Chuck Redux

A Thought for Today

It has always seemed strange to me that in our endless discussions about education so little stress is laid on the pleasure of becoming an educated person, the enormous interest it adds to life. To be able to be caught up into the world of thought -- that is to be educated. -Edith Hamilton, educator and writer (1867-1963)

Marian Jones Photography Exhibit to Open at the Newport Beach Library

Marian Jones, wife of Chuck Jones, will be honored by a one-woman exhibit of her recent photography at the Newport Beach Public Library.  The exhibit will open Wednesday, September 1st and close on Sunday, October 31st.  The Newport Beach Public Library is located at 1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, California.  Its hours are Mon--Thurs. from 9 AM to 9 PM, Fri. & Sat. 9 AM to 6 PM, and Sundays from 9 to 5 PM. 

"Shoreline Cliff" photograph by Marian Jones.

"A camera, like paint brushes or the computer, is simply a tool used to communicate a person's passion or opinion or vision.

"The photograph's in Shoreline Visions reflect my own endless intrigue with the ocean and its surroundings.  I think it began with growing up on the beach in Santa Barbara.  These particular photos were all taken along Crystal Cove beach and my interest in the detail and beauty of things close-up.

"I have been a photographer for some eighteen years, after retiring as a journalist/writer in Los Angeles.  It was there I met my late husband, animation director Chuck Jones, when assigned to interview him.  I later worked with him as a writer/researcher."

"Mussel Shells" photograph by Marian Jones

Marian Jones photographs have been shown and sold in galleries nationwide, including such cities as New York City, Denver, Chicago, Santa Fe and Laguna Beach.  Her work was featured in a solo exhibition at the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana, California. 

Several years ago, one of her photos "Nude Barbie Descending a Staircase" was featured in a New York exhibit and has appeared in numerous publications and books. 

All photographs for sale are archival prints in limited edition (numbered and signed by Marian Jones.)  A portion of all proceeds from this exhibit will go to the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, a non-profit organization that fosters creative expression through the arts, especially among young people. 

For more information or to purchase a photograph, please leave a comment to this post and someone will contact you.

"Low Tide" photography by Marian Jones

Meet Mike Dicken

Mike Dicken embodies much of what makes the Chuck Jones Galleries such a great place to collect art:  he's enthusiastic, he loves to laugh and he's dedicated to making sure everyone he assists builds their perfect collection of art.  As National Sales Director for the Chuck Jones Galleries he guides and works with our art consultants to ensure that all of you receive the same knowledge, energy and attention to detail that he brings to his own collectors. 

We'd like to take a moment to congratulate Mike for completing his second triathlon, the Encinitas Sprint!  Huzzah!  If you've never participated, it requires a tremendous amount of dedication and focus and Mike has worked hard to achieve this awesome personal goal. 

Mike works out six days a week; two days a week devoted to each of the three parts of the triathlon, swimming, running, biking.  

"Doing any kind of exercise is so great for life.  You have so much more energy, you are thinking clearer.  I can't say enough good things about how it's changed my outlook on life," Mike stated recently when queried about his new found passion.

You can tell how much he's having just by the photos!  Mike celebrated his 19th year working at the Chuck Jones Galleries in the middle of August and he says he wouldn't trade it for the world, "I love the art, I love working for the Jones/Kausen family, and I love the people I work with; it's a perfect combination."

Mike has made his home in the San Diego area now for about 10 years.  He's been married to the lovely Jamie for 15 and has two children; Juliette, who's 10 and Spencer, 7, all of whom are the lights of his life.  

Native to southern California, Mike attended Menlo College and worked in his family's video stores for several years before starting at the Chuck Jones Showroom when it was located at Heliotrope and Pacific Coast Hwy. in Corona del Mar. 

In 1996 Mike and Jamie congratulated Chuck Jones at the Chuck Jones Showroom (by now located at Poinsettia and Pacific Coast Hwy.) on the receipt of his Lifetime Achievement Oscar.  

Mike spends most days at your Chuck Jones Gallery in San Diego, drop in (232 Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp District) or give him a call at 888-294-9880 (or email: SanDiego@ChuckJones.com) and extend your congratulations! 

Chuck Jones Film Fest at Samuel Goldwyn Theater

As we were saying earlier this week, a group of like-minded individuals got together for a road trip that began at the Chuck Jones Galley in Tustin (3065 Edinger Avenue, open M-F, 9-6 PM, 949-660-7791) and up to Burbank and the Warner Bros. Studios for a private screening of their new 3D short cartoons (directed by Matthew O'Callaghan) which were awesome!  After that incredibly fun experience, what better way to celebrate all things Chuck Jones than to drive over the hills to Beverly, Beverly Hills that is, movie stars, swimming pools, (oof, I'm off topic) and down to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences where Linda Jones Clough, Chuck Jones' daughter, led a tour of the exhibition "Chuck Jones: An Animator's Life From A to Z-Z-Z-Z". 

 

Her insightful (and first-hand) knowledge of the subject matter made for a fascinating tour of the exhibit.  It was at turns, nostalgic and heart-warming, funny and laugh-out-loud (LOL for you internet users,) and filled with the kind of knowledge only someone as intimately involved with the creator of so many magical moments could share with us.  We all felt honored to have shared in that moment.

Linda Jones with collectors Brian S. (center) and Jim O'N.

 

Leigh Y. and her son, John Jr., pore over some of the dialogue sheets from a Chuck Jones directed cartoon.

Later that afternoon we strolled down Wilshire Blvd. (like we owned it) and had a fantastic dinner at Kate Mantilini's (Wilshire & Doheny, if you're in the 'hood.)  It was a great time for all of us to recount the favorite part of our day, and share in some good old-fashion camaraderie, the kind that's so often missing in today's fast-paced, plugged-in, media saturated environment.  It also gave us a chance to get all fired up about the evening's presentation back at AMPAS of all of Chuck Jones' Academy Award-nominated and -winning short films, many of which some of us had never seen before on the big screen in their original 35 mm form.  Woo Hoo!

 

Cathy Dicken, wife of Scott Dicken, the VP of Retail for Linda Jones Enterprises, peeks over the menu at Kate Mantilini's. 

After the screening at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater a panel discussion was held led by Bill Kroyer, head of Digital Arts at Chapman University & featuring “The Dover Boys”, four animators who were mentored by Chuck Jones in the early 1980s; Kelly Asbury, Chris Bailey, Jeff DeGrandis & Rob Minkoff (all of whom have become extremely successful & well-respected directors/producers & artists.)

Hooray for Hollywood!  Although the day was long the rewards were great, exhilarating & heart-warming.

From left: Bill Kroyer, Linda Jones Clough, Marian Jones (wife of Chuck Jones) and Kelly Asbury.

"The Dover Boys" from left: Kelly Asbury, Chris Bailey, Jeff DeGrandis and Rob Minkoff.  So named by Linda Jones because she envisioned starting a production company with the four of them when they were first being mentored by Chuck Jones in the early 1980s. 

Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner Take a Leap Into 3-D

 

On Friday, August 20, a group of Chuck Jones' most devoted fans and collectors were invited to a private screening on the Warner Bros. Studio lot of the three new theatrical cartoons that the studio has produced. 

We drove up to lovely downtown Burbank from the Chuck Jones Gallery in Tustin (3065 Edinger Avenue) and entered Warner Bros. through the Forest Lawn gate.  [Little known fact:  Forest Lawn became a cemetery because it was originally zoned as open space, the only 'business' that could be built there was a cemetery.  The original owners were eager to develop their acreage and consequently the legendary burial ground of so many Hollywood stars was born (so to speak.)]

Arriving on the lot is always exciting; what with the security checks and the ever-hopeful thought that you'll spot one of your favorite actors or actresses walking in costume from a sound stage.  The sound stages are as imposing (and iconic) as they appear in the opening of any Warner Bros. movie; they are great monoliths erected to the 10th muse, Cinema. 

 

Linda Jones Clough with Sam Register

We were greeted at the screening room by the gracious & talented Sam Register, Executive Vice President, Creative Affairs, Warner Bros. Animation.  The screening room was on the second floor of executive offices, one of the office 'bungalows' on the lot; these buildings always appear smaller on the outside than they really are and the screening room looked like it could comfortably seat a couple of hundred studio moguls in plush luxury.

Not only was Linda Jones Clough there with her husband, Jim, but sitting directly in front of them was author, critic and essayist, Leonard Maltin, and sitting next to him was the blogger, animation historian and author, Jerry Beck!  So after catching our breath and exchanging hellos and air kisses (so Hollywood!) with everyone, getting seated, who should walk in but the president of Warner Bros. Television, Peter Roth.  Mr. Roth welcomed us warmly and spoke briefly with Linda Jones before heading back to his office to take a meeting.   ('Take a meeting' is showbiz lingo; don't you feel like an insider already?) 

Sam Register (3rd from left, standing) introduces Peter Roth, President of Warner Bros. Television to Linda Jones Clough and her husband Jim.

Mr. Register extended a few warm words of welcome to those assembled and then the first of the three, "Coyote Falls", which has been released with the movie "Cats and Dogs II" and has been met with much critical acclaim (the cartoon, not the movie) was shown. 

Leigh Yetsko (and her family from left, Matt, John Jr., Leigh & John Sr.) had this to say about the new films, "...we were delighted with the new 3-D Coyote/Road Runner shorts!  Chuck's particular sense of humor is tough to match and seeing his characters recreated, as a fan you can't help but be skeptical going in, but in this case we were blown away with how successfully the creative team captured the themes and the humor.  Instead of being gimmicky, the 3-D added dimension, not distraction.  We saw fur and feathers (and explosions!) like never before.  All that said, if it's not really funny, you only need to see it once.  I can't wait to see these again and again!"

After the first short was shown, the director of the shorts, Matt O'Callaghan spoke for a few minutes and then we were shown the final two short films. 

(from left: Matt O'Callaghan, Linda Jones Clough, Leonard Maltin)

Longtime collector and fan of the art of Chuck Jones, Bill Heeter shared this with us, "...I have to say, after previewing the three Road Runner & Coyote cartoons last Friday,  I couldn't have been more pleased!  As if the CG/3D issues weren't enough, compressing the a cartoon into three minutes without sacrificing the story sounded impossible, but Matt [the director, Matt O'Callaghan] sure did it.  The story lines were funny, the gags well-executed, and most importantly he didn't lose sight of what made Chuck's cartoons stand out--the subtlety."

From left: Craig Kausen (grandson of Chuck Jones and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity,) Matt O'Callaghan, Linda Jones Clough, Leonard Maltin, Katherine Concepcion and Jerry Beck.

Craig Kausen summed it up best, "The consensus was unanimous: we enjoyed them all!" 

Our day didn't end with here but continued on into the evening and those events will be detailed in an upcoming post.  Look for it!

 

Image of the Day: A Sheep in the Deep

An original layout drawing (graphite and colored pencil on 12 field animation paper) by Chuck Jones for his 1962 "A Sheep in the Deep" starring Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog (and a herd of sheep in bit parts.)

Image of the Day: Sunbathers

Summer vacation is drawing to a close, many of you are making preparations for the back-to-school excitement, but there's still a couple of weeks left before the Labor Day holiday and what better way to spend it than a day at the beach? 

During a summer holiday in Europe, Chuck Jones made a stop in the Isles of Scilly just off the southwestern coast of Cornwall in Great Britain.  Moderate in climate and one of the sunniest places in the kingdom, the Isles of Scilly have long been a vacation destination for Britons and Europeans alike. 

Jones, traveling with his bag of art supplies, created several wonderful works of art while enjoying the pristine beauty of the Isles.  This watercolor of sunbathers soaking in the rays on the Isles of Scilly was used as the basis for a limited edition fine art reproduction on paper, limited to only 99 examples.   

Chuck Jones Quote of the Day: Flash of Individuality

"We watched carefully for that flash of individuality, that spark of the unusual, that happy accident that could be encouraged and developed into the interesting, stimulating, and sympathetic adult we would all like our children to become."

--Chuck Jones, page 8, Stroke of Genius, A Collection of Paintings and Musings on Life, Love and Art

Chuck Jones Quote of the Day: Unbelievable Speed

"The roadrunner is an authentic bird of the cuckoo family and is found in New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California.  He cannot truly fly but he runs at an unbelievable speed and soars to the tops of the giant cactus.  He is about the same size as a scrawny turkey.  Yes, you will find the roadrunner listed in any good dictionary of the English language, accompanied by his Latin name—his real Latin name, you understand, not those which we invent such as Tidbitius Velocitus or TastyiusFastius."

--Chuck Jones

Chuck Jones Quote of the Day: Learning a Little Bit

"I concentrated on learning a little bit about everything that interested me and a lot about drawing until my hand would respond to what my mind dictated and my brain became a treasure house of pertinent trivia.

Chuck Jones, page 10, Stroke of Genius, A Collection of Paintings and Musings on Life, Love and Art