ent001330-160

RIVERSIDE, CALIF. ENTERPRISE D. 26,600 AUG 1 6 1964 Thousands hail $ Skelton, the artist By SHARON LAWRENCE United Press International LAS VEGAS Someone N once described Red Skelton as MA funny\man, who through the years has be- come more than a comic, m . 1 . He is now one of the | worlds great clowns, a star 8 who can touch the heart as well as the funnybone?╟Ñ THE thousands of visitors to Red?╟╓s first art exhibit * discovered that this is true / not only V Skelton the per- former but also of Skelton the artist. / ?╟ú1 came to the exhibit : out of sheer curiosity,?╟Ñ said a woman Who spent two hours' examining the 52 Skelton oil paintings in the ^ Emerald Room of Las Ve- > gas?╟╓ Sands Hotel. ?╟úI have I valV^iP^ as a ( performer, but I n e v^ri.y dreamed that his paiptings ' would be anything more y than a pleasant diversion. ?╟úNow I know that' his paintings have the same sensitivity that he displays , as a clown. f ?║ v S * 1 , p ?√ß , , 9* ?╟úHE?╟╓S GREAT!?╟Ñ / The Sands management 4 haps a few hundred per- pahs a few hundred per- sons would stop by to see . the paintings, but they were soon playing host to more than 3,000 visitors. Oneimpressed resident of- fered the star $8,000 for one of his paintings. Others also offered to buy his can-' vases. Red wouldn?╟╓t sell. No one could have fyeen-r more delighted with the re- I action than Sk6lton.y He1 is touddnrivhu mblerand tel won?╟╓t forget the first, day of the exhibit when Skelton came tiptoeing into the Em- erald Room arid aimost cried when he sawbdozens of people studying his paint- ings. ! /?╟úTHERE are PEOPLE* here,?╟Ñ he said, shaking his head. ?╟úI can?╟╓t believe it ?╟Ñ He says the day the ex- hibit opened will always be a special day in his life., f ?╟úRed is Very sensitive about this part of his life,?╟Ñ says Freemati. ?╟úHe?╟╓s in- fluenced by criticism a great deal. ... Painting is iriore than a hobby to him, it?╟╓s a very important part! of his world, a wonderful ?√?Way for him to relax.1 Skelton usually does his painting standing in his filled Palm Springs swim-? ming pool, chevying on a ci- gar he never ' smokes and dipping his brush into the pool water. : ?╟≤ ?╟úIF THERE?╟╓S one thing painting has taught pa???╟Ñ he grins, ?╟úit?╟╓s that oil and < Water don?╟╓t mix^oh ought to see the pool after one of my pointing sprees* I It?╟╓s ?╟╓an olympic-size palette!?╟╓?╟╓ It isn?╟╓t unusual for Red to decide to paint around midnight. When he?╟╓s fin- ished, he puts the painting by wife Georgia?╟╓s bed, ready for Written criticism. A typical note from her might read: ?╟úItis v e riy good?╟Ñ or ?╟úThe eys are a trifle toq bulgy.?╟Ñ v / , Mrs.,, Skelton is ail artist In her own right, a gradu- ate of the Art Center School in Los Angeles, and it is |)she who encouraged her husband to take up painting 15 years ago* It?╟╓s just in the last year that Red has worked steadily at painting, with more than 40 canvases |completed in that time. \ ?╟úTHE PAINTINGS take hie anywhere from an hour arid a half to three hours,?╟Ñ Skelton sayS. Some of Red?╟╓s paintings are still lifes of fruit and flowers, others are of ani- mals, and one especially outstanding work shows a7 ' charming little French" town'which he first modeled- i from , his; supply of cigar boxes. ' \?╟≤ However, the majority oi his work is, appropriately | enough, of. clowns. MarjfyJ i of his finest paintings are u those patterned on s U c h real life clowns as P.a u l Jerome, Bozo Shyder, Felix Adler and Lou Jacobs., People often comment about the elongated faces and big eyes of Skelton?╟╓s ^subjects. ?╟úThe first thing I notice about a persori are his eyes,?╟Ñ he explains. ?╟úTo W.me, the eyes are the furn- ace of the soul and when I paint, I exaggerate to cap-; i ture the true person as I see him.?╟Ñ WHY ARE the faces so thin? , / ?╟╓?╟╓ | HQ ?╟úAgain, it?╟╓s because I?╟╓m ? trying xftj express the real person, hot the fat they* ;; might y baye accumulated through the years. That?╟╓s, not an integral part of their ;,y-true self.?╟Ñ' 1 ^ 1 ?√ßvi' Red and Georgia Skelton have a fine collection of the works of Such artists as! I Renoir, Vlaminck, Aridrew ; Wyeth and Margaret Keane in their home plusy of course; some of their own y work. . -,4\ ' Thus far, Red has turned down all bids on his paint* . irigs,' although he has do- nated several to charity i to be auctioned off. , * WOULDN?╟╓T he like to see- . his paintings in private col- > lections and public galler- y ies? . y s ?√ß, K| ' ^i He still) insists: ?╟úAwww;; | not good enough,