LAS VEGAS, May 22, 2001/ FW/ --- Who is Steve Martin?

Take a look at Eric Fischl’s portrait of Steve (Steve Martin), 1998. It is so casual, an open Californian so to speak, except he won’t let you see into his eyes, he blocks out the entrance to his soul with his sunglasses.

Yet, his smile alludes to happiness, perhaps the happiness that comes from enveloping oneself in nature, the sand and surf, plus maybe taking off from work for a bit. How is it that Mike Nichols co-owns this painting? Do they do a time-share? - A month in Mexico, a month in Italy, a month in Malibu?

Actually, Martin explains that he and Mike Nichols both have self-portraits that they exchanged, “in a futile demonstration of humility.”

I for one appreciate that Martin has shared this collection with the public. Over the years I have cataloged private art collections, artwork that will rarely if ever be seen by the public. Sometimes I’m passing through a museum and I see one of the precious pictures that I have had personal contact with while cataloging it. It pleases me when I see the work being shared.

Just as Steve Martin has had the joy of absorbing his collection over the years, I have had the joy of absorbing many collections in private settings. Sometimes this has been healing for me just as I am sure Martin’s pictures have nurtured his soul or given him pause to laugh at the absurdities of life.

The Private Collection of Steve Martin has a nice blend, what one might call good Feng Shui. He balances absurdity, suburbia, female figures, couples, environment, pop art, comic art and solitude. I suddenly realize that the only male portraiture I have in my home and office is of three animation characters; Fievel the mouse, Homer Simpson and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It is time to Feng Shui my private collection and find ‘mates’ for all my ‘female’ pictures.

My appreciation of Steve Martin has grown as he has evolved in his writing. One film that is dear to my heart is A Simple Twist of Fate, based on the classic novel Silas Marner by George Eliot. I am still curious as to how C.D. Bales sipped wine with his nose in his film Roxanne, based on the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. Notice how he made Roxanne the blonde, a scientist (Thank you Steve).

I am currently reading his book of plays, WASP, illustrated by Martin Mull. Following his theme of artist and scientist in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, he could write a one-man play with Leonardo da Vinci.

Steve Martin is giving back to Las Vegas, a community that helped form him as a young comedian. I thought Elvis Presley was out of context in his Picasso play, now I think I understand. Presley is a part of Martin’s history in Las Vegas. No one ever really knows someone else. Out of life experience our pathways can change without notice. His private collection stirred up memories and emotions I had neatly tucked away for years.

Every morning when I wake up and go down stairs to brew my coffee, I smile, as I look at the portrait my seven year old niece, Caitlyn drew of me a few months ago; it is taped to my refrigerator. As I wrap up this article, I stop by to glance at an ink drawing my Uncle Nathan Cabot Hale, artist and author, created for me when I was four. It is a labyrinth with words, “The labyrinth of Crete an Universal condition of mankind. Wherein he turns his instincts into Monsters. Done in homage to one Mrs. Plomis age four- with hope that she may bear always a sword and ball of twine for her lovers.” My private collection is truly private, and no wonder I always dream of labyrinths…mystery solved.

I have tried to blend together some of the aspects of Steve Martin, in other words ‘The Fine Art of Steve Martin’, as I see it from the personal perspective of an L.A. Woman transplanted to Las Vegas. Hopefully my perspective of his art collection and some of his writings gives a slightly different puzzle work of him.

Perhaps you will explore your own environment and make certain you have filled it with pictures that bring joy into your everyday world. I still don’t know why I am in Las Vegas, at least The Private Collection of Steve Martin made me explore and experience. I hope you are able to visit the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art or explore your local museum, or library, honing the Fine Art of Yourself.

On my flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles the other day, I sat next to a darling Asian woman from Maui. I assumed her to be in her sixties. She had stayed at the Bellagio Hotel. I asked if she had seen The Steve Martin Private Collection. She said she had and she enjoyed it, she added, “I like his hair. I always watch him when he is on TV.”

It turns out she had a son who is 61 one years old, this fan of Steve Martin was at least 78. The meaning and his message have spread to a very wide audience however it is interpreted; perhaps that is the True Art of Steve Martin.

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