Fan Fare, What's New, Pussycat?
Here’s where you’ll find TJ photos and stories that don’t fit into any other categories. It is, as its name says, just for fans — and, hopefully, for fun.
Here It Is: A Gift For That Special Tom Jones Fan
Saturday, June 23rd, 2007
LeRoy Neiman, very well known for his brilliantly colored paintings (mostly of sporting events), did this sketch of Tom on November 17, 1965, at the Dudes ‘n Dolls Discotheque in New York City. The ink on white paper drawing is 22 by 30 inches and is signed by the artist. It is for sale now at Centaur Galleries in Las Vegas. The cost, framed, is $27,000.
Moderators’ Note: mharding sent this video so you can compare and contrast. We thought it worth bringing from the comments section to the main post. Enjoy! And thanks again, mh.
June 23rd, 2007 at 11:22 am
If you didn’t tell me, I wouldn’t have known who this is supposed to be.
June 23rd, 2007 at 2:19 pm
My sentiments exactly!
June 23rd, 2007 at 4:43 pm
I’m sorry, no way does that look like Tom Jones! Do you know if Tom ever saw this sketch, and does he endorse it? $27,000? Please!!
June 23rd, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Don’t think it’s a question of “endorsing.” It’s a sketch done quickly by an artist whose works are today highly popular and collectible. The worth of any work of art is in the eye of the beholder and the fact is that Neiman’s stuff commands lots of money. Has Tom seen it? Who knows? Maybe he will.
June 23rd, 2007 at 6:56 pm
No way it looks like Tom. sorry.
June 24th, 2007 at 6:17 am
Here’s some home movie footage of Tom from the same year; compare and contrast. Not much of a likeness on the soundtrack though.
June 24th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Thanks for the time travel, mharding. Not much difference between the reality and this sketch, is there? And we don’t see what the issue is anyway. Although we’re not visual artists, we did think that art is not necessarily representative. It’s interpretive.
June 24th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Hi mharding. Thanks for sending the footage. Funny to watch his hips going. Ellen, I must say I do see a resemblance between Tom then and the sketch!
June 24th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
The markets for various types of art differ due to factors like stability, longevity, supply, demand, how accomplished artists are, how broad collector bases are, fashion, and what influential art experts do and say. I personally like this sketch and if the artist can fetch $27,000 for it, more power to him. Every pot has a lid.
June 24th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
thanks for the footage mharding. I particularly loved the beginning where he’s swilling a beer and puffing a fag. Wish I could lip read. Anyone out there know what Tom said in that brief clip?
June 24th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
WHAT? WHO’s this? Looks nothing like TOM. I do a lot sketching and paintings. If i did one like this i would put it in the bin. I would not give $1 for this — never mind $27,000 for it. I would not give this away; it’s that bad. I used to do lot of paintings of TOM and I sold them to fan clubs in the UK and all over the world.
June 24th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
I have seen some bad paintings of TOM in the time I have been FAN OF TOM — and I mean a lot. But this would be NUMBER 1 out of all of bad paintings I have ever seen …No way this looks anything like Tom. Sorry, my cat could do better then this, AND she has got no hands This is just someone making money out of the name TOM JONES.
June 24th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
If he hadn’t titled it “Tom Jones” I would have never guessed.
June 24th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Melvyn, it’s a sketch, not a painting. It could have been done in 10 seconds or 1 minute. Laura I think you nailed it. There are so many types of art work out there — realistic and abstract. This is just a sketch and I didn’t think it was meant to be a realistic drawing. Sketches are ideas and not finished products. They’re the beginning stages of something that can be turned into something brilliant. Myself, I don’t mind the sketch.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Hey, guys, we didn’t post the Neiman sketch to start an argument….indvidual taste it subjective and not really worth debating. We posted it in case you had 27K lying around and were in the mood to spend. Does it look like Tom today? Absolutely not. Does it look like him in 1965? Pretty much…but there’s no use arguing about it, is there? We’ll try to think of a good “Question of the Month” for July that can bring on a good, fun argument. (But we did really like what Melvyn said about his cat and, in truth, only one of us likes the sketch). —Ellen & Ursula
June 25th, 2007 at 9:28 am
That must be some cat!!!!
June 25th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Melvyn, cats don’t need hands in order to paint. Examine this.