Hall Groat Sr.

contributor to 1 poster

  • The Lights Start to Dim

    Artist

    The Lights Start to Dim

    I've been painting for all my life, so I'm fortunate to be a part of the Syracuse Poster Project. The poem I had to interpret: The lights start to dim, the orchestra starts to play, At Syracuse Stage, the painting I've done is an impression I have of the Syracuse stage, and community. The Flamenco dancer was part of the Wescott St. fair, in a group studying flamenco dancing, my daughter begged me to go into it, because she knew I would like to paint the dancers, so I've done several paintings of the dancers, this is just one I think shows the spirit of the Syracuse stage. I've been going to Syracuse Stage for many years, and certainly, it's a successful operation. My mother used to work at the University so she used to know all the actors. I thought it was a wonderful thing when my daughter told me to go into the Wescott St. fair, I thought “I don't like mobs” but it was fun working from life on these figures. There's little bits of musicians, the Director of the original Syracuse Symphony is pictured for example, you have to find some they're hidden; this impressionist style makes it hard to see, like a puzzle. I wanted this piece to feel lose, airy, I didn't want to tire people with detail it's the way I like to paint impressions of things that people remember over time, not academically. I hope to paint until I drop and then maybe some other person will follow me.