The first planning meeting for the painting “T’was the Night Before Christmas Over Route 66/Cuba” took place this morning. While many details are yet to be determined the patrons and Ray Harvey met to discuss the basic plan for the art. The painting, while owned by the patrons, will be loaned to the Viva Cuba committee for reproduction. The original art and subsequent product will be on display at CubaFest this October. The art will depict a snowy Christmas Eve on Route 66 in Cuba, Mo along with Santa, sleigh and reindeer. Many of the murals and popular notable Cuba locations will also be included. Stay tuned for more updates as the project progresses.
The art shown here is the painting ” T’was the Night Before Christmas Over Washington” painted in 2007.
Father James Finder has commissioned Ray Harvey to add to the work already completed in the sanctuary. A few years ago Mr. Harvey was called upon to put a creative touch with murals, decorative finishes and gilding to St. Michaels, St. Francis and Holy Cross Church in Cuba, MO. Now, Father James is calling him back to Holy Cross to continue the beautification. Three paintings and gilding were put in place in 2006. Ray Harvey will be adding even more gilding in the stations of the cross areas and a detailed carved motif on the side alters. Towards the rear of the church two 4′ x 5′ illustrations of chosen saints will be painted and aded to the walls. Completion is expected before easter Sunday on April 8th.
One would think an artist that specializes in public murals would spend a lot of time in February waiting for the scenery to change outside of the window. Not so for me. Not all of my work is outside and not all of my work is illustration. For example, last night I traveled to St. Charles, MO to add one more restaurant venue to my developing photo series titled “Behind the Swinging Doors.” This series captures the command center of any restaurant, the kitchen. I take a vintage 1940′s panoramic camera and get in close with the staff, the food and the fire. The black & white panoramic images present the life a customer never sees in his favorite restaurant. I am choosing popular restaurants by region in and around St. Louis. Last night was “Grappa Grill”, my St. Charles representative. Look forward to the free photo samples this week!
Tomorrow I finish the second project in Washington, MO in the last twelve months. The new Victorian Manor Memory Center will be completed for me. I have left them with over a dozen artfully conceived backdrop murals for the residents. The entire facility will be finished by the end of February. This project marks the sixth healthcare facility with the Quick Development Company.
This week will also usher in the long awaited painting of three large sports murals for Joe Buck’s restaurant in downtown St. Louis. The designs have been approved and preliminary work has started but, this week the paintings are the top of the list for creation. All three will be completed by March when the images will then go to print and to the wall. There will be posters available at an anticipated unveiling party to be announced in March. All will be in place before the opening pitch of the 2012 Baseball season.
In addition, there has been agreement with my Viva Cuba mural friends in Cuba, MO for a new easel-size painting to be created. This painting will depict “The Night Before Christmas on Route 66″ in Cuba, MO. The painting will become the property of a local patron to be announced. The image will be used in the continual marketing of the famous Route 66 town in posters and other items. This art will be officially promoted during CubaFest 2012 this October. Design discussions will begin soon however.
Along with these projects, there is talk of an additional Route 66 mural in another popular Mother Road destination, a mural at a new landscape nursery and possibly some spiritual additions to one of my previously painted venues. This is all I can say now but look forward to all of these projects becoming a reality this year. Follow along on my Twitter feed at RayHarveyArt!
The owner of Joe Buck’s Restaurant in downtown St. Louis has just commissioned Ray Harvey to create three large sports murals for display in the venue. The site sits only blocks from home plate at Busch Stadium. The scenes will depict St. Louis sports in all of it’s glory. The far left mural will be dedicated to baseball, cardinals players and the ’06 and ’11 World series. The center painting will show the broadcasting of Joe Buck with the skyline in the background and his booth partners, select stars and his now famous re-creation call of “See You Tomorrow Night.” The right-hand scene will cover Hockey and Football with the three Hall of Fame Blues hockey players and some of the Big Red Players from Cardinal football. The three paintings are fifteen feet wide and five feet tall. Each painting will be an original on canvas. They will replace the b/w photographs that hang there now. The design process is in the beginning stages but the only deadline is to have the art finished and installed by the opening of Baseball season.
Ray Harvey is not foreign to the St. louis sports scene after his forty-eight foot wide mural of St. Louis sports in 1999 for Fair St. Louis and his Official Artist status during the PGA Championship at Bellerive CC. Prints of each of the three scenes are planned to be available at the restaurant following installation.
The fifth image in my Washington Christmas series is now available. In partnership with Downtown Washington Inc, the newest painting is titled “Christmas Rush at the Post Office”. The new scene is available for purchase at the downtown Post Office, The Art Center on Main Street and at the Ray Harvey Art ETSY store on-line. The 16″ x 20″ signed print is retail priced at $60.
This painting depicts a 1961 evening when last minute shoppers are rushing to mail Christmas packages. Santa is also sneaking into the building under the watchful eye of the local mailman. This is a big year for the historical building since its purchase and renovation by Downtown Inc. In addition to the new prints, the four previously published images are available in 5″ x 7″ Christmas cards.
The original painting will be on display downtown and is also available for purchase. Anyone interested can contact the artist for cost and delivery.
This weekend my newest hospitality mural was delivered and installed at The Branding Iron Restaurant in Wright City. Owner John Bastian commissioned me to create an original twelve foot wide painting for the main dining room. The restaurant, his third, opened last week to excited customers. The place has been reported to be packed since opening day. The mural which depicts cowboys on the range ending the day at the chuck wagon sets the tone for the rustic menu. Mr. Bastian originates from Montana where he opened his first restaurant.
The Chesterfield, MO venue Annie Gunn’s Restaurant was photographed Friday night. Owner Thom Sehnert and Chef Lou invited me in to see what goes on behind their swinging doors. This restaurant has been a premier location for over twenty years while the Smokehouse has been in operation over thirty. This site becomes my fourth restaurant in my photo series “Behind the Swinging Doors.” This project is expected to be completed by years end with a minimum of twelve popular restaurant kitchens from all over the St. Louis region.
The Friday shoot was fun and productive as usual where I rubbed elbows with a staff of over twelve young, dedicated cooks. I was able to view everything from the pastries being baked, proteins being cleaned to massive steaks being grilled. The outcome collection should be ready for viewing on my website www.widelooks.com by the end of this week. Stay tuned for more!
This past Saturday evening Herbie’s Restaurant and Chef Aaron invited me and my trusty Panon Widelux vintage camera to capture the magic in their kitchen. After almost 250 tickets passed through the doors I had collected some very impressive images of what goes on “behind the swinging doors.” The heat was unbearable, the organization incredible and the commradery impressive. Upon leaving at the end of the evening I was reminded once again why I chose to begin this photo series. Here are a couple of the first samples of the shoot. Next stop, Pappy’s BBQ in midtown St. Louis.
The first of many restaurant photo shoots is on the hard-drive. Chef Josh Galliano, voted Best St. Louis Chef in Alive Magazine, graciously invited me to photograph the kitchen of the popular Maplewood eatery last Saturday evening. With a few exposure and shutter speed corrections many terrific action shots of the kitchen atmosphere were attained. This group of images will go into the continual photo file resulting in the “Behind the Swinging Doors” project. It is my goal to shoot a minimum of twelve of the most popular or notorious restaurant venues in the St. Louis region. These images will be displayed in a future photo exhibit at a partnered gallery. The goal of the project is to show the viewer the real cooking atmosphere behind the swinging restaurant doors where the patrons rarely see.
