Ray Smith No. 17

This is one of the many paintings by Canadian artist Tom Hilborn of the American Rockabilly singer, Ray Smith, titled Ray Smith No. 17.

Acrylic paint on masonite board.

From the Saints & Hards Collection.  This guy, Ray Smith, was what Tom would classify as one of “the Hards.”

His most famous hit song was “Rockin’ Little Angel” in 1960.  He was born on October 30, 1934 and died  November 29, 1979.  He was heavily influenced by Elvis Presley.

Hayden Thompson by Tom Hilborn

Hayden Thompson, abstract painting by Tom Hilborn.

From the Saints & Hards art collection.

Buddy Bolden, better known as King Bolden in the Jazz world of New Orleans is a rather sombre painting by Tom Hilborn.

Buddy Bolden was born September 6,  1877.  Buddy had a rather sad life.  At the age of 30, he succumbed to schizophrenia and spent the rest of his life in a mental institution.  Apparently, there are no known recordings of his music, even though members of his band say that they did make a phonetic recording, but he survives in myth and legend. He died and was buried in an unmarked grave in a pauper’s cemetry – Holt’s Cemetary.  In 1998, Holt’s Cemetary erected a monument to his memory.

He is known as one of the most important figures in American jazz.

Music most famously associated with his band include:  “Careless Love”, “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It”, and  “Get Out of Here and Go Home”.

Perhaps this painting of Tom’s  reflects the mystery of originator of jazz , Buddy Bolden.  Although this is one of the Hards from the Saints & Hards collection, maybe Tom’s vision of Buddy is that of a Saint, a hero.

This colorful, joyous abstract painting of Bill Riley by Tom Hilborn draws in its audience by its playfulness and touch of humour.

Bill Riley was one of the original American rockabilly musicians, born October 5, 1933 in Arkansas.

This is a short history of his claim to rockabilly fame from Rockabilly.net.
In the 1950s, Bill Riley:

“…recorded Flying Saucer Rock and Roll which was his first hit record. Recording at Sun Studio’s in Memphis, Tennessee, Riley ended up backing up many of the performers who came through the door to do session work at Sun. His guitar and harmonica work was called into play for any performer without a band. Joining him during these sessions were Roland James and J.M. Van Eaton. These three formed a group called the Little Green Men the name drawn from Riley first hit.”

Source:  rockabilly.net

I’ve included a second painting by Tom Hilborn of Bill Riley in this posting which gives you another perspective into Tom’s artistic vision of this “Hard” from the Saints and Hards collection.  This is a darker view of Bill Riley.  If you wish to read more about Bill Riley, go check out the website:  Rockabilly.net, the ultimate source for rockabilly information.

I wish Bill Riley could see these works of art.  There ain’t no Saints here.

A landscape painting of “The Countryside” by Tom Hilborn.  This is Tom’s vision of the countryside around London, Ontario, Canada.

This abstract painting shows a view across a river, the blue sky littered with its white clouds, the forest and rock formations along the river.

Closer to the river, we imagine the land dissected in a cross section,  a dead fish perhaps, buried on its way through history to becoming a fossil for future generations to find.

It is not only the saints of heaven and the hards of American rockabilly, but also nature which holds a fascination for Tom, a fascination which is found in so many of his paintings throughout his life.

Welcome to Canadian artist, Tom Hilborn‘s online art exhibit, “Saints and Hards”.

Two themes can be found in many of his works.  Renaissance figures and the faces of early American Rockabilly musicians share the canvas.  His drawing exercises are based upon the drawings of artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Tintoretto and Rafael, artists of the Renaissance.  A new style of art emerged in the 14th century,  one concerned with perspective, mathematical precision, an interest in the natural world and the rebirth of Classical Greek ideas and perfection.

It is these ideas of the Renaissance, a time during which the art and culture flourished in Europe that Tom uses in his paintings of “Saints”.  They represent to him a kind of order and perfection juxtaposed against “Chaos”. The “Chaos” is Rockabilly – the faces of early American rock icons, Tom’s other passion.  In these works, the holy Madonna’s face cradles against the face of Cowboy Copas, or say, Morris Deason.  The peaceful reflection found in the faces of the Saints contrast to the wild chaotic faces of the musicians.  His other passion, music, finds expression in performance with a band he belongs to called “The Black Holes” which play in small clubs around his hometown.  Thus, the “Hards”, a slang word for “tough guys” contrast with the beautiful faces of the Saints to create art which reflect Tom’s interests and life long passions of drawing and music.

Rockabilly is a style of American music born out of American notions of patriotism based on the outcomes of the first and second world wars.  This style of music evolved out of the context of American victories.  It is an expression of victory, a reflection of living in the most powerful nation in the world after the chaos of war.  In Tennessee, Carl Perkins was bragging that the atom bomb was born there.  Ironically, it is also the birthplace of Rockabilly.

Tom uses a variety of media in a single work, painting with acrylics on Masonite as canvas and building up texture with molding paste and grit for a three dimensional effect.