Geneva, just forty minutes away on the northern tip of Seneca Lake, is one of those cities time has forgotten, except for those who live there of course. On a warm Friday evening the downtown area around Linden and Exchange Streets was hopping. We had driven here to see the Wildroot Group show at the Dove Block Project and after finding a parking spot we walked by two bands playing out on the sidewalk. The first was doing a Merle Haggard number and the one out front of the Lake Drum Brewery was playing a dub funk thing.
Pete Monacelli was showing some beautiful oil and ballpoint-pen on canvas paintings from his 2015 “These Are My Rivers” series. He was holding court when we walked in so we went right to the art. These George Wegman paintings were like a magnet. As we studied them George came over to say hi and he started to explain these paintings. He and Katie were downtown when it started raining and they sought shelter under the Broad Street Bridge. I stopped him, telling him you do not have to explain these to me. I know exactly what they are all about.
Just a few weeks ago I had posted a series of photos I took under bridges where the city has painted over graffiti. George was in a band in the sixties, The Hangmen. A friend of his came over and George introduced me as his favorite drummer. The other guy said something about Steve Gadd, a famous Rochester session drummer, and George said, “No, Paul is on the other end of the spectrum.” I loved that.
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I love George’s paintings. For me, these are especially strong as a group.