The Visual Art of Tommy Tune

I met Tommy Tune for the first time outside the St. James Theatre when I was 15. He was in My One and Only with Twiggy that year, 1983, in a musical he had more or less created out of the Gershwin songbook, and he really was, in so many ways, the toast of the town. As for me, well, I was ravenous for autographs in those halcyon days, and believe me, when I wanted an autograph, I wanted it -- I used to chase some of those poor actors down the street. I'd say half of them were the various women from the original Broadway production of Nine, beginning with Anita Morris. OMG OMG, may she rest in peace. (In fact, in a post earlier this year, I wrote a little tribute to her.)

Anyway, I came up to about Tommy Tune's fingertips -- he's six-foot-eight or something like that. And what's odd is I was thinking about him just the other day, lamenting the fact that he hasn't directed a musical in years (speaking of Nine). I did see him on 42nd Street during the summer...he seemed sort of out of it, but then, at that height, that's probably natural.

And then, yesterday, I received an email press release. I'm pasting it below. But before I do, the email contained a long note from the man himself -- pasted in above.

TOMMYTUNEGALLERY.COM IS LAUNCHED!

LITHOGRAPHS OF PAINTINGS FROM A BROADWAY LEGEND’S EXPANSIVE ART COLLECTION

NOW AVAILABLE – AND AFFORDABLE – ONLINE

NINE-TIME TONY AWARD WINNER’S VIRTUAL GALLERY FEATURES NEARLY 40 OF THE ARTIST’S DISTINCT CREATIONS

Having been in the planning stages for several years, TommyTuneGallery.com, the new virtual home for the sale and viewing of the artwork by the artist Tommy Tune, has officially been launched – the announcement was made by Tune and Peter Glebo, the gallery’s art director, from the artist’s studio high above Manhattan.

Tommy Tune, the nine-time Tony Award-winning director/choreographer/dancer and star has been a formidable painter throughout his legendary Broadway career and his art has been sold to numerous collectors and at auction over the years. Now, with the opening of TommyTuneGallery.com, fans everywhere will have access to Tune’s vivid paintings that have been meticulously reproduced as limited edition lithographs.

Most importantly, all of the art is reasonably priced. In a message on the gallery’s website, Tune writes, “My intention is to provide art for everyone – affordable art.” Indeed, the 34 distinct images that introduce the gallery are each priced at $20. (For a limited time Tune will also personalize these lithographs for the buyer).

In this first collection of work, the virtual gallery visitor will come across some of Tune’s unique creations, evocative of his trademark visionary style: homages to Broadway, a series of animals from the “Dr. Doolittle Collection,” self-portraits (yes, in top hat and tails), and father and mother – “The Perfect Pair,” among others.

While the artist will continue to direct musicals on Broadway (there are several projects in the works), TommyTuneGallery.com will finally give the public easy entree to Tune’s other creative body of work. In the gallery site greeting, Tommy continues, “I’ve tap danced thousands of steps in my lifetime, and I am sure each step has been matched by a corresponding brushstroke…”

To purchase art, for further information and for other inquires, go directly to TommyTuneGallery.com.

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