Picture Perfect?

Discussion in 'Justice for JonBenet Discussion - Public Forum' started by RiverRat, Jul 18, 2006.

  1. RiverRat

    RiverRat FFJ Sr. Member Extraordinaire (Pictured at Lef

    Beach painting by Patsy Ramsey adds another layer of mystery

    http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4064157

    By Diane Carman
    Denver Post Staff Columnist
    DenverPost.com

    Patsy Ramsey's painting of two small children on a beach begs for poignant interpretation. A young boy is shown sitting with his arm around a smaller girl. The two face the calm turquoise water in what appears to be a moment of peaceful, innocent reflection.

    The gentle scene had to be an image of Ramsey's son, Burke, and daughter, JonBenét, didn't it?

    Um, well, maybe not.

    The painting was among several of Ramsey's artworks featured in a show in Charlevoix, Mich., just days after she died. It was reproduced in The Denver Post on July 2, and sparked yet another controversy in the life of this bewildering figure who has appeared alternately tragic and cynical - depending on the moment - for nearly 10 years.

    Once again, Patsy has left us with cause for suspicion and evidence to be analyzed endlessly, but curiously, no conceivable motive.

    When the image of Ramsey's artwork appeared in The Post, a reader recognized it as strikingly similar to one called "Pals" from the collection of artist Betty Morris Hamilton of Guntersville, Ala.

    Side by side, the resemblance is unmistakable. Ramsey's colors, though more intense, are much the same as those in Hamilton's original. The position of the arms, the streaks in the hair, the shades on the sand all look like Hamilton's work.

    I called the artist in Alabama, expecting indignation. Instead I got tenderness.

    Hamilton looked at the image of Ramsey's painting. She paused. Then in her sweet Southern drawl she suggested that maybe Ramsey had used her artwork "as a guide."

    "In this particular instance, it was not offensive to me," said the soft-spoken woman who has supported herself for more than 15 years through the sale of her art. Prints are available online and "Pals" is one of her most popular works.

    Like most Americans, Hamilton was familiar with the story of JonBenét Ramsey, whose murder in December 1996 became the subject of relentless tabloid speculation.

    Hamilton had read the stories about Patsy Ramsey's recent death from ovarian cancer and saw comments from Patsy's friends who said that she had started painting and enjoyed it.

    "She was a beginner painter," she said. "When you're learning, you usually find pictures you like and practice painting them to learn the technique."

    While Hamilton has worked hard to build her reputation, her approach to her art is more metaphysical than materialistic. "I've always wanted my paintings to bless people," she said. "I consider my artistic ability a gift from God. It doesn't belong to me. If this painting blessed her in any way, it accomplished what I intended.

    "How can I feel bad about that?"

    In addition to Hamilton's generous spirit, Ramsey was blessed by the rules governing artists who exhibit at the Summer Solstice Art Show in Charlevoix.

    There are no references to plagiarism in the applications, only requirements that items to be sold be "handmade."

    Even in shows such as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival where it is explicitly prohibited, plagiarism is tough to prove.

    Most of the time artists are expected to police themselves - and each other. Because proceeds from the sale of prints of Ramsey's work were slated to benefit ovarian cancer research, Hamilton said she has no interest in challenging her imitation of "Pals."

    She views it not so much as a mercenary rip-off as a transcendental experience: Through the medium of "Pals," Hamilton said, maybe Ramsey found joy in the midst of grief.

    "People usually project their own feelings onto the children," she said. "They see the people they love in them and want to be reminded about relationships and love and special memories. Maybe it was a healing for her."

    In the end, it doesn't really matter, Hamilton said.

    "I don't know what her motive was."

    It's one more mystery she took to the grave.

    Diane Carman's column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. She can be reached at 303-820-1489 or dcarman@denverpost.com.
     
  2. RiverRat

    RiverRat FFJ Sr. Member Extraordinaire (Pictured at Lef

    Now let me think......where did I hear this first? Was that you Elle that insisted that you had seen that painting but it wasn't Patsy's?!

    Right down the the Ranson Note, Patsy Loved Pretending so I am not surprised that her artistic talent was copied off someone else.

    RR
     
  3. Cranberry

    Cranberry Member

    omg all I can think of is, "Don't go there, pal" lol
     
  4. Greenleaf

    Greenleaf FFJ Senior Member

    The Crux Of The Matter?

    It takes a lot of nerve to copy a painting and put your name on it. There’s no doubt that Patsy copied it, even down to the color of the children’s clothes.
    I think that tells us a lot about Patsy. She wanted to glow in the spotlight, even if it belonged to someone else. She was no artist. A true artist does not copy. She creates.
    Perhaps this tells us something of her relationship with JonBenet. She wanted to glow in J.B.’s spotlight. (Again, credit not earned)
    Patsy was, imho, very shallow and full of herself.
    I believe that when JB started to rebel against her, Patsy couldn’t take it. (A six year old is very capable of being opinioned and rebellious.) When Patsy’s clout as Producer, Writer and Director of JB’s life, started to wane, things started falling apart, cumulating in JB’s death. That could very well be “the crux of the matter.†(All my humble opinion, of course.)

    River Rat is to be congratulated for her fine research regarding this matter. And, for starting this thread.
    :leaf:
     
  5. BobC

    BobC Poster of the EON - Fabulous Inimitable Transcript

    MY GOD her paintings weren't even original!
     

    Attached Files:

  6. BobC

    BobC Poster of the EON - Fabulous Inimitable Transcript

    Patsy's version:
     

    Attached Files:

  7. JustChillun

    JustChillun Member

    Sofa sized genuine reproduction hand-crafted copy of the Mona Lisa for sale. It's a real oil painting, so that makes it art.
    I wonder if she did flowers with a palette knife, too?
    Somehow that was always the portion of art that turned me off, the style emulations and the propensity for the Southerners to get all hot over the fact that it's a Real Oil Painting. I've seen some real sucky studies in oils. Funny how the new painter in Patsy was an immediate hit on the local art scene.
     
  8. Greenleaf

    Greenleaf FFJ Senior Member

    Just Chillun


    Careful, Just Chillun. I am a Southerner and I certainly do not have a propensity for getting "all hot over the fact that it's a real oil painting." It is not wise to make such assumptions. I resent anyone putting all Southerners into one mind set. It is the sign of ignorance.

    :leaf:
     
  9. Elle

    Elle Member

    Yes, RiverRat it was me. I did see this painting under another name, and I was angry at myself for losing the url, because there were many interesting paintings listed. Morris's painting is beautiful. Patsy of course has changed the colours.

    I personally didn't think it was meant to be Burke and JonBenét because of Burke being four to five years older, and in this picture the children are approximately only two years apart.

    Betty Morris Hamilton is correct when she says you can copy from another painting to learn a different technique. Teachers often bring in their own paintings for the lessons. It's very common here. The student's painting is never quite up to the standard of the teachers, but as time passes one improves. Seeing the complete picture while the lesson is being taught is a great way to learn, to get the exact colours etc.,

    Morris's painting is fantastic, complete with shadows etc. It has more depth, than Patsy's painting, but it is still a nice bright painting. I didn't like some of Patsy's other work. I thought it was depressing. I'm not surprised at Morrison's reaction, because it's very common here, finding paintings exactly the same as some of the art teachers here. They never sell for the price of the teacher's. There are too many artists in this area to make a business of it.

    I wouldn't put up a painting for sale that was the same as my teacher's if I was into selling them. I'm not. I was learning the "painting by knife" technique, and my teacher actually gave me her painting to take home and do some work at home. My own version is still hanging on my wall today, and this was twenty years ago. This teacher's paintings are in the hotels and local hospitals. Mine are hanging in my own home and with my own family.

    Thank you for posting this RiverRat. It really bothered me because I knew I had seen it under another name. Seeing them both together, one can see very quickly, which one was by the professional. Now, I feel better. :)
     
  10. YumYum012

    YumYum012 Member

    Great Find, Ratso!!!

    Paint by number? Since when do you exhibit PaintByNumber! Patsy ... you have some 'splainin' to do!

    This couldn't be more 'Patsy'. Like the Ransom note ... the last meal of pineapple & cream ... the re-write of the scene from "The Prime of ..." for Miss America ... etc. Her Life is someone else's work.

    Are these yet more Patsy PhlimPhlamsey art?

    http://www.herrschners.com/depts/id-510__pc-201194.html

    Great find, RivR.


    ...YumYum
     
  11. Paradox

    Paradox Banned for Stupidity by RiverRat

    "Miss Brodie is musical?" said Miss Mackay.
    "I think Miss Brodie is more interested in art, ma'am," said Sandy.
    "But music is a form of art."
    "Pictures and drawings, I mean," said Sandy.
    "Miss Brodie told us so. Music is an interest to her but art is a passion, Miss Brodie said."

    "We told Miss Mackay how much you liked art." said Sandy.
    "I do indeed," said Miss Brodie, "but like" is hardly the word; pictorial art is my passion."

    She added, "Art is greater than science. Art comes first, and then science,"
    Art and religion first, then philosophy; lastly science. That is the order of the great subjects of life, that's their order of importance."

    From The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
     
  12. Elle

    Elle Member

    I think it was Patsy's death, JustChillun, which caused the rumpus relating to her art. Some of Patsy Ramsey's previous oil paintings were very depressing to look at. This painting of the children, to me, is one of her best attempts, although when you put it beside Betty Morris Hamilton's, you can see who the professional artist is, with the shadows adding more depth,
     
  13. Elle

    Elle Member

    We all know how this turned out, don't we? :) I enjoyed that movie, Paradox.
    Just reading this makes me want to see it again. Must look for the DVD in the "on sale" box.
     
  14. Paradox

    Paradox Banned for Stupidity by RiverRat

    What do you mean here?

    As should all students of this case.
     
  15. Paradox

    Paradox Banned for Stupidity by RiverRat

    Where can I see more of her paintings?

    You paint right? So do I.

    Have you studied art interpretation?
     
  16. Jayelles

    Jayelles Alert Viewer in Scotland

    Well Spotted Elle!

    This artists work is of course copyrighted:-

    http://www.b17.com/kidprints.htm

    There seems to be some confusion over whether this work is plagiarised. Detecting plagiarism is one of my responsibilities as an examiner and we have tools to assist us in this but artwork is a bit different and I'm not too sure how this would be looked upon from a legal POV.

    For example, in an art class, you would have numerous students painting the same thing - producing several interpretions of the same study. Similarly, many artists may paint the same landscape or building. In days gone by (before copyright), it was even considered a compliment to copy another artists work and of course students in the art classroom will often be given classic works to copy in order to learn the techniques.

    However, this is not quite the same thing as what has happened here and what Patsy has done may well be illegal even if Betty Morrison is being gracious about it (she is a christian artist after all).

    Incidentally, the original artwork appeals to me more than Patsy's. It has lighting and atmosphere which Patsy's lacks. Patsy's is still a great effort for an amateur though and I couldn't have done it. Also, the original has the little sailboats in it - which would bring it closer to my heart.

    The Ramsey apologists are out in full force to defend their heroine. However, the bottom line is - has Patsy credited Betty Morrison with the original artwork or not? If she hasn't, it might be far cry from being "not a biggie".
     
  17. Jayelles

    Jayelles Alert Viewer in Scotland

    Interestingly, Ramsey apologists are using the fact that Betty Morrison has been gracious about the copying as some sort of reason to dismiss rationalise the act of copying.

    I would ask this - if a **** bashes an old lady over the head and the old lady happens to be a Christian who forgives him and declines to press charges..... does that make the act of thuggery OK?

    EDITED TO ADD:- I guess it would if the **** was a Ramsey...
     
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2006
  18. LurkerXIV

    LurkerXIV Moderator

    Not surprising.

    Patsy Ramsey herself was a cheap imitation.
     
  19. wombat

    wombat Member

    Those paintings were just another way for Patsy to get attention for herself. Help me Jesus, the woman was PSYCHO with narcissism (I can say that now, Woody) and didn't have a creative bone in her body. I want to see more of her paintings, I bet she confessed through them.

    Hey, Jayelles, if a youngish lady bashes a child over the head and the youngish lady happens to be a Christian who forgives herself and declines to be charged ...does that make the act of bashing ok?
     
  20. Jayelles

    Jayelles Alert Viewer in Scotland

    I guess it would depend wo you asked. The RST reponse would be Yes - but only if it's a Ramsey LOL
     
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