FanStory.com - Angels, and a high mountain.by Terry Broxson

From time to time, I have posted stories about some of the artwork I have collected.

One of the stories concerned an original watercolor by Andy Warhol, which I bought several years ago. My long-time business partner and I were assumed to be gay.

Two men looking at a painting by Andy Warhol must be gay. Not so much.

This is a little story some may find interesting because the Artist is Peter Max. He burst on the art scene in the late 1960s.

Now, before anyone starts accusing me of being some hoity-toity a-hole art collector, let me explain some things.

I'm now in the late winter of my life. No one ever characterized me as hoity-toity. I'll take the fifth on any other traits as long as it's a fifth of Jack Daniels.

I never had hobbies like golf, fishing, hunting, or pickleball. I didn't see much value in gambling. Never had a mistress to support or kids who needed to go to college, get married, or divorced.

I read books. When possible, I bought art. I did acquire a great deal of art because I liked it, never for investment. We downsized our home in 2015. I downsized again after Zoe died. I gave some away. Others, I placed on permanent loan with a friend. If she gets tired of it, she has to return it. It will be hers when I kick the bucket.

So, my collection is about half of what it had been. Most of the art is Native American Impressionist. I love the color and the cultural themes. I also like pop art. I think the styles, while vastly different, complement each other with color.

Peter Max is 85 years old. Eight years ago, doctors diagnosed dementia, which has steadily become worse. As a young boy, his Jewish family fled Germany in 1938. They had stops in China, Israel, and France before finally settling in Brooklyn, New York.

His vivid colors set the tone for his "Cosmic Art." Some would call it psychedelic. The art suggested love and peace—a poster for the times. Young people called it "Groovy." His work brought fame and fortune.

The artwork pictured with this story is entitled Highest Mountain. It depicts angels carrying precious cargo. Max said they were ascending to the highest mountain, their cargo being the faith in their hearts and hope for all mankind. He did this piece in 1968.

Recently, this image was selected for a United Nations Stamp. It benefited UNICEF with an official proof offered for sale. They are a collector's item.

Angels have been a recurring subject of his through the years.

There are times in life when one feels the need to put out an SOS—calling all angels. For me, Max's work represents the response to that need. The angels will go to the highest mountain when necessary.

Peter Max has been a prolific artist and notable celebrity. One of his love interests in the 1980s was Tina Louise. Yep, Ginger from Gilligan's Island.

Another of his projects involved Max and thirty-six vintage Corvettes. In 1989, VH1 held a contest that gave the winner a Corvette for each year of production from 1953 to 1989. A carpenter in New York State won. Max bought the Vettes from the carpenter for $250,000 and artwork valued at $250,000.

Max planned an art exhibit. It has been speculated he wanted to paint the cars—a Peter Max-painted Corvette. Dang, please sign me up. But after sitting in a garage for twenty-five years gathering dust, Max sold them as a lot. The cars were restored and auctioned off to benefit veterans' charitable causes.

In 1976, for the country's bicentennial, Max started doing a series of paintings representing the Statue of Liberty. Max said he was grateful to be an American. After 9/11, he continued the series. The new works have a strong patriotic feel.

I currently have four Peter Max artworks. One is a Lady Liberty, entitled, United We Stand, 2001. Another one is called Peace in the Year 2000.

Four years ago I bought my last Max, for a special occasion. It's a bright, colorful oil entitled Flower Blossom Lady. The occasion would have been Zoe's seventy-fifth birthday. In my mind, this flower blossom lady represented her as a Master Gardener. The painting added color and joy to my home, which had been missing.