2010 December « PORTRAITS FOR LIFE

My Imaginary Friend Michael J. Anderson

Last year my partner Kev Moore and me were recommended by our friend Tony Stevens, a Magician/Comedian from the UK, to watch the American TV Show “Carnivale”. Trusting Tony’s good taste we did not hesitate for one second and ordered the complete DVD set.

Well, this was a revelation. The show of course was great, but more than anything I was instantaneously seduced by Michael J. Anderson portrayal of Samson.I cannot say exactly what it was, but I felt a deep personal story behind the actor, a great intelligence and sensitivity too. I started fantasizing about him somehow, eventually calling him “My imaginary Friend”. You know, like some children do. Him being a great subject, he also inspired me artistically very much, so I thought that the only way I could make my imaginary friend a little more real was to make a portrait of him. Well, so I did, twice even. I presented the first portrait of him in an older post, in brown and white pastel technique, holding a big mug, and smiling.

Here is the second one. In colours, but a little bit more serious. . And yet, the smile does not seem that far away again… dreaming about Space perhaps?

Michael J Anderson as Samson in Carnivale - by Miki

I can’t describe how sad I was as the show was finished. It was for me as if a friend had died. luckily I had his portraits, but still…

Now comes the clue. A wonder has happened. my imaginary friend is back to me. And more than that: in a much less imaginary way

Not as Samson, but…

as Michael J. Anderson himself!

In Red Bubble, one of the sites where I sell prints of these portraits, I found a personal mail the other day, with somebody telling me

“Your portraits of me are quite excellent!”

I first did not understand at all who he was, and what it was about, didn’t even understand which portraits this person was speaking about. I must say that I get many mails from strangers, and they are not always genuine. So my basic attitude is, at the beginning, to tread very carefully.

But gradually I found out that he was… Michael J Anderson himself!

I am sure you can imagine my joy!

Of course I sent him a mail back, in which I must really have come across like an hysteric fan. The funny thing being that I generally don’t especially care about celebrities, they are for me like everybody else, no better, no worse. But Michael was not a celebrity for me, he was my imaginary friend. And to see him suddenly ‘coming to life’ and contacting me, was simply heaven!

Now I really want to thank him for his kindness, and his messages. I also deeply appreciate the fact that he did not moan about me selling prints of these portraits of him. As far as I know, he is entitled to forbid it. Instead of that, he put a link to my painting in his Facebook page, inviting his followers to buy a print.

Now, this is a very generous act!

Well, if he is making advertising for me, I think I can do it myself too. This painting, and the other one of him, are available as Giclee prints in my FAA gallery, in many different sizes, as a Greeting Card, Matted Print, Laminated Print, Mounted Print, Canvas Print, or Framed Print