Simmie Knox on TV
 

Turn on either CNN or MSNBC. I'm downstairs and dont' know which channel. Unveiling of Clinton portraits I think.

I just saw this article about Knox on CNN - also related to the unveiling of the Clinton portraits:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/....ap/index.html

How nice to see a portrait artist in the news!

I heard that Simmie will be interviewed tonight on Paula Zahn. Most likely at least part of today's unveiling will be aired throughout the day. It was on both MSNBC and CNN. There is also an NPR interview lower on the page here: http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown....n-2004&prgId=3

Kudos to you too, Cynthia, for attracting many of the very best portrait artists to the SOG main site, like Simmie Knox. It's a tribute to your professionalism that artists like him choose you to handle their online presence.

Thanks, Michele!

My ISP happened to be registered to the Forum because of an earlier problem he had to solve. I forgot he was on there, but he ended up getting the email announcement I sent to all Forum members. He called me up and said he wished he'd known. He thought we were under possible attack today because the hits to my site and Simmie's were so high at times throughout the day.

I also noticed a big slowdown on SOG throughout the earlier part of the day. I suspected it might have been because of Simmie Knox's thing. Good for you -- and him!

Yes, that was the cause. This is a case where we can be happy about a slow-down on the web.

I've also confirmed that Simmie will be on Paul Zahn at 8pm EST tonight.

It was on Fox News as well - although just a quick flash of the portraits.

There was a front page article about the portraits in the Cleveland Plain Dealer this morning. They are getting a letter from me, Simmie Knox was not named. In fact there was no mention of the artist AT ALL, as if the portraits just materialized out of thin air. :(

Never been a fan of the Plain Dealer, but this is the first letter they have gotten from me in a long time

steaming in cleveland!!

Do you know where I can view a good photo of the portraits?

Well, if you really want to start steaming, there is no artist acknowledge on the White House web site for the presidential and first lady portraits:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/

I emailed them quite some time ago to bring this to their attention, but I see it has not changed. Perhaps if everyone writes to them this might help.

As far as I know, there are no good images of the portraits yet available on the web. I've emailed Simmie to see if he already has a scan he can email to me or if he will send material for me to scan.

It seems that many people's perception of the significance of any given portrait is solely based on the subject, not on the artist.

After all, even the National Portrait Gallery has stated that they include works in their collection based just on the importance of the person depicted, not based at all on the importance of the artist who might have painted it. Harrrumph!

Knok, knok,
Knoks your door is your destiny!

Sean, you're so funny and supportive. :)

Clinton's acknowledgment
 

I did think that Bill Clinton's acknowledgment of and words about Simmie Knox were very welcome. I also liked very much that Mr. Clinton not only mentioned that the White House portrait of Teddy Roosevelt was his favorite, he gave credit to John Singer Sargent. -- John C.

I've been very disappointed with the news coverage also. I looked all over for a quality photo of both and really found nothing more than angled quick views with a lot of reflection. Of course I got to read and hear how kind Bush was over and over.

I'm glad that Clinton was moved enough to acknowledge Simmie Knox, and that Hillary decided to have him paint hers also. All morning CNN refered to Simmie as "Simmie Kox"! I kept on yelling at the tv with the correct pronunciation.

Cynthia, I hope Simmie can get images to you so they can be posted here. I'd like to see the paintings and offer my congratulations, what I did see of them looked wonderful.

Simmering in Wisconsin,
Jean

Simmie will be sending me better images, but for right now, this is all I have. Simmie wrote me "The last several days have been overwhelming and even surreal with all the attention I have been getting. "

He is such a wonderful gentleman and well deserves this honor. I've long felt Simmie's talents have not gotten the credit due and I've been pulling for him for years.

I am sure Simmie won't recover from the media blitz for some time, but whenever he does have a few minutes it would be great if he might be able to explain the significance of the various objects in the paintings. For example, is the book in Hillary's painting her "It Takes a Village"? Is the chair of some special significance, and I also wonder what the objects are behind Bill that look like medals of some sort.

I've asked Simmie to give some details when he gets time.

Simmie wrote the following:

President's portrait - President Clinton specifically asked that his portrait depict him in the Oval Office and include the American flag and his collection of military medallions. I suggested the Presidential flag in order to balance the composition. The pose is one that we both agreed upon because of its frontal position. The eyes follow the viewer as you move from one side of the portrait to the other. I suggested the blue tie to enhance his blue eyes. (It was the Christmas season when we started, and he was wearing a snowman tie.) The blue tie and gold draperies are compliments and create a visual movement. The mallet behind the President's right hand is made from historical pieces of wood from the White House and Independence Hall. I used the opening in the window to isolate his head.

First Lady's Portrait - The First Lady is portrayed in a pantsuit because she wanted to be portrayed as an active, contemporary woman. She is the first First Lady to be painted in a pantsuit. I suggested that her aqua pantsuit be painted black because it would contrast with her fair coloring and the light background and would be more graphic and dramatic. The chair to her left is a White House chair. On the table to her right are her book, It Takes a Village, a small Chihully vase, and a plate that she designed for the White House. These objects represent her involvement with the arts. Her broad smile is a break from the traditional demure smile in classic portraiture. I felt that it captures her personality and depicts her at her best.

All in all, I am pleased with the results of my efforts; and after sitting on them for three and a half years, I am delighted with the positive responses I have received. Since the portraits were unveiled, I have been overwhelmed by the enormity of the response - interviews, emails, never-ending phone calls, letters, flowers, champagne, and kind words of congratulations.

Thank you for all that you have done, Cynthia; and thanks to all of those who have said so many nice things on your SOG forum.

Fascinating! Cynthia, please extend sincere thanks to Simmie whenever you get a chance for his prompt and thorough reply about the compositions, and for sending the images for you to post.

Cynthia, I'd like to extend my congratulations to Mr. Knox and thank him as well for the detailing of his paintings. How wonderful too for this portrait site, for me it has been a God send, thank you Cynthia.

Magdalena

Thank you Cynthia! Please extend my congratulations to Simmie also. These look wonderful, and I would love to see better images. This must have been a fascinating experience, I would have loved to be a "fly on the wall".

Jean

I'm a bit late on this, but a friend told me that Simmie was in People magazine. Unfortunately, it seems it's not the issue currently on the newsstand. He's checking, but we think it's a 6/24 issue.

There was also an article in Time Magazine (very brief). I think it is last week's issue (the one with Clinton's photo on the cover).

Here are larger versions of the portraits. I'm sure once I get the 4x5 transparencies that I'll have even better images.

I have some better images now of the Clinton portraits.

Thanks for posting these, especially the closeups. I'm particularly impressed (and surprised) by the crisp sharpness of everything.

I've been a HUGE fan of Simmie Knox's work for quite some time and am thrilled to see the Clintons' portraits here! Thank you Cynthia!

Renee Price

You're welcome! Sometime tomorrow, I'll have them up on his site and there will be even larger images. I'm a huge fan of Simmie too!

Thank you Cynthia, these are much better images! These paintings are very impressive and the color is wonderful.

Jean

I just got ahold of a copy of Simmie's one-page article in June 28 People Magazine.

Is that teal suit the actual outfit the First lady wore, which Simmie Knox changed to black? Wow, that was a bold decision!

Garth

If you want to view a video clip of the White House unveiling: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...40614-2.v.html

Unfortunately, they never once showed Simmie or brought him up to honor him except to mention his name many times, despite the fact that Simmie was right there in the audience.

Simmie Knox in Savoy Magazine: Power Issue 2005
 

Not to change the subject too much about Simmie Knox being on TV, but......(as my lovely wife pointed out to me this evening, while at CVS in the magazine aisle)

FYI:

Simmie Knox is currently featured in a well illustrated and complimentary article, on the news stands in Savoy Magazine. This is the "2005 Power Issue" with Barack and Michele Obama gracing the cover. You had better hurry up if you want one because the small print under the price, says display until March 1st! I have not read it yet but it appears to be more great publicity for Mr. Knox. The portrait of President Bill Clinton is well displayed in a large reproduction, along with several other noteworthy portraits of prominent African Americans, like Mrs. Bill Cosby, and the late Hon. Thurgood Marshall.

Get your copy while you can this weekend!

Garth