Where in the world is Ronnie?!

Ronnie II ©Ronnie Wood

In the art world, a work of art can travel far and wide after it leaves the artist's possession. Who makes the purchase, where the art hangs, or whether it changes hands more than once are often among the unknowns after the artist bids it farewell.

The painting at the left is one such work of art. It’s called Ronnie II and is a self-portrait by Ronnie Wood. Many years ago this piece was on display at our gallery during a show and was later sent on to other exhibitions. At some point we believe it was conveyed to a collector in the United States or Europe. Since we have an important and capable client who would like to purchase this painting, we have been looking for any information that will lead to its current whereabouts to learn if its present owner is willing to sell.

San Francisco Art Exchange has been continuously exhibiting and selling the artwork of Ronnie Wood since 1987. Consequently, we have extensive resources and contacts when it comes to his artwork around the world. We have conducted an exhaustive search for this painting and, thus far, have not located it or its owner.

VanGogh ©Ronnie Wood

If you or anyone you know has information about Ronnie II, we would like to have contact with its owner to determine if they might be willing to consider an offer to purchase. This is a serious interest and our client is capable of following through on a significant offer. We can be contacted confidentially at 415-441-8840 - ask for either gallery owners Theron Kabrich or James Hartley - or through our website communication page located here.

Ronnie II is an oil painting on linen measuring 60 inches high x 48 inches wide and is signed “Ronnie Wood” in the lower portion of the image. While the painting was actually produced in 1988, a small serigraph - or "screen print" on fine art paper - was published using this image in 1990 as part of the “Rolling Stones II” suite of limited edition prints. The limited edition prints of each image in the suite measure approximately 21 inches high by 17 inches wide and are printed on cream colored sheets that are approximately 27 inches high by 22 inches wide so the "Ronnie II" print should not be confused with the painting we hope to find.

Rembrandt ©Ronnie Wood

Other paintings we are looking for include the two pictured here as well. These are from a series of portraits Ronnie painted in the late 1980’s of some of his favorite painters of the past, using portraits the artists painted of themselves as his models. The two we currently have a purchasing client for are Vincent Van Gogh and Rembrandt.

As in the case of the Ronnie II painting, if you or anyone you know might have information on the whereabouts of either of these paintings and/or their owner(s) we hope you might let us know. Again, we can be contacted confidentially at 415-441-8840 - ask for either gallery owner Theron Kabrich or James Hartley - or through our website communication page located here.

Finally, we would be happy to hear from anyone who owns an original work by Ronnie Wood of any kind and who might like to explore its value or possible sale.

Ronnie Wood: 25 Years with San Francisco Art Exchange

Ronnie Wood Musician, Painter

In 1986 Phil Carson, a good friend, contacted us. He had a new “project” in mind and wanted to discuss how SFAE might be involved. Phil has been known in the world of rock and roll for decades, having worked with and managed some of the top names in rock since the late 1960’s.

The “project”, it turned out, happened to be SFAE’s participation in a series of exhibitions with Ronnie Wood and his artwork that would begin at Christie's in London, appear at numerous galleries across the US and conclude at Christie’s in Tokyo. Ronnie was also just completing a book, The Works, about his life, career and various influences. The book would be illustrated by his own artwork and its release would coincide with the traveling exhibition of his art.

James Brown, etching © Ronnie Wood

As a well connected music insider, Phil was asked by Ronnie and his manager, Nick Cowan, to coordinate a multi-city - and a multi-dimensional - tour that included book signing appearances, art exhibitions and music performances by Ronnie and Bo Diddley at venues throughout the United States. The tour would launch in 1987 and the art exhibitions would be comprised of paintings, drawings, monotypes, woodcuts and drypoint etchings that Ronnie had produced over many years. A new set of limited edition silkscreen art prints called Decades, co-published by Christie's, would also be part of every exhibition.

Of all exhibitions that took place, nearly a dozen or so, the largest exhibitions took place in London, Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. Ronnie’s artwork was well received wherever it was exhibited. Aside from his obvious fame and popularity as a musician, enthusiastic reaction was registered everywhere that his work was seen. The diversity of well executed techniques in drafting, painting, and printmaking were quite eye opening for those who did not at first know what to expect. Critical observations that Ronnie’s artistic spontaneity coupled with his disciplined technical skill began the serious inquiry by art collectors with which we are more familiar today.

Conversation Piece © Ronnie Wood

Ronnie has spent virtually his whole professional life in the mode of a kind of proactive audacity; a creative fearlessness armed with an instinctive respect for pursuing technical excellence. The seemingly effortlessness of his drawings of a variety of subjects, the most challenging subjects being immediately recognizable personalities, demonstrates his intrinsic abilities as a visual artist.

Eric Clapton III © Ronnie Wood

As a quick example, if an artist produces a portrait of someone who no one, outside of friends and family, would recognize on public display then success or failure to convey what that person looks like or who that person “is” through their portrait would not be apparent to anyone else. Failure or even liberties taken in the portrait would be unseen and unknown. On the other hand, if the portrait produced is of Keith Richards or Eric Clapton, success or failure would be obvious within a few seconds, the exact amount of time an artist would have to prove their ability. Ronnie operates on that artistic high wire regularly and confidently, since he has successfully produced portraits of innumerable well known personalities over many years. These famous faces usually belong to people who also happen to be among Ronnie’s own “friends and family” as well - a truly uncommon combination for most artists.

After the first exhibition we held in 1987, Phil, Nick and Ronnie asked us make efforts to build and maintain a regular presence of Ronnie’s artwork in multiple galleries across the US and Canada. Our first joint effort in 1988 was in connection to Ronnie’s portraits of Eric Clapton that his friend, Eric, commissioned him to produce for his landmark album, Crossroads, the definitive collection of Clapton’s work up to that time. The cover portrait of Eric on the box set as well as the portrait on title page of the accompanying book are both by Ronnie and were published as limited edition serigraphs, a portion of each edition being co-signed by Eric himself.

Wa Wa Wood © Ronnie Wood

Since those early days, our own sales of Ronnie’s artwork now approach ten million dollars and we have observed the evolution of a collector market that has grown worldwide resulting in many tens of millions of dollars in sales in scores of countries.

Nearly twenty-five years have passed since our first exhibition together. Ronnie has always been supportive, kind, generous and enthusiastic over all this time and we appreciate his longstanding trust and friendship.

Efforts of Multi-Talented Artists

Voodoo Ronnie © Ronnie Wood

It has often been said that everyone is born with a talent. It has also been said that being born with a talent is not enough to succeed. The discipline required to advance skills in applying given talents is a major ingredient to doing great things.

Exceptional creative people who become well known and praised for their work leave their mark in some form on the culture and are personally recognized chiefly because of the products of their efforts. The operative word in the last sentence is “efforts.” The artistic achievers in the visual arts, performing arts, literature and all other creative endeavors are talented, yes. But it also takes a passionate technician with high standards to mold and mature the innate talents with which they began.

Anyone who knows, or knows of, an accomplished artist will also know well of that artist’s drive to master the skills required to express their creative visions. Hard work, focused effort and discipline can occupy up to 98% of that artist’s time which precedes the 2% of perfection in the sound of their guitar or voice, the emotion of a character they portray on screen, the captivating flow of narrative in a short story they have written.

Rod Stewart © Ronnie Wood

Discipline to reach excellence in an artist’s chosen medium of expression during their career becomes intrinsic to who they are, so when an artist becomes interested in another medium the transference of their drive to refine the skills that are required in a second talent becomes second nature. The “language” and tools of one form of art have their counterparts in another form of art. The accomplished “student” of an already mastered form becomes the devoted student of the next, learning to manage, apply, and finally communicate with facility in the adopted language and medium using the tools that are expressly required in that new art form. High standards, passion, vision, strict adherence to technique are pulled into alliance to the high degree a thoughtful artist requires.

The Faces © Ronnie Wood

Our ongoing intent at the San Francisco Art Exchange is to present the art and photography of creative people known chiefly for their accomplishments in music, acting, and other products of the mind, imagination and human creativity. Among our chief motivators as purveyors of art are our professional need to regularly highlight avenues toward discovery, to edify to the best of our abilities and to expand the perception of how popular patterns are traced into our cultural record. Part of trying to fulfill these self-defined goals as it concerns artists who are talented in more than one art form is to both enthusiastically praise the artists themselves and their accomplishments, while at the same time offer, in effect, mirrors to visitors to our downtown San Francisco gallery and our website. These mirrors, in the form of accomplished talented individuals, hopefully reflect what is be possible when personal passion and the discipline to develop skills are taken to heart and mind. After all, it is often said that everyone is born with a talent.