THE PAINTING ABOVE IS THE RESULT OF MONTHS OF PLANNING TO ACHIEVE A SEAMLESS COLLECTION OF NAVY GRADUATING SENIORS WHO, ALTHOUGH THERE AT THE SAME TIME, WERE NOT THERE IN THAT ORDER IN THE PROCESSION. THE SOLDIER IN THE MIDDLE, JOSE VALENTIN, IS NOW STATIONED IN PANAMA CITY AS A FIGHTER PILOT. HE IS A GOOD FRIEND TO WHOM I DEDICATED THIS PAINTING. IT WAS SHOWN ON SOUTH BEACH, FLORIDA, ON MEMORIAL DAY 2008 IN FRONT OF A LARGE CROWD WHO GAVE IT A STANDING OVATION. THE PAINTING WILL REMAIN ON DISPLAY UNTIL THE DAY IT IS SENT TO THE NAVAL ACADEMY AS GIFT FOR ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL RACES, CREEDS, AND RELIGIONS WHO SO VALIANTLY FIGHT FOR THIS NATION.

GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.

Home of the Brave

Carlos A. Navarro, 2008

Carlos A. Navarro

Modern masters

Raul Bussot

Raul Bussot’s signature style is a mesh old and new, His painting, “Sarpedon’s Salvation” comes from Greek history and tells the story of Sarpedon, “ a son of Zeus and Laudamia, daughter Lycian King. Sarpedon became king when his uncles withdrew their claim to Lycia. He fought on the side of the Trojans, with his cousin Glaukos, during the Trojan War, becoming one of Troy’s greatest allies and heroes. He scolded Hector in the Iliad, claiming that he left all the hard fighting to the allies of Troy and not to the Trojans themselves. When Patroclus entered the battle in the armour of Achilles, Sarpedon met him in combat. Zeus debated on whether to spare his son's life even though he was fated to die by the hand of Patroclus. He would have done so had Hera not reminded him that other gods' sons were fighting and dying and other gods' sons were fated to die as well, if Zeus should spare his son of his fate another god may do the same, therefore Zeus let Sarpedon die while fighting Patroclus, but not before killing the only mortal horse of Achilles. During their fight Zeus sent a shower of bloody raindrops over the Trojans' heads expressing the grief for the impending death of his son.”(Wikipedia) Bussot, in this modern masterpiece, has Sleep and Death, in the forms of the artist himself, take Sarpedon’s body to be carried to Zeus in heaven.

Tony Chimento

“Sunburned Buddha” (above) and “Erin’s Buddha” ( below ) are two of the many exquisite paintings by Tony Chimento. Tony resides in Miami, Florida, and is an acclaimed international artist whose paintings are found in many collections of note. His realism is unmatched and his use of current culture icons mixed with Renaissance motifs is fun, whimsical and, at the same time, magical.