Art retrospective in the works

Renowned painter to visit borough this weekend

By: Purvi Desai
   ALLENTOWN — An art celebrity is due in town today (Thursday) to discuss the idea of putting up a retrospective exhibit of his work in the state — an exhibit borrowed from local collectors, spanning a little over four decades.
   Harry McCormick, an internationally renowned contemporary artist, has had his artwork exhibited in famous galleries and museums all over the country, beginning from the 1960s. He will be visiting with local collectors of his work at the downtown Village Fine Art Studio, owned by Robbinsville resident Roni Browne, whom he said he has known since she was "a young girl."
   Mr. McCormick’s visit to Allentown will be a short one, as he will leave on Saturday, although he said he would like to speak with as many people as he can make contact with.
   "This is a meeting for him to discuss the retrospective with me," Ms. Browne said. "I can introduce him to the Allentown area, and talk about the new work that he’s doing."
   If all goes well, the retrospective is likely to be displayed within a year or two within the state, although it is too early to determine where that would be, Ms. Browne said. She added that she would have been thrilled if her small studio would have been able to accommodate the array of retrospective work, although it will not be possible.
   Mr. McCormick’s work spans more than 45 years, he said, and he has had one-man exhibitions in New York, Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota. His work has been displayed in museums and collections in more than 12 states. Some of his work has even been displayed in Rome, in the Vatican Collection.
   His work is based on realism, he said, and is "somewhat moody." It is also a little romantic, Mr. McCormick said, adding that he draws "a lot of pretty girls."
   "I like opulent objects and texture and fabrics," he said. "I’ve painted old garbage cans and fire escapes in New York City. I used to do railroad stations, but you don’t see those around too often anymore."
   Mr. McCormick said he started to specialize in bars and restaurants, after the demand for specialized art rose during the ’70s. He said he has painted the pubs of London, which were shown in Chicago.
   "It’s a ‘doing what they do’ kind of genre," Mr. McCormick said. "You just can’t keep having shows showing your virtuosity."
   He said his first famous work depicting a bar was a bicentennial piece that portrayed a bar with an American flag with an old guy sitting with a beer outside.
   "It’s something I like doing,’ Mr. McCormick said. "I had access to bars. Bars were always available to everybody and they afforded a wide variety of décor and objects. There’re things about bars that everybody has some feelings for."
   "It’s amazing how many people walk into my gallery in New Jersey and know the bars he draws," Ms. Browne said. "There’s a universal appeal to the paintings he does."
   Mr. McCormick was born in Bayonne, and then lived in New York City after getting out of high school, he said. He currently lives in Boca Raton, Fla. Mr. McCormick said he hopes to visit Allentown again in the future, following his first visit this weekend, but added that he is "taking it one step at a time."
   Ms. Browne said she and the collectors will be meeting with Mr. McCormick at her studio and may arrange a dinner during the visit.