"Enjoy Yourself, It's Later Than You Think"

I was there that 4^th.of July when the pictures for this painting were taken. I'm the little fellow sitting on the arm of the swing chair with his head down contemplating life, like I always have done. My Uncle George was serenading my Fat Aunt Mary , my grandmothers sister (we had to call her FAT AUNT MARY otherwise she wouldn't talk to us. She would always say “When I die and they put me in a coffin I'll get my money's worth there too, for being so fat. Sometimes she would come to my mothers house and beg her to give her something to eat. She usually ate a steak for breakfast.)

I remember the day like it was yesterday. We were at my Uncle Jack's and Aunt Rosie's House (the man on the left drinking beer and Aunt Rosie My Grandmothers other sister on the right wearing the pink dress) enjoying the day. My father, in the stripped polo shirt is singing along with everyone else. The song that they were singing was “Enjoy Yourself It's Later Than you Think” That song and “Sweet Violets were Aunt Mary's favorite songs. They're all gone now. Except me....

ENJOY YOURSELF IT”S LATER THAN YOU THINK.

ENJOY YOURSELF WHILE YOU' RE STILL IN THE PINK,

THE YEARS GO BY AS QUICKLY AS A WINK,

ENJOY YOURSELF, ENJOY YOURSELF,

IT”S LATER THAN YOU THINK.

"Besso me Mucho"

Aunt Tessie was my mothers youngest sister. She always baby sat with my brother and me.

I will always remember her coming home from work climbing up the stairs to my Grandmothers apartment singing her favorite song “Besome Mucho”

She is the most difficult to approach how I would paint her. I loved her very much. She would take me to Coney Island when she was on vacation. She became ill with Rhumotoid Arthritis when she was in her late 20's. She was always in pain. One Easter as my Aunts were admiring my cousin Susan's Easter hat and passing it around from one to another, they placed it on Aunt Tessie's head. She smiled and I snapped the picture. I tried to capture the pain that she was suffering from. You can see the pain in her body. Her hands were contorted and it was even difficult for her to even smile.

She died in her early 40's after being in the hospital for about 2 years.

To me she will always be Saint Theresa

"Uncle Tony's Barber Shop"

I'm not sure who took the photo I think it was my Aunt Tessie because I found a similar picture of Aunt Tessie and me taken on the same day with me holding her hand, so I assume she took this of me holding my fathers hand in front of my Uncle Tony's Barber Shop. Uncle Tony was my fathers brother-in- law. You can see the apartment buildings across the street reflected in his shops window, and Uncle Sam and the American flag in the window. It must have been late 42 or early for 43 The war was going on and it was around Easter time The sun was hot I was wearing an outfit that my mother had picked out for me. probably from Erwin's. She loved to shop there around Easter time and buy me and my brother a new jacket or suit. It could have been Easter Sunday. I held my fathers hand crossed my foot and looked at the camera as my Aunt took the picture. Look at all the old posters and signs that were on the wall behind me. Look at the old Penny Scale up against the wall of the barber shop.

"The Little Ruffion" Cousine Philip

My Cousin Philip ... “The Little Ruffian” (rough one)

As I was enjoying my new Nikon F camera I took it all over with me all the time. One day I photographed my cousin Philip up against a brick wall in my parents garden He was about 7-8 years old

My Aunt Lola liked the photograph I had taken. She kept saying ...”He has Grandpas eyes”. They are very large and deep. Everyone else thought that he looked like a roffion or gangster.

I always liked Philip he's my godchild .He the only one who was strong enough to take my name Pacifico for his middle name at his Confirmation.

Philip is about 50 now, he lives in Boca Ra tan in Florida. He now looks like a “Big Ruffian”

"Goumada"

When I was in the Army I was assigned to the Signal Core I was stationed at the Army Pictorial Center in Long Island City
One of our assignments was to cover the Worlds Fare in Flushing Meadows N.Y
I visited the Japanese Pavilion and saw the Nikon Camera Display.
I inquired about the cameras I liked the new Nikon F.
The man behind the counter told me that they were going to go on sale after the Fare was over
because they didn't want to take the cameras back to Japan with them,
I purchased my Nikon F Camera that way. I believe I paid about $300 for it.
One Sunday morning as I was enjoying my new toy, I visited my parents house in Brooklyn I had a roll of Black & White film in the camera at the time
As I strolled into their garden. I saw my Uncle Philly talking to my neighbor Jennie.
He was in his typical manly position leaning up against the fence looking so proud and macho.
Jennie was smiling at him very strongly. Her hair was in curlers as her elbows were leaning over the fence. The fence door was open. If she had pushed or leaned over the fence any harder she would have fallen into my parents garden. She seemed to be in some sort of euphoric exotic state.
I thought nothing about them being in this position at the time. And they hardly noticed my bein there. The lighting on them was so strong and the garden behind her with its grape vine and roses seemed so beautiful. I snapped a picture of them and continued on my way taking more pictures in the garden.
A bout 5 years ago as I was contemplating painting my Italian Story I showed my album of photos to my cousin Susan, my Uncle Phillie and Aunt Lola's daughter.
As soon as she saw the picture of her father talking to Jennie she screamed to me ...That's her...That's her... Shes the SOB that my father cheated on my mother with.
I give you ... “Goumada”.

"Bocce Ball" Painting from old photograph. A true italian story becomes a work of art

Here's an Italian Story that Bocce players will love:
In this painting we see my father leaning
up against the back wall of the bocce court
watching his friends playing bocce.
The fat man to his left smoking the cigarette
is my uncle Alfred, my fathers brother in law
I think they were playing Bocce somewhere on
Long Island's North Shore.
I found the original photo
that I used for this painting in one of my
fathers draws one day.
I don't know who took the original picture
but I sure love the composition.
You couldn't compose a picture like this
if you tried. It was a perfect accident.
It had to be in the late 30's or early 40's
when the picture was taken.
I love the two women all the way on the left
they seem to be gardening.
There is a guy probably one of my fathers friends
leaning over his shoulder, and you can see
the large breasts of another woman under
the elbow of the young sailor.

I am now selling prints of this painting,
suitable for framing for $99 -
or framed, ready to hang, for $199.
You can check out my ad on the upper right
for more details, or buy below.

Quality 10" x 20" Unframed Archival Print

"Bocce Ball" Painting Archival print

1 print $99.00 2 prints $189.00

Shipping for Unframed Archival Print

Shipping - continental US (unframed print)

Shipping for unframed print $15.00

___________________________________________________
Quality Framed Archival Print

"Bocce Ball" Painting Framed 15 1/2" x 25"

1 framed Archival print $199.00

Shipping for Framed Archival Print

Shipping - continental US (Framed print)

Shipping for Framed print $49.00

"Cousin Helene"

This is my cousin Helene from Boca Raton, Florida
She's 18 and my second cousin.
Last Summer she came to our home in Massachusetts
to visit with my cousin Susan her mother,
for about a week She was with a girlfriend
from New York. While she was visiting I told her
that I wanted to paint a portrait of her to add to
“The Italian Story” I asked her to wear something
that she liked. She said that she liked scarves a lot
I said “Then wear one”.
I liked the one that she picked out.
We had a fun visit.
I hope she likes her painting