WARWICK—Visual artist Jonathan Talbot considers his words carefully when discussing his art. The Orange County Council of the Arts honored the artist on Nov. 17 with a lifetime achievement award for exhibits of his work, his books on the artistic experience, as well as an earlier distinguished career as a musician and composer.
Talbot said the local media does not pay much attention to the arts. “They don’t understand that the arts contribute a minimum of $50 million a year to the Orange County economy. Since they don’t recognize that, they don’t pay attention.”
One wonders how anyone could miss the well-spoken, distinguished-looking man who commands attention wherever he goes. He describes himself as a wanderer, of sorts, searching the world for beauty. “I am an intellectual gypsy who wanders this world with an insatiable appetite for aesthetic experience,” he says.
Talbot has many techniques up his sleeve—collages, etchings, paintings—but collages have been a life-long endeavor. He did his first collage over 70 years ago. “I do them because I learn from them, because they teach me lessons.”
