Mary Boone

Foundation

I graduated from The Art Academy of Cincinnati in 1974 where I won The Painting Scholarship in my junior year. It was located in Eden Park at the time, in an extension of The Cincinnati Art Museum. It was a setting out of a movie script. Old, huge studios with skylights and philodendrons. We mostly focused on figure painting and drawing.

After graduating I moved into a loft building just across The Suspension Bridge in Covington, Kentucky. I got a job in a lumber mill where I worked for a year and then quit. My plan was to paint until the money was gone, and then to do it again.

But when it came time to get a job, I didn't want leave the studio.

There was this guy who lived in Cincinnati who was known to be a millionaire. I had no connection to him. Just I knew of him like I know of, oh, say, Donald Trump in New York City.

I sent some slides to him along with a letter telling him that I was going to be a famous artist and that if he would only support me until that time I would really appreciate it. I told him I would repay him with paintings.

Three days later he called me up and said he would be glad to.

The financial relationship did not survive my move to New York, though we are friends to this day. I think we both enjoy the story.

I guess I mention it here, as it is a telling story pertaining to my attitude. I've always felt that I have great destiny and that the way to achieve it is to act on all of my inspirations as they arise.

That would certainly include this series of writings.

Tim Folzenlogen
MB Modern, March 2001