Art & Music in Harmony

Art Business News, July, 2001 by Adrienne Pozzetta

One couple combines their love of music with their quest for personalized, unique art in their Tampa home

Decorating the interior of a home can be a unique experience for everyone involved. Some individuals do the work themselves while some seek the help of experts when deciding what to buy and where to place the art.

Marc and Karen Blumenthal of Tampa, Fla., started collecting art more than eight years ago. When viewing their artwork many themes emerge including bright colors, music and religious symbols. Their collecting began as something simple: Karen took a stained glass art class and made a kaleidoscope. Now, she and her husband collect kaleidoscopes with the stipulation that they have to be together to purchase one. "We usually look for them while on vacation," said Karen.

A drive down the cul-de-sac where the Blumenthals live shows off a large brick two-story home with high ceilings and windows. It would seem logical that the house would need more than kaleidoscopes to fill its spaces. Open the front door and step inside. The 27-foot-high ceilings demand imposing pieces to occupy the space. In the front foyer directly to the left, two large brightly painted pieces grab your attention. The painting, entitled "With All My Love," was a commissioned piece by artist Milton Rochman, whom the Blumenthals had met at a gallery in St. Petersburg, Fla. "We actually had already bought two pieces by Milt and had seen a picture of him. The next time we went to the gallery, he was there, so we started talking to him," said Karen.

Gallery Owner Edward Lewis of Lewis-Atkinson Galleries in St. Petersburg helped set up the commissioned work. "They said, `We've got this wall that's 30 feet high; what do you have?' And I told Milt he had to do it," stated Lewis.

Coordinating the commissioned piece involved many meetings and discussions about what the Blumenthals wanted. "They told me what colors they wanted and what they were looking for, and I worked from there. I also asked to see the house. I wanted my painting to have a feel for the house," said Rochman. Karen added, "I wanted Judaic art, and Marc wanted something musical. We both wanted something happy--a wedding scene. Milt did all that with this painting." The piece is divided into two separate canvases so that if the Blumenthals ever move to a home with lower ceilings, they can still display the artwork. The top canvas features a bride and groom in the middle of an orchestra. The bottom canvas shows additional musicians and happy, dancing guests celebrating the wedding ceremony.

One theme the Blumenthals find important to display is the pride they feel in being Jewish. Rochman, who shares this desire to be close to God, includes reminders of their faith in the paintings. He said, "I paint musicians because I believe music relates to God, and I have a desire to be close to him."

Lewis helped the Blumenthals hang the paintings in the front foyer. The musical theme is carried into the dining room where another Rochman painting is hung. Titled "Golden Diva," Rochman said he wanted to show the soulful effect of music on the singer as she waits for the next note. The Blumenthals purchased this painting because they like the concepts Rochman painted. "I buy what I like," said Karen. "We're not going to sell it, we want to enjoy it." Below the "Golden Diva" painting are some of the kaleidoscopes Marc and Karen have bought while on vacation.

The meeting of the Blumenthals and Rochman has been an easy fit for Lewis. "I like to have the client be able to meet the artist. It enables them to have more pride of ownership," remarked Lewis.

Lewis commented that the Blumenthals "have contemporary tastes. They know what they like," which makes his job of helping them find artwork much easier. The Blumenthals' desire to have beautiful pieces that make them happy fits well with Rochman's work. "Milt's work has no negativity in it, it's full of color and brightness. He finds the joy in anything and can paint it," commented Lewis.

Another piece that follows the musical theme is a serigraph/acrylic painting by David Schluss that hangs on the wall before the master bedroom. The free-flowing rounded figures are splashed with bright reds, greens and blues with musical instruments appearing throughout the painting.

Family values are an important aspect for the Blumenthals. Karen's mother, Barbara "Bobbie" Block helped decorate the house by painting an alcove in the front stairwell. Block and neighbor Bill Arzonetti chose to depict a blue egret with a graceful neck and long body because they thought the bird was beautiful. The purple background behind the bird, plus the greens from the plant leaves, make the painting stand out from the neutral-toned walls. At the bottom of the stairs to the left is a box containing door handles from the master bedroom suite of Karen's parents' house. One is shaped like a male, the other a female. The intricate design and craftsmanship of the handles make them interesting and ideal pieces to hang as artwork.