September 18, 2024
We were on the road home from a plein air painting trip in southeastern Utah when Edmundo told me to pull over. We got out of the car and Ed stepped into the road and started shooting photos like crazy.
"God's just showing off now," I quipped as I took in the dramatic sky and canyons spreading out behind us, at the same time realizing what Ed was excited about. He gave me a courtesy laugh and kept on shooting.
Later, as we dropped into Arizona and took in Horseshoe Canyon and then Agatha Peak in a dust storm, the same flurry of shots took place, with Edmundo taking in the entire panorama with his camera.
Ed Mell had the eye. And, it must be said, he put in the work.
Edmundo with one of the paintings he created from one of our plein air painting tripsLast night 400 of Ed Mell's oldest and best friends got together at the Phoenix Art Museum to celebrate his superlative career in art and life.
The Ed Mell Memorial atAs each speaker told about some aspect of Ed's life, a slide show cycled through the catalogue of his paintings. I thought I knew most of Ed's work, but damn, that guy was prolific. We laughed and we cried. He was that kind of guy.
Some of us are old enough to rememberIn fact, it's his humor I will remember the most. Here's Edmundo giving us that knowing look while working on the rear end of a cayuse.
And, believe me, he didn't spare his friends, either.
Ed and I shared studio space in the eighties where the above photo was taken. In fact, this is the site of my real college education, where I learned so many things from the Master, by osmosis alone. When people ask me about my art school training, I always tell them, I did four years in the Fine Arts College at the University of Arizona and four years of graduate training from the Edmundo Segundo School of Art at this campus location:
We traveled many miles together both in his studio and his many cars. One thing remains.
"In life, it's not where you go, it's who you travel with."
—Charlie Brown
I never met Ed but I admired his work. You have written a great tribute to him.
ReplyDeleteWhen Bob and Ed were sharing space I remember Ed coming home for dinner laughing about two Dads of preschoolers working together - one of them was humming a familiar song (can’t remember which one, Ed or Bob) and the other joined in with the lyrics “I’m a dog, a working dog, a hard working dog.” The song was from Sesame Street. Still gives me a good laugh.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chuckle Gail
DeleteYour admiration for Ed is endearing...he was a wonderful human...but don't sell yourself short, hombre. You're a great artist yourself.
ReplyDelete10th and Oak area was a real hot spot for artists back in the day Kevin Irvin was just around the corner and Donald Locke also lived in the neighborhood. I'm so sorry I couldn't be there at the Museum on Saturday. I was on a ranch somewhere outside of Mancos Colorado. I missed Jana's service too.🥺
ReplyDeleteHumor and kindness. I never heard a bad word for Edmundo Segundo (sounds like one of Frank's lines...)
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to see you at his memorial.