FOND #MEMORIES FROM HELGA, DIEGO’S WIDOW

Words from Helga recently shared with us on October 17, 2019; “In 1968 we spent 6 months in Tenerife. At that time we had a Fiat sport car cabrio and we drove to Barcelona and took a boat to Tenerife, it took 4 days and almost all passengers were seasick.”

Diego Voci; Beach of San Marcos Tenerife 1968 24″ x 30″

Me too, except Diego and a Swedish man. We became friends with him during the whole time we stayed there. We rented a small bungalow which was built on top of a big house and which had a very big terrace with a great view over the island and the sea. It was great. On this terrace Diego painted mostly and at that time he had a contract with Joy and Jawdat (Naffouj)and we would sent her about 20 paintings each month in a roll. We had a fantastic time there.”

To learn more about this time period of Diego’s life: https://www.artifactcollectors.com/diego-history-4330818/Page2.html#43810

#RARE TO #FIND!

Diego Caricature for L Italian Show Sextet (517x800)

Diego Voci; Italian Poster was for Theater in #Italy  (shared by Mario Voci, Diego’s Nephew)

It would be extremely rare to find a signed #caricature by internationally collected artist Antonio “Diego” Voci, even though, he did thousands. And if he did sign, it would be some form of Voci through 1965.

Caricatures were a source of Diego’s quick money in his early years. Diego was known to complete 20 drawings in one sitting of only a couple of hours. Helga Voci, (Diego’s widow) was his constant companion for 25 years (1960 until his death in 1985).
Helga notes Diego’s caricature experience in her biography “Sometime later I found out that DIEGO was doing caricatures in American Officers Clubs in #France, #Germany and later on also in #London and #Spain. He did wonderful caricatures, it took him only a few minutes to do each one and people were crazy about them, they stood in line waiting for their turn. He made a lot of money with this” https://www.artifactcollectors.com/diego-history-4330818/Page2.html#43754

To own a Diego Voci Lithograph visit; https://www.diegovociproject.com/acquire-graphics-shopping

 

Memories of Menorca (1976) on Diego’s Birthday

Birthdays came and went in Diego’s world however one year Helga planned a special surprise.  Helga invited her parents, Christine Khan and her children, Alessandra was 2 years old at the time, and they all flew to an island off the south of Spain, Menorca.

They rented an apartment and to celebrate Diego’s birthday.  Friends and family gathered around the garden to celebrate Diego with lobsters and fun festivities.  Diego loved camaraderie and even played cards with the fisherman.

While there on Menorca, Diego captured ideas in his mind and here are two examples of sketches (one of 2 year old daughter Alessandra in the yard) were inspired by his birthday celebration.

Am Strand 66x80cm 1500 Euro Watercolor

 

Microsoft Word - Pricelist orginals.doc

To learn more about internationally collected artist Antonio Diego Voci (1920-1985) visit Wikipedia

Morocco… Spain… and Glass Paint

The presence and recognition of Diego Voci (1920-85) is expanding each day in the world of art.

Here is a recent discovery of a Diego Voci collector Ann Birkhimer whose daughter Karen shares with us their family’s Diego collection.

birkhimer-collection-of-diegos

The beginning…..”During 1972-74 at one of the officers clubs (not sure but may have been Rhein Main) near Wiesbaden, Germany the paintings were purchased.  My father was stationed there on three separate occasions, the last being 1972-1976.” 

“My mother (Ann) bought them because she just loved them all.  One of them is in the cubist style and quite large (my brother has that one) and it was quite unusual that she (Ann) would purchase something so “modern” as she has always tended to be rather traditional in her tastes. The painting is called “Masks”.  But, for some reason the painting “spoke” to her and she bought it along with the three other more traditional paintings. Those three all look sort of Spanish or Moroccan.”

The “Masques en blue et rouge” is done in “glass paint” which is unique method of material to use for painting.  Here are some other examples of “glass paint” paintings by Diego https://www.pinterest.com/diegovoci/glass-paint-diegovocitm/

The inspiration for the Spanish “Une Village en Espagna” and Moroccan paintings came from Diego’s love of the people and warmer climates.  Here is an historical excerpt from Helga’s (widow of Diego Voci) biography of her and Diego:

“The weather was very bad in London and Diego wanted to go south to the sun. So we decided to go to Spain in October 1961. We took the car and went southward, stopped in several cities and after about 1 month we arrived in the Andalusia region in a very beautiful little fishing village called Almunecar. This was an artist`s colony, all kind of artists from different countries. 

We stayed until January 1962. We had a beautiful and very interesting time with long discussions, Diego also made paintings and drawings but he never kept anything, when the painting was finished he was not interested anymore and made presents to friends. He was very popular among the Spanish people also the higher class and he felt wonderful.

In February 1962 we left Spain and went to Morocco, first to Casablanca and Tangier and then he was supposed to go to Marrakech to do some work in an American Officers’ Club. I had to go to Germany for personal reasons, so I flew to Munich while Diego stayed in Marrakech.”

Visit www.diegovociproject.com to view and learn more about Diego Voci.

 

THE #WARMTH OF #SPAIN

#Max and #DiegoVoci™ PART FOUR 

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Scene Espagnolewas purchased through Diego’s home in June of 1976.

“During our tour in #Europe we spent many wonderful #vacations and traveled throughout #Spain. It was during these vacation trips we came to appreciate the vibrant #culture and #beauty of the #Spanish people. When we saw the painting “Scene Espagnole” we understood immediately that it reflected our own feelings of the beauty of #Spain.

 Diego’s ability to articulate the #life of people through his #art is unparalleled.

We not only have our own memories of Spain, we appreciate a constant visual reminder of these memories through this #painting and Diego’s art. It was 1976 during our final visit to #Diego’s home in #Schwetzingen we instantly developed a deep appreciation for “Scene Espagnole”. We had by this time, in preparation for our repatriation, converted all of our funds to #Canadian #Dollars and transferred our finances to #Edmonton. Diego’s extraordinary insight and sensitivity focused like a laser beam on our situation and our attraction to this painting. Understanding this, Diego gave us the painting without deposit, simply on our promise we would pay for it on our return to #Canada.

When a few years later I had the opportunity to discuss his trust in me with this painting, I asked Diego what he would do if I hadn’t paid him as I promised, to which he immediately replied, in his playful good natured way  “I would have come to Canada and killed you”.

 

To view quotes by Helga and more information on this painting, visit this link

http://www.artifactcollectors.com/diego-voci-painting-of-the-week-5154118/Page3.html#58927