Artist Talk: Kevin Nealon
Sat, Apr 27
|Denver Art Society
Stand up comedian, Kevin Nealon and also accomplished painter will be at Denver Art Society to talk about his work. kevinnealonart.com
Time & Location
Apr 27, 2024, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Denver Art Society, 734 Santa Fe Dr, Denver, CO 80204, USA
Guests
About the event
During my tenure as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” I always looked forward to the Tuesday afternoon table reads. Here, we would review the week’s material with our celebrity host.
When we were reading a sketch I wasn’t in, I would sometimes drift off and find my pencil doodling the faces of fellow cast members in the margins of my script. Whomever happened to be sitting across from me - be it Chris Farley, Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks or maybe even that week's guest host - they naturally became my unwitting subjects.
Sometime thereafter, on my way to standup gigs I began to discreetly draw people seated near me on airplanes. Inspired to draw, and to up my game, I learned to paint on a digital tablet (which is how I've created the portraits you'll see in my exhibition).
I soon felt compelled to paint renditions of many of my own famous contemporary friends, as well as some of my early idols and even a few from before my time. As I drew each person, I discovered I had a deep, meaningful connection to the work. A story unfolded that for me, resonates well beyond the painting itself.
I hope you enjoy my fond renditions of these icons. Each one is truly a labor of love.
Kevin Nealon