R. LaBarrne, 1969, 24" x 30"
In addition to 40 paintings which I loaned to the City of Brea Gallery for their May 2004 Thrift Store Art show, the gallery also supplemented my paintings with 10 additional works purchased from local thrift stores. While I fell for almost every one of these paintings purchased by the gallery director (and subsequently sold after the show), the above piece has something really special going for it. Where to begin? The disembodied head and torso connected by Slurpee straws? The pig/cat head mounted on the wall? The shattered left breast? The mysterious crutch wrapped in ivy? Or the spectacular floral headdress? The colors are fantastic, the subject matter is out-of-this-world, and overall this painting makes me want to see more more more of R. LaBarne's work.