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And that's exactly what Darrin Hoover and friends did on a warm, mid-September Saturday just a few short weeks ago. Instead of a big old barn, Hoover turned his backyard into center stage for the unveiling of his 12 new original paintings - additions to his much beloved Whim-Ze collection. In case you've missed the art world chatter the last few years, this popular, and critically acclaimed collection that Hoover describes as "... art with a nostalgic edge and a blast of color" has taken the young artist to faraway venues, each time returning with fans wanting more - more of this art "that just makes you happy and looks darn good in your home too!" Well I couldn't agree more.
Along about last December, after the outrageous success of his first event held inside his German Village home, Hoover, as usual, started thinking bigger and better. "Hey, why don't I write a show around this collection and put it on right here in Columbus, right in our own backyard!", declared the artist to the extremely patient Mrs. Hoover. And so on the evening of September 14, 2002, on the back lawn of their home in German Village, the show began.
Aptly titled , Hoover dished, sang, acted, and danced his way through the artistic inspiration for each of his 12 new originals - really a well choreographed, yet spontaneously funny and entertaining, old-fashioned show! But the real fun is in the details. The originals, shrouded in Whim-Ze paper, were quietly brought on stage in groupings of 4 by , 12 young men and women outfitted all in black and wearing specially designed pins. These folks, cued only by the jazzy background music, seamlessly tied Hoover's performances, his art, and the audience -and just added an extra touch of sophistication to the evening.
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Then came the performances themselves. This artist didn't just stand stiffly behind a podium and drone endlessly about each brushstroke, leaving the audience weeping in boredom. This artist crooned (in tune and with top hat and umbrella), then acted a trio of parts from a classic film noir theme to describe his inspiration for one of my favorites from his new works entitled, . This luxurious, almost 3-D creation gives the viewer just enough to understand the "femme" in the "fatale". He perfectly mimicked the tales of his elderly neighbor who performed live radio shows in the 1930's, and who inspired the richly hued and its companion piece, . He performed a Shakespearean soliloquy worthy of Broadway to introduce , which the woman next to me astutely described as "perfectly romantic!" And as a finale, he donned a glittery, raspberry colored jacket to introduce 2 of his black-clad "Helpers", Cameron Williamson and Natalie Wilson, who just happen to be members of a local dance team. These two talents performed a rousing dance number as the introduction for , my true favorite among his new originals. With their childish pixie profiles and huge, swept back hair, the tango-ing couple in this painting truly evoked the wild spirit of a bygone era.
But I cannot forget the blue parakeet. Just prior to the start of the show, as Hoover was warming up the nearly 100 person crowd, a tiny blue parakeet flitted about the audience, lighted on people's heads and as the host joked, "threatened to steal the show." Hoover later claimed that the bird was not scripted into the program, but I still wonder given the perfectly choreographed remainder of the evening. The audience really did sit perched on the edge of their seats, oohing, aahing, and applauding the performances and the unveilings, and as hoped, remained well into the night to purchase their autographed treasures and chat with the artist. The forecasted thunderstorms even held off until the next morning, after the "theater" was safely stored and guests were already home arranging their new art.
As Darrin Hoover predicted, "blended music and dance, cool art, and great fun." But he might not have predicted the joyous, almost overwhelming response. Rumor has it that this artist is once again thinking bigger and better, so stay tuned...
Joan DeMartin is a freelance writer and critic and can be reached at jdemarti@columbus.rr.com.
© copyright 2002-2003 Darrin Hoover, Inc. |
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