A Buffalo Grove resident finds the artist of a mystery Cubs painting
A retired chiropractor from north suburban Buffalo Grove has solved an art history mystery almost two decades in the making.
A retired chiropractor from north suburban Buffalo Grove has solved an art history mystery almost two decades in the making. Years ago, Dr. Daniel Kamen received an anonymous painting from a patient. The artwork depicts an eclectic cast of characters sitting in the bleachers at Wrigley Field with the famous outfield ivy. Below them, Kamen tried to track down who the artist was but kept striking out until now. WBEZ producer Lauren Frost spoke with Kamen to hear how he solved this mystery — and hears from the painter himself.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What were your initial theories about who painted this piece?
Well, I didn’t have a lot of theories until I made that ridiculous decision to sell it on Facebook because my wife and I were downsizing. The guy who bought it (and I bought it back), he actually came up with a theory that it could have been Tommy Brown, a baseball player who played with the Cubs in 1953. He wore the number five for most of his career and the only signature in the Ivy, which really wasn’t a full signature, it said Tommy 05. And I actually called Tommy Brown. I spoke to his wife, Tommy was out and he didn’t know anything about it.
The Daily Herald reported on your story followed by WGN, and someone important saw that TV segment. Can you explain what happened next?
I told them the same story that I just told you, which is what I thought it could have been a nod to Tommy Brown and they did the story and it got a lot of play and I forgot about it. Two weeks later, I’m in New York visiting a friend. I get an email from WGN. They said, hey, we found the artist. I go, you’re joking.
OK. I think it’s time for the reveal. We have another guest joining us for th is conversation: the painter himself, Tom Palazzolo. Tom was an important contributor to the underground film scene of the sixties and seventies and was once dubbed Chicago’s filmmaker laureate by critic Roger Ebert.
Tom, you kind of lost track of the painting. But then you saw this TV segment, and you got in contact with Daniel. What was it like to see the painting again after all this time?
Palazzolo: You know, it was amazing. I was sort of bowled over to see it because it was painted at least 20 years ago or more.
Can you kind of paint a picture for us? What’s in this scene?
Palazzolo: You know, ever since I was a child I was interested in cartoons. So there are various cartoons that are in there. One is an old cartoon character. Do you remember? I spy the character, I spy, I don’t know it, but maybe Daniel. Daniel. Do you remember? I spy.
Kamen: Absolutely. I do. And if you can see in the picture, there is the character that Tommy’s talking about. Did you see it? … I can’t keep my eyes off that painting. You know, Tommy is a legend. The painting is a legend and it has a bunch of Chicago misfits like Al Capone. It’s almost like Andy Warhol meets The Untouchables. … When I saw Tommy for the first time, it was like meeting Elvis. I couldn’t believe my luck.
Lauren Frost is WBEZ’s afternoon news producer. Follow her @frostlaur.
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A Buffalo Grove resident finds the artist of a mystery Cubs painting
A retired chiropractor from north suburban Buffalo Grove has solved an art history mystery almost two decades in the making.
A retired chiropractor from north suburban Buffalo Grove has solved an art history mystery almost two decades in the making. Years ago, Dr. Daniel Kamen received an anonymous painting from a patient. The artwork depicts an eclectic cast of characters sitting in the bleachers at Wrigley Field with the famous outfield ivy. Below them, Kamen tried to track down who the artist was but kept striking out until now. WBEZ producer Lauren Frost spoke with Kamen to hear how he solved this mystery — and hears from the painter himself.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What were your initial theories about who painted this piece?
Well, I didn’t have a lot of theories until I made that ridiculous decision to sell it on Facebook because my wife and I were downsizing. The guy who bought it (and I bought it back), he actually came up with a theory that it could have been Tommy Brown, a baseball player who played with the Cubs in 1953. He wore the number five for most of his career and the only signature in the Ivy, which really wasn’t a full signature, it said Tommy 05. And I actually called Tommy Brown. I spoke to his wife, Tommy was out and he didn’t know anything about it.
The Daily Herald reported on your story followed by WGN, and someone important saw that TV segment. Can you explain what happened next?
I told them the same story that I just told you, which is what I thought it could have been a nod to Tommy Brown and they did the story and it got a lot of play and I forgot about it. Two weeks later, I’m in New York visiting a friend. I get an email from WGN. They said, hey, we found the artist. I go, you’re joking.
OK. I think it’s time for the reveal. We have another guest joining us for th is conversation: the painter himself, Tom Palazzolo. Tom was an important contributor to the underground film scene of the sixties and seventies and was once dubbed Chicago’s filmmaker laureate by critic Roger Ebert.
Tom, you kind of lost track of the painting. But then you saw this TV segment, and you got in contact with Daniel. What was it like to see the painting again after all this time?
Palazzolo: You know, it was amazing. I was sort of bowled over to see it because it was painted at least 20 years ago or more.
Can you kind of paint a picture for us? What’s in this scene?
Palazzolo: You know, ever since I was a child I was interested in cartoons. So there are various cartoons that are in there. One is an old cartoon character. Do you remember? I spy the character, I spy, I don’t know it, but maybe Daniel. Daniel. Do you remember? I spy.
Kamen: Absolutely. I do. And if you can see in the picture, there is the character that Tommy’s talking about. Did you see it? … I can’t keep my eyes off that painting. You know, Tommy is a legend. The painting is a legend and it has a bunch of Chicago misfits like Al Capone. It’s almost like Andy Warhol meets The Untouchables. … When I saw Tommy for the first time, it was like meeting Elvis. I couldn’t believe my luck.
Lauren Frost is WBEZ’s afternoon news producer. Follow her @frostlaur.