Musicians

[Allan Rahbek]

These two Folk Musicians showed up at the opening of my exhibition on Anholt a year ago. I was so fascinated by their music and the way they entered the the place. They brought a long line of Marine Signal Flags for decoration, sat down and started to play.
I was intrigued by their character and also the red shirt against the red wall behind them and decided to paint the scene. The painting was finished the day before this years exhibition at the same place.

Oil on linen 70 x 80 cm

[Carlos Ygoa]

Allan!

I had been waiting for another figurative of yours. I like this one very much. You have handled the 2-figure composition very well in my opinion. There is interaction between the 2 figures and at the same time they are their own entities even while the guitarist dominates. Very well orchestrated (excuse my choice of word), and there is very good colour harmony...

How did the exhibit go?

[Mischa Milosevic]

Allan, I did go to your web page to get a better look and I'm glad I did. Well done my friend. I believe you have captured what you saw and you have expressed this quite well. I can also appreciate your intuition in what will work. Al the best at the exhibit.

Your friend

[Allan Rahbek]

Thank you, Carlos,
the exhibition opened yesterday and went very well I have to say. The pictures in the show are mostly local landscapes from Anholt plus some portraits (for advertising).
In the evening, after closing for the day, I had a special experience.
My friend Egon had heard that the guitarist in the painting was coming on the late ferry in the evening, we met him on the road and asked if we could show him something special and he agreed to have a look. He had'nt a clue of what he was going to see before he stood in room.
He was totally overwhelmed when he saw the painting of him and his friend and declared that he had to own the painting.
I had to go home this morning but I heard from Sys and Egon, who are taking care of our mutual show, that he came back and bought the painting today.
Does'nt he look happy?

[Allan Rahbek]

Thank you, Mischa,
I am glad that you like the painting, you know that I have sweat over it
Hope to meet you this summer if you come to Denmark, my friend.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Allan, the painting turned out SO well! The legs are just right and now the difference between the two men's body types makes a counterpoint that goes with the idea of the duet played with two different types of instruments. I like that very much.

Wht a thrill to have this musician come see the show and decide on the spot that he must buy the painting! You couldn't have asked for a better outcome.

Congratulations on the show, and I hope you sell everything and get some portrait commissions, too.

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Alexandra Tyng

Congratulations on the show, and I hope you sell everything and get some portrait commissions, too.

Thanks, Alex,
I'l show you some photos from the opening, it was a very nice day, it felt good that the "Musicians" was finished in time for the day and of cause that it was bought by one of them. Maybe the saw fiddler will never come back to the island because he have sold his summer house there.

[Tom Edgerton]

Allan--

Congratulations on a great painting and a great show!

The fact that the guitarist was so wonderfully pleased is one of those additional dimensions that makes art such a worthwhile pursuit.

Hope that this exhibit breeds many more.

--T

[Allan Rahbek]

Thank you, Tom,
I heard that the guitarist comes every day with different friends to show them the picture and that he have arranged with a restaurant that the painting, after the exhibition, will hang on the walls until he decide to end his holidays and return to Copenhagen with it.
I could'nt ask for more.

[Marina Dieul]

Allan,
congratulations on this energic painting ! ( and clever marketing !)