His Name is Tico...

... and he's an amazing artist.

I don't just mean his tenure with Bon Jovi.

The first work I had ever seen of his is called "First Love". I hadn't seen it first-hand, mind you, but a friend had sent a photo of it to me and asked me what I thought. He didn't tell me who the artist was.

When I saw this piece, I thought it was beautiful. The wonman's lines were perfect. The slight concavity of her abdomen and the line of her ribs; the small upturned breast; the muscles in her back. A very tasteful nude painting. What stood out for me most were the roses. In that shades-of-gray photo, there was muted color in the roses. Peachy-salmon tones tipped the petals. There are lithographs of this painting now, and from what I understand, the roses are distinct on each one. Tico adds something to each print so they're all unique. I think that's pretty cool.

Tico's done a complete series of nudes, which I will not post photos of here. You can find them at the website for the gallery through which his work can be purchased: Walnut Street Gallery in Fort Collins, Colorado.

One painting of his that I find especially haunting is "She Waits". I would love prints or posters to be made of this one. The colors are gorgeous; the azure of the water meshing seamlessly into the sky; the burnt orange and umbre shades mixed with the sea-green on the beach; the splashes of red and pink on the boats -- just lovely. The sentiment of the painting is what haunts me, though. In my personal interpretation -- and what is art, if not personal to everyone who views it? -- the woman is sitting waiting to see if her lover's boat washes ashore like so many others before his. She has been waiting for him; anxiously praying for his safe return only to be met with empty waters. It just touches something in me.


Take a look on the gallery's website. They describe him as "...an incredibly versatile painter; his styles change and evolve as his talent grows. Many of his works are reminiscent of the German Expressionist painters of the 30’s, while others range from classical to abstract in nature." I don't know from German Expressionist paintings, but I know what moves me. "First Love" and "She Waits" do that for me.

~ Hath