Finding Mesmeric Bro Art And a Bromance with Grapes In The Man Cave
I once felt deprived of fine art and cultural experiences when I moved to the burbs, and learned how to seek beauty in fashion, body shapes, food, words, the prism colors in a crystal glass, the dew forming in a spider web, and everywhere in the gallery of life. Today, I found a coffee shop in Langley with great natural light, and I nearly dumped my cold brew coffee when I saw the art on the walls.
Bro art for the man cave style, behind blue eyes Roger Daltrey on one portrait, a car scene from The Hangover on the other, and Don Cherry on the other.
I saw Roger Daltrey in person in London once, and I recognize his trademark mouth. I also saw the rock opera Tommy in the 1970’s, and I think this is Tommy.
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em
Hockey is an art, and Don Cherry, or “Grapes” spews sour grapes in his hockey commentary. You may want him to be fired, but his endearing loud proud maple leaf clothes, his incredible knowledge of hockey, his love for Rose and Blue, veterans and shut-ins, and his eternal bromance with Bobby Orr, who donated his knees to the cause, keeps him in our living rooms. Cherry coached Orr in Boston, and he goes into hyperbolic euphoria calling Orr “the greatest player that’s ever lived.’
Orr was a fighter and a hitter like Cherry when he was a player.
Cherry said if there had been a higher league, Orr could have played in it. He had a left hand shot playing right defense to get the shot away, which nobody does today, and he blocked Bobby Hull’s slapshots with the taped ankles on his skates, and scored the game winner to win Boston the Stanley Cup in 1970 while flying through the air wearing no helmet.
To round out the painting, is Wayne Gretzky, who Grapes said was the second best player, and Mario Lemieux, who Don criticized for not being an enforcer, and he wears controversy well, so Mario is on his blazer. Monsieur Lemieux was not a rough player, but Cherry can’t deny he was physically blessed and had an ability for blind backhand passes and goal scoring.
Bro Artist
I haven't seen The Hangover yet, but I hear it's a hoot, and I saw the giraffe scene. The Daltrey painting would fit perfectly in a Malibu beach house I think. What the heck? I wonder, and I ask the barista who this WELLS guy is that signed these paintings. The girl says she lives around the corner. “It’s a woman?” I say. Then I feel bad for not checking my biases at the door and for assuming a bro painted these.
The girl said the paintings are for sale and showed me a pamphlet about the lady who painted them. On the pamphlet, Wells says she displayed her portrait of Aerosmiths' Steven Tyler in a gallery in Wailea Hawaii, and Steven bought it, and it hangs in his bedroom. She is also pictured with Gene Simmons from Kiss and another fellow that I can’t identify, but I’m assuming he’s a celebrity.
Find more about Wells here: www.artistwells.net
What I love about art is that, wherever you go, it finds you!
photos are my own.