Portfolio: 1967-1975

Emigrating (indeed like traveling to another universe!) from the Bronx to Berkeley to attend the University of California in August 1966, I had planned on pursuing a course of studies to become a Classical Archaeologist specializing in Minoan civilization and in particular the murals found in the Palace of Knossos.

I had always been aware of and often expressed my innate artistic gifts, but a life of field work and academia was what I had envisioned for myself. I secured a staff position for the campus humor magazine The California Pelican as a means to supplement my income. I began submitting artwork along with my other duties. This led me to take an introductory art studio class being convinced of a certain A or A+! This was not to be, and although clearly the most talented student in the class I was given a grade of C+. My outrage turned to determination and I took another class the next quarter to prove my great talent. Well that C+ was the best thing that could ever have happened to me since I quickly changed my major to Art with a minor in Art History.

During this time I was married for the first time to the greatest and most beautiful Muse I have ever known – Denise Sarna. Denise’s support and encouragement of my work was foundational to all that I have achieved then and now! During this period I had my first showing in a commercial gallery, Jason Aver Gallery, San Francisco, my first showing outside of the United States at the Kunstforum, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany, and my first showing at a major museum, the Oakland Museum, Oakland, California. From August, 1966 (with the one exception of returning to New York during the summer of 1967) through March, 1975 I lived and worked at several different residences/studios in Berkeley and North Oakland.

All of the pictures posted in this section were scanned from original slide transparencies taken contemporaneously with the completion of each piece. These were selected from a total of 536 works from this period primarily based upon the quality of the original photographic image. I took most of the original pictures myself. My primary goal was to document each piece, and unfortunately centering, proper lighting, etc. were not universal prerequisites to each picture. Many works are not represented here, but I feel that the body of work posted does fairly represent my artistic vocabulary and interests at this period in my career. Finally, I ask that you tolerate the off-centered, tilted, and poorly lighted images keeping in mind this was the 60's in Berkeley!

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