There used to be a secondhand/refurbished furniture place down the road at Avalon a few years ago. Once, when I popped in, I noticed this plaster (I think) head amongst the dusty pieces of furniture. The shop owner told me that it was made by a local down-and-out older man, who comes in every now and then trying flog his pieces. I asked how much was the head, and he said - oh, let's say $70, which is what I paid for it. I understood the shop keeper sometimes took these pieces from the artist to be sold at the shop, because he felt sorry for him. On the bottom of the head there's a signature 'John Maurice'. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find out anything else about him. The work is outstanding!
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Gary Deirmendjian
Paul, 2006
23 cm (height) x 25 cm x 33 cm, bisque fired ceramic soaked with Indian ink
Esa Jaske Collection
GD: "Paul came often to Café Hernandez after 3AM.
He was very thin, small and over seventy. He sat and
smoked in the cold but had the shingles. He knew a lot
about Rolls Royces but drove a tiny red Hyundai - packed
tight it seemed with all his belongings. One day he
just stopped coming."
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