Harry Carmean WW2 photograph album

At the age of 20 Harry Carmean joined the army and served in WW2 in France and Germany for four years until the war's end. He then stayed on in France for a while and studied art at the L'Ecole de Beaux Arts before returning to the United States.

More Harry Carmean painting sales at the Poetic Eye Gallery

With the coming of the new year the pace of painting sales have been brisk at The Poetic Eye Gallery online. Here are some recent January sales, these three pieces going to a collector in Europe.

Harry Carmean Hard-edge painting and Lorser Feitelson

Harry Carmean and Lorser Feitelson had similar aesthetic sensibilities as can be seen in these two unexpected classic Hard-Edge paintings by Carmean. They are a surprise because Carmean is known only for being a figurative artist. The paintings were done in the 1950's at the time the Hard-Edge movement was taking off. Feitelson and Carmean's work often followed parallel paths and these abstract paintings are just another example of how "great minds think alike".

Jake Drake, one of Harry Carmean's favorite models

Harry Carmean still hangs out with one of his models from the sixties - Jake Drake, who now is the owner of the highly successful Zen Bakery. As can be seen here, Harry did some of his finest drawings of Jack.

Photographer Greg Preston's portrait of Harry Carmean

Photographer Greg Preston just did this great portrait of Harry Carmean in his Acton studio. Look for one of Preston's shots of Carmean in the sequel to his first book of artists in their studios titled "The Artist Within".

Harry Carmean new paintings

Harry Carmean is 89 years old and just keeps going strong ( some liken him to the energizer bunny). Here is a recently completed painting of one of his favorite themes - the artist and model. It is nice to know that as one gets older there is no reason to stop doing what you love - he is an inspiration for all of us.

Harry Carmean and Lorser Feitelson in LA Rising show

Harry Carmean and Lorser Feitelson exhibited side by side at the LA Rising show at the Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara (Sept. - Oct 2011), and what a sight it was! The two artists tackled similar themes with equally successful results. Feitelson is much more known to the public than Harry Carmean, but as can be seen here, Carmean holds his own when showing with Feitelson who was his close friend and contemporary for thirty years. In time, Harry Carmean will be more recognized, and like Feitelson, will be seen as one of California's best interpreters of the figure, but for the moment his work remains largely unrecognized in the fine art world. For those that would like to collect Carmean's work, it is recommended that they buy it now while it is so undervalued and because of the current buyer's market, and also because in time the prices will inevitably rise.