“Border Crossings Revisited” Exhibit Closes with Praise

“Border Crossings Revisited,” the exhibit of Charles’paintings at the Saline District Library closed yesterday. Today my neighbor Steve rode with me to the library and helped me take the art work down. Even better – he carried it up two flights of stairs to my condo. Some of the paintings were so large I had to rent a mini-van to accommodate them like “Shooting Star Over Maracaibo” (acrylic), 51.5” x 40.25. Thanks to Steve and Enterprise!

I missed the paintings. Their lively and colorful character has surrounded me for the last seventeen years. So when the pieces were removed I felt a void, a sadness and wished for their return. I’m so glad they’re back home.

This is the first public exhibit of Charles’ work since 2003 and according to Leslee Niethammer, Director of the Saline District Library, “People have LOVED the show.” A few of them even wrote comments. Following are excerpts:

“A fantastic exhibit. . . My museum favorite is the Tate’s collection of Turner. There is a ‘gee whiz” moment. I had the same reaction when I first saw Novacek’s work. Actually the words to my self were probably a little bit of positive profanity. Let’s just leave it at, “This guy is the real deal.”

Portraits in situ –extemporaneously- absent a studio, strike me as a challenge. Novacek here strikes me as extraordinary. They seemed to capture the moment and the character. Even the one with the camel which was worth a good smile. The fellow on Cass Avenue has stayed with me.

I am partial to watercolors and have returned several times to view “After Desert Storm”, “Kuwait” and Stardust Over Baghdad.”  Great exhibit. . . wonderful. . .

“Beautiful show- landscapes and portraits!

Thank you to everyone who visited “Border Crossings Revisited!” I was touched by my Detroit area friends who drove all the way to Saline to see Charles’ work.

So even though I will miss them, I’m hoping other libraries, museums or galleries will consider showing Charles’ paintings. It would be great combined with a talk about Charles’ book, Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance, don’t you think?

Please contact me if you’re interested, Sandra Novacek, novaceks@att.net.