“Jean’s Kitchen” by Jack Bredin. May, 2020. Ocean Grove. Photograph by Rob Bredin.
Julia Child’s kitchen is in the Smithsonian, but to Jack, friends and family of Jean, this kitchen, on Heck Avenue is a gourmet’s delight. Jack works at home, so he didn’t need to travel far for his model.
This is more than a painting of a room. Jean is there, and Jack has placed some clues to his existence as her best customer: his glasses and his tush pillow. We also see other signs of life in the Bredin house: plants, flowers and the cat.
And as a further tribute to Jean, Jack rolled back the years for his sweet partner and cook.
From Ocean Grove artist Marylou Shipman. October 6, 2019.
“Hello Paul…Back in November I was taking my daily walk for coffee when I spotted the purr-fect photo-op right outside of Blogfinger headquarters. There, perched atop your beautiful porch railing, was Jack the cat from Mt. Tabor Way.
“He made my job easy…more than willing to sit while I snapped several shots, trying to get the composition just right for my watercolor painting. This is a rare event, as you can imagine because the typical cat will not hold a pose if he does not want to. Perhaps Jack was waiting patiently for that next big OG news story to come in.”
Editor’s note: (Paul @Blogfinger) We are privileged at Blogfinger to be able to exhibit MaryLou Shipman’s series of cat paintings. Aside from her great technical skill, MaryLou has created a rogues gallery of actual cats who are also Grovers. She observes their personalities and captures their individualities.
As for Jack Sprat, “The Jack Sprat alluded to in this English poem is reputed to be King Charles I (1625-1649) and Henrietta Maria, his Queen (1609-1669).” (From the history book of nursery rhymes.)
2019 update: MaryLou is “still going strong.” In an email to Blogfinger she says, “Jack can usually be found curled up comfortable into a wicker chair cushion on his own porch on Mt. Tabor Way. I consider Jack to be my good luck charm. His painting won “Best in Show” in the 2017 Canterbury Juried Art Exhibition of Rumson, NJ. The painting was also accepted to the 2017 NJ Watercolor Society’s 75th Annual Juried Exhibition and most recently accepted to the 2019 Audubon Artists 77th Annual Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, October 28-Nov 8. Very exciting!
Congratulations to MaryLou for her well deserved recognition as an artist. We are posting her latest work separately. —
Marylou’s cats remind me of the Broadway show “Cats” where each cast member is unique.
Here is the most famous song from the show Cats: “Memory” (not memories). This version is from the original Broadway cast album.
Russell Brent, the proprietor of Balzac, chats with Joan Ann, a Grover knitter who couldn’t wait to visit the shop. Looking on is Liz who works there and is a knitter herself. The enthusiasm is quite palpable in Russell’s “gathering place.”
By Eileen Goldfinger and Paul Goldfinger, editors at Blogfinger.net.
Russell Brent is an Ocean Grover who wanted to participate in the community by opening a shop that would be a “welcoming gathering place” for creative folks who were interested in knitting or crocheting. He is an expert in knitting, and his shop “Balzac” is now open at #50 Main Avenue in the Grove.
Balzac is a lovely place because of all the colors and textures on display. In the windows are some beautiful hangings which he knitted himself. Russell sells natural yarns (“fibers”) made of wool, cashmere, silk, cotton and alpaca. He also stocks “notions” which refer to the accessories one needs to engage in the knitting/crocheting arts.
Russell says that he “loves” Ocean Grove and was attracted by the welcome which he received when he moved here one year ago.
His shop will be a meeting place where a wide spectrum of knitters/crocheters can come to discuss their “wips” (works in progress). There is a large table in the store where customers can bring their projects and work on them there. He wants enthusiasts to stop by, have coffee, and discuss their works. Lessons will be available for individuals and groups. Spinning classes will also be held. Russell says that he will “have something for everyone—a broad range.”
The yarns come in different weights, and he buys from a selected group of independent yarn producers. For example he carries a wonderful display of fibers from The Neighborhood Fiber Company of Baltimore.
Working with Russell is another knitter Liz Scott whom some will recognize from the OG Hardware store. Both workers are enthused and happy in their endeavor.
Russell is a bit of a philosopher. He named the store after Honoré de Balzac, a 19th century novelist and playwright. “He wrote about people and treated them equally,” said Russell, so his motto for his shop is “we will create together.”
Since the store opened a few days ago, many excited fans have arrived to check it out. A knitting club “Navesink Knitters Guild” already visited, and Eileen’s group “Happy Fingers,” who meet in Bradley Beach, is planning a field trip, and Russell couldn’t be happier. He says, “The response is overwhelming. They are coming out of the woodwork.”
Blogfinger has been looking forward to more shops in the Grove that will promote the arts and be geared towards the residents as well as towards tourists. Because fine knitting stores are fairly rare, this shop should attract enthusiasts from elsewhere, so it is a win-win situation for the Main Avenue downtown.
And, by the way, the coffee shop “Odyssey” should be opening in November (next to Comfort Zone’s small store.) We plan to interview the owner. He has placed some fine literature in the window, probably from the 8th century by Homer, so the cultural indicators seems to be rising in town —a welcome change.
That’s me taking the photo and waiting for the door to open. 10/10/18
Major paint manufacturers offer color charts that are called “historic Victorian.” The HPC in Ocean Grove seems to pay heed mostly to the Benjamin Moore company. Choices from the historic charts of other companies might get rejected at the HPC. Perhaps you have wondered about the purple house as you enter the Grove. That was an approved color, but evidently the HPC later said that it was a mistake.
Those of you who have wrestled with color decisions for your OG home know that there are a wide array of choices, but perhaps you don’t know that the paint companies are always adding new colors.
A lot of the paint company decisions are based on archeological information. The chemical makeup of historic home colors used in the 19th century resulted in a limited choice, but now you can get many approved colors available in latex paints.
Some homeowners use 14 or more different colors. Of course that sort of paint job can be expensive.
Delicate painting of decorative trim requires a steady hand and a bucket loader. 113 Mt. Hermon Way. Blogfinger photo . Joan Corbo painter. Click to enlarge.
Some people think of the San Francisco “painted ladies” when they think of Victorian colors, but, as Ocean Grove designer J. Cortese has said, the “new look” are darker hues. And we have learned that the “painted ladies” pastels would not be approved in the Grove.
“This purple house (above) is at 33 Main Avenue. Some people love the colors while others hate them. We spoke to J. Cortese about this restoration project which he designed, color consulted and construction managed. J. uses historic colors, but he also enjoys the unexpected, changing over recently to darker “rich” colors in the Grove. He says that all his colors are approved and chosen from historic color charts. He thinks that darker colors are “more historic.”
Yellow seems to be more popular recently. Some of you are familial with the spectacular restoration at the Founders Park end of Seaview Avenue (26 Lake Avenue, a yellow Bersheeba Award winner). Link below:
And then there are colors which most people in town don’t like, but either they were done that way without permission, or the HPC made a mistake. Do you think that the Mary’s’ Place blue color (see below) ought to be considered historic? Is a blue roof historic? Does the HPC practice favoritism?
And do you recall the orange house on Mt. Hermon Way? That owner went ahead with it even though that orange is not historic. The owner argued that 19th century homeowners were allowed to pick any colors they wanted —–the palette was very limited;—-all the colors then were dreary. So the orange house owner said that our modern choices should also be whatever we want. And, she argued, that the orange house would make her happy, so how about the “pursuit of happiness” promised in our Declaration of Independence–definitely some colorful patriotic reasoning.
Jack Bredin decided years ago to paint the historic Aurora Hotel. This year he finally completed the project. Jack usually begins by photographing his subject, and when he was doing that, he saw a woman watering her lawn near the Aurora. It turns out that she is the owner of that house, and she gave Jack permission to use her in his painting. The dog walker also was present on the day of the photographs and he also gave permission.
The historic Angel of Victory statue is depicted at the lower right corner. Jack has used the famous statue in other paintings. Here is a BF link by Kathy Arlt regarding the Angel:
Jack works in oil on canvas, and his paintings often contain historic and current references. For example, Jack always admired the giant American flag hung from the Aurora at times such as the 4th of July. But the flag obscured many details, so Jack placed bunting instead.
The vacant North End is readily seen. Someday much of what Jack shows here will be considered historic For example, the “White Whale” building near the upper right hand corner, will probably be demolished in the future. And the glorious views currently available to all at the North End will be blocked by a commercialized OG North End (aka “South Asbury Park.”)
Wonderful Victorian homes are shown in the foreground, but looming behind, like some prehistoric monster, is a condominium building, the sort of place that mars the views in the Grove.
Jack insists on accuracy in his paintings, while taking some minor liberties. For example, the girl on the bike is a Heck Avenue neighbor named Jackie. And the Aurora, the symbol of the Greek Goddess of dawn, will be converted into 4 condos if the out-of-town interlopers get their way, with the gears greased by the feckless HPC (def: lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible.) and the out-of-town, don’t-give-a crap Committee.
It should be noted that although Jack’s work might stimulate political discussions, he never mixes art and politics.
You also can see that Jack has frozen the time of his subject by including the 16 story Asbury skyscraper currently going up near the ocean. You can see the giant crane on top. What effect will that huge building have on life in the Grove?
