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Spring 2008 News |
See Past News
“Happy 80th Birthday”
“Museum reopens Saturday May 3rd”
Welcome back to the official Frazetta web pages.
First and fore-most, a special happy birthday to my father who turned 80, Saturday, February 9th. He looks great and his spirits are high and continues to enjoy everyday he is blessed with. On two consecutive evenings, a wonderful family birthday bash was thrown in his honor. This made for a welcome time with close friends and family members visiting from different parts of New York and Pennsylvania. A fabulous gourmet feast was prepared both days and no one left the party with an empty stomach, that’s for sure! A variety of Italian foods were offered along with stuffed shrimp and antipasto dishes. It was like celebrating Thanksgiving on back to back days, my favorite Holiday.
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For some time now, dads been hinting about an original Leica range finder camera. He continually remarks how many he owned then sold for $100 or less back in the 60’s and early 70’s. Now that his digital format collection is thriving, he has a small void in his camera collection that consists of 300 plus cameras and lenses. No old Leica’s though! So I searched for weeks until I got lucky and picked up an old Leica 111c with a summicron F2 lens. He was quite specific when talking about this camera and the lens of choice. He kept insisting that the summicron was the one to get. So luckily it had the lens he wanted. He’ll most likely never take a photo with it, but simply taking the lens off, cleaning the glass and tinkering with it days on end will make him happy. Since the first purchase just weeks ago, somehow I have bought 2 more old cameras, a 11F and 111F that are both in fine condition. To my surprise, he went out and bought a roll of 35mm film just to see how sharp the photos would come out with the old cameras. I cannot believe as good as the lenses are in these collectables, that they can compare with the new digital high tech cameras on the market. Lets face it, technological advances in electronics are being made on a weekly basis and the digital format is one that eventually will make film become obsolete. With mega pixels as high as 27 or more and a good 6 or 8 pixel camera can compete with any film to my knowledge. Its as good in quality and 10 times more practical. If my father is convinced of this, it’s good enough for me. There is no greater personal satisfaction I get than seeing my father enjoy the simple things in life. Reminisince of the past and how it once was. It brings tears to my eyes, but not in front of him. He is such a complex individual when it comes to his art, but there is another side of my father that only a few lucky individuals have had the pleasure to witness, the side that looks at everything for what it is. The beautiful design of a camera or the way all these little parts work together and somehow take a photo. He is not the mechanically inclined person some think he must be by the things he paints, he’s definitely not. That would take up to much of his time trying to figure out how it works, but just knowing that it does is all that he needs to make him content. The style of a car that looks likes it racing down the highway even though its parked and no one is inside. The smile on the grandkids faces that make him light up like a shooting star. One day I hope to have the time to share all my father/son experiences with you in a true life biography about him. The side of my father that most know little about if at all. When I tell patrons at the museum about some of these special moments they are more compelled and interested in these stories than his actual career. I guess because they are fans and already know most about him on his professional side. So when they hear things that are new or coming directly from the source, the doubt factor is eliminated. It is always a great to visualize patrons smiles when I speak highly of my mother and father, it truly is. This is why I continue to work on this site and help at the museum. In the distant future, when my golf career comes to an end, I can continue with my fathers legacy, branching out through the internet and possibly touring around the country to exhibit my fathers artwork for all to see. It will be a rewarding experience for both the fans and myself.
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Moon Maid Statue |
My father continues to draw when he’s not tinkering with the cameras or watching baseball. He also wants to take another crack at golf this summer with me. I enjoyed playing golf with my father more than any other sport with played competitively, although he was not nearly the same caliber golfer that I was, he still had his moments in the late fall where he could shoot in the mid to low 70’s at a municipal golf course. He was a standout guy, funny and cared only about hitting the golf ball as far as he could, regardless of the conditions or width of the fairway. Probably because he got his golf balls for free at my store. Never would he spend any time looking for the arrant tee shot in the woods, it was much more enjoyable to reach into his pocket and get out another shiny new ball and whale away once again. He played faster than anyone, one short practice swing than Bang! It was amazing how fast he played not to mention doing it with a 8 inch cigar in his mouth that defies logic. I also enjoyed smoking cigars when playing golf, but I did it to keep the bugs out of my eyes. Unlike my father, who left it in his mouth when he swung at the ball. It was very distracting to see this hanging out of my mouth while concentrating on the ball. I always left the cigar on the cart before I hit the ball, but I wanted to try something different. I wanted to see if I could do what my father did, swing with it in my mouth, by the way, against my better judgment. So I put it back in my mouth, took my normal back swing, and faster than I could say ouch!!!! I proceeded to put a nice burn mark through my new polo shirt and abrasion in my left shoulder. This solidifies just how flat a back swing my father had to avoid touching his shoulder or any other body part that is. So anyone with an understanding of the golf swing should know exactly where I’m going with this. No Where! My father hit massive low screaming hooks when his timing was off, but when his timing was right on he hit the ball as far as most big boys, well in excess of 320 yards with persimmon drivers. Just having him with me on the course will be a special day in itself.
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My father started a new Death Dealer painting and when completed will be used on the cover of the extremely popular Death Dealer comic series produced by Jay Fotos and company. For a little hint, the preliminary for this painting is in the new rough book that we are offering in the gallery store. The 1st runs of each issue are selling out before the are off the press and now that the once popular comic book age is making a strong comeback, most quality comics today are selling quite well. I remember as a young boy looking forward to new issues hitting the stands and taking joy just reading them over and over again. With the computer age, the young generation has missed out, not having the actual story in hand and anticipating what will happen next on the next page or following issue. The good old days for me, the mid sixties and early seventies. I like computers for instantaneous information pertaining to anything and emailing fans without having to put a stamp on an envelope, but that’s the extent of it for me. I just can’t enjoy sitting down hour after hour on the computer, it just does not feel like I am using my time constructively. But who am I to say!
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Limited and Signed Vamperrella |
I have just started repainting the remaining 50 or so Dark Kingdom statues. Once again, I cannot extend my appreciation for the fans who have been so patient with me since this initial problem occurred with the defective paint job. I took on more than I could handle last year hoping to do them all in a given time. I was so burned out I had to put them aside for months at a time. I cannot apologize enough for your understanding in this matter. Before I mail out the remaining statues, please email me at frazettatwins@yahoo.com to confirm your statues number and correct mailing address so there are no further issues with the on going dilemma. I will be contacting everyone shortly before I ship your repainted statue out so you can look out for it. By mid April, statues numbering below 20 should be ready to go out. The following week expect approx 5 to 10 more, but there were still many already shipped so it should not take to long to finish the remaining 50 by June. Please remember, the new paint job is not going to look like a perfect model, my father and I wanted it to have the look of the original oil painting, as did the sculptor, Steven Lord. I think they look very realistic, so I hope your happy with the outcome.
Shortly, we will be offering new items in the gallery store. The new rough book in three different varieties. Open edition, signed edition with sleeve along with a remarked edition where Frank adds back round and foreground to existing drawing, the inside panel of the saber tooth tiger. Then will add watercolors to it along with his signature. The Death Dealer statue will be available by the end of April, exclusively made in the U.S.A. Each will have a solid hardwood base and pewter medallion signifying the number of each statue. A 35 year commemorative poster of the Death Dealer/Frazetta portrait and a lithograph celebrating this date with the actual gold sealed Death Dealer comic mounted behind glass and framed. Photos will be available by mid April of most items. The new Moon Maid statue, Snow Giant statue, 3 new Zippo lighters, and a Master Elite edition that Frank actually applies more vibrant colors and detail to the existing reproduction. These will be limited to just 12 in the small offering of paintings.
One last note: I will have my own comic book published next year sometime by Jay Fotos. I did the original concept for the story along with the cover art. It is a science fiction story and should be out by mid 2009.
I wish everyone well, and look forward to meeting you at the museum that reopens the first weekend in May. Any questions call at 570-424-5833. Directions and new photos in the museum section of the site.
Sincerely your’s.
Frank Frazetta JR
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