"Wading Da Waters" Acrylics on canvas. Copyright 2005 Turtel Onli. This Rhythmistic masterpiece embraces the rhythms of spiritual play, nature, worship, life, along with the cycles of nature to communicate beauty, poise, power, and grace.

When you scroll down you will see the repainted Rhythmistic oil on canvas masterwork entitled "Angel's Dread". The original one was detroyed in a devastating studio fire in 2001. Another smart collector secured this artwork by this important contemporary Rhythmistc master. The beautiful cosmic looking "No Evils" Acrylics 1988, sold to a musician. It is a three-paneled painting that is about 90 inches wide and 40 inches tall when installed.

Street Promoz!!!

In Chicago October is "Artist Month". During this time arts organizations and the city government celebrates and encourages support of the visual arts and it's Chicago based creators. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago displayed banners to promote its scholarship promotional called "Barewalls". This is an event where the alumni create art on canvas while supporters quietly bid on the works in a silent auction. It usually raises over $80,000.00 dollars for it's alumni scholarship fund. I earned a BFA in Art Education and MAAT in Art Therapy from the school. The banners featured images of several artists working during past "Barewalls" events. The central photo was one of myself. I had no idea it was going to happen. A friend of mine saw it downtown and called screaming to tell me. At the high school where I teach a student walked up to me and asked, "Mr. Onli, are you sort of famous or something? I saw you on a flag downtown promoting some art thing." After this I went to photo the banner. Needless to say I was surprised and honored by the whole thing. Sounds like an endorsement. The number one art school in the USA using the image of its Rhythmistic alum to promote the school.

Word!

Who Is Your Favorite Artist?

Who is your favorite living artist? I often ask this question of my students or friends. It is not for debate but to check out a person's connection with the creativity of visual artists. Usually when I ask this question people respond by naming an entertainer. A singer or musician but not a visual artist. Once I focus them on the visual arts they tend to name a dead artist. But the question is an unofficial survey. Who is your favorite living artist?

Bare Walls!!!!!

Ownership is the highest level of appreciation for visual art. This is why we buy fashion, cars, wall papers, wrapping papers, greeting cards, paintings, weavings, prints, sculptures, photos, graphic novels, or ceramics, To own is to embrace. To appreciate and share with others your sense of class, style, insights, culture, power, prestige, or beliefs. These and so much more are indicated by our visual ownership. Our passionate visual ownership. And no collection is complete without a Rhythmistic work of art included. Your bare walls are begging for it now. Haven't you waited or looked long enough?

"Gallery Free Art"

"No Evils" copyright Turtel Onli 2005. 30"X40"Acrylics on canvas. Sold. However I am creating an ongoing collection of original treatments of this ancient theme. The idea of not empowering evil is so liberating. So powerful. So central to many beleif systems.

Rhythmistic Masterpieces.

"Angel's Dread" Oils, 30" X 44", Copyright Turtel Onli 2005. This image is to depict the moment of pain when the Angels realized that Jesus was murdered. The original was destroyed in a devastating studio fire I experienced right after 911. In my comback phase post-fire I reprised it and sold it to a serious collector of Rhythmistic works.

http://lindsaygallery.com

Visionary Art

The Lindsay Gallery in Columbus Ohio is carrying some outstanding charts created by the late Rev. David Phillips along with a wealth of folk and outsider art. The owner and staff are amazing in their approach to supporting this type of creativity. They embrace the artist, the context in which it is created, and the needs of the audience with equal amounts of passion and insight.

Artistic and Spiritual Leagacy

"ROME" This is a Chart by the late Rev. Phillips that shows Christians happily suffering at the hands of the Romans to prove their faith in God. They are being stoned, boiled in oil, cut in half, being eaten by animals, yet in each image the faithful are smiling based on absolute faith. It is drawn on oilcloth, circa 1970s, copyright 2005 Turtel Onli. Rev. Phillips did not think of himself as being an artist but using images to preach the word of God.


" The Root of All Evil" by Rev. David Phillips circa 1950s Copyright 2005 Turtel Onli. Drawn on oil cloth.

This is another highly collectable example of the Biblical Charts my late grandfather created from 1935 until 1973. I gave an exhibition of our works as a legacy show in early 2005 in Munster Indiana. A few of his charts have been sold and the Linsay Gallery in Columbus Ohio is currently handling a few of them. Rev. Phillips created the charts to help his congregation to better understand the word of God. He was a Pentecostal Preacher and I became a therapist-teacher. We both make art. How is that for a bit of a legacy.

Who is your favorite living Artist?

Who is your favorite living Artist? This is a question I recently presented in my classes to my students. Immediately they started shouting the names of entertainers. Actors, singers, dancers, and musicians. Then I made the question more focused. Who is your favorite visual Artist as in one who paints, draws, designs, sculpts, sews, or the like? Each time the class went silent. So I let them know that the final report would be on each student's favorite artist. Meaning they will have to write a paper on that topic and present it to the class. This will be exciting.

I often ask this of my social peers and get the same reaction. Followed by their debating that entertainment is art therefore these people are artistic enough to be the answer to the question. Some times it is really passionate. My point is to open up the prospect of folks having favored living artists. Some people actually do. But when was the last time you heard someone refer to an artist as being their favorite? Hmmmmm. Who is your favorite living Artist?