June 2019

Introduction of the artist by Peter Tagiuri, Atelier / Maison

I read about Kevin as the Superior Court Judge, his love and talent for this work and his sad realization that his illness made it impossible to continue in this calling. In discussing Kevin’s work as a judge , his spouse ,Marie Moliner,  mentioned a lovely story. Kevin had been given a budget to outfit his Judge’s Chambers when first arriving at the Superior Court. He had thrown himself into this opportunity bringing together furnishings, wall paint and art with wit and colorful expression, so striking that his colleague sent all newly appointed Judges to his Chambers for advice in the outfitting of theirs. I was delighted when Marie sent a picture of the Chambers and recognized the bright palette so often apparent in his artwork.

Meaningful Work: Kevin works each day around the limits of his illness to explore his thoughts and feelings. This work fills the space between what is known and what is felt. In so many ways Kevin’s life prepared him to make meaningful art; son, husband, father, friend, sports teacher, Sunday School teacher, lawyer and then Judge, and finally then the dislocating challenge of his disease creeping in on his consciousness.

For Kevin the circumstances of the diseases of Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia have given him a layered perspective that , with the help of Marie, he has channeled through the treasure of creative expression. Kevin reflects on the artists who influence him: contemporary artists like Keith Haring and Attila Richard Lukacs, and of course, the master,  Vincent van Gogh.

Speaking at one of his recent shows, Kevin stated:

“The diseases of Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia have given me a layered perspective on how my brain and body work both together and against each other. I hope my paintings capture this tension. »

We all should make art, so much can be seen, so much can be said and discovered.

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Jean Dubuffet, “Anticultural Positions” from a talk given at the Arts Club of Chicago 1957:

“I consider the Western notion of beauty completely erroneous. I absolutely refuse to accept the idea that there are ugly people and ugly objects….Art addresses the heart and mind and not the eyes. That is how it has always been regarded by “primitive” societies[,] and they are correct. Art is a language, an instrument of cognition and communication… Painting is a much more spontaneous and much more direct language than words[,] much closer to a shriek or to dancing. This is why painting is a means of expression for our inner voices and far more effective than words.”

Peter Tagiuri and Gloria O’Leary, Richelieu,  June 2019