I received an e-mail from SZoner [and super talented artist] Bill Pruitt with this amazing story…
- Hi Craig,
just wanted to let you know I met with Sly on Friday at his office building for about 40 minutes and it was a really nice visit. He bought 2 more of my paintings that I delivered. The PopSly I posted on he StalloneZone and the latest Expendables piece on the StalloneZone (both of which he saw on there) so thanks so much to you. I didn’t get any photos from the meeting but that’s ok. We talked mostly about art and different painting techniques including mine and his and a lot about Rambo 3 and about me doing an epic type painting from that movie on a large scale like a battle scene or something of that nature. We talked on the phone prior to that on Thursday regarding my paintings. Also, about Rambo 3, he said he thought it was underrated and I agree. I told him my favorite scene was the stick fighting scene and that I think about that before working out because it really motivates me.
I sat down with him in his own office and he showed me a book of his paintings and he described them to me and how he did them and said he even did one using a screwdriver. He said he regretted letting go of a few of them. I suggested a technique to him for creating a lot of texture on the canvas and he seemed interested like he might try it. He asked what he could do to make the oil paint dry faster and I suggested a fast drying medium to use. He showed me around the different rooms on his floor and he pointed out an old painting of mine hanging up that he purchased in 1994 of Cliffhanger (hanging on the cliff scene) and I hadn’t seen it since then. There was also a room with art and other things that fans had sent him over the years. His own paintings were hung up in the hallway and there were props from his movies throughout the place like the R Rambo mailbox from the ending of “Rambo” and the big sign that says TOOL’S from “The Expendables” and the big Leroy Neiman painting of Rocky and Apollo used in Adrian’s restaurant in “Rocky Balboa”. That wasn’t the original Neiman but a print made to look like an original. The original is smaller.
I am working on a web page this weekend of ALL of my Sly paintings so I can show him. There are so many he hasn’t even seen. Also, I might add, his assistant was very nice and hospitable while I waited for Sly who was en route from the gym. After my visit, she informed me that Sly had hung the PopSly piece in his own office there on that floor. In all, it was a very nice experience just visiting and talking to Sly one on one.
Thanks Craig.
Bill
My Art web site: http://billpruitt.com
My Stallone art: http://billpruitt.com/sly_prints.htm
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Bill, Congrats on the sale of the paintings. The personal meeting with Sly and the tour of his offices was priceless. Wouldn’t ANY Stallone fan love to have the same opportunity? Thanks for sharing the experience with us. Can’t wait to see your next Stallone piece! – Craig