be ordered removed if we prevail. ]

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