SHARING A NOTE FROM FRANK COVINO, DECEMBER, 2015

Hello, Fellow Artists,

Here is a picture of Frank Covino’s famous copy of the Mona Lisa, taken by our friend and Arizona Renaissance Art Guild member, Val Maugham, and another photo from the blog:

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Charlene wanted to share with you all, this heartfelt message from Frank about the beautiful scrapbook Pat McKinley assembled and sent to Frank at Christmas time to cheer him through his treatments.

In addition, the pictures below were taken at the November 2015 Covino workshop we held, sadly, without Frank. He was scheduled to teach us, but he had the heart attack shortly before and then the cancer was discovered, so we went ahead with it anyway; the room was already reserved, and we had a good workshop, quoting “Frankisms” to each other. We watched his videos part of the time (see the monitor) and painted for the remainder. We weren’t always all there at the same time, but a few sample pictures are posted below.

Here is the note from Frank:

Good Morning Charlene…

Words cannot express the joy I felt when thumbing through the photo album that I received from Pat. Every photo of every painting brought back the memory of its development. While I may have guided the students, the artwork is by their hand, and the sophistication of their achievements gives credence to all of my guidance, in preserving the Classical Academic tradition. I believe that God will bless the Mormons for perpetuating admiration for the Classics throughout the recalcitrant 20th century.

While I may feel weak and impotent through this crisis, there is light at the end of the dark tunnel, and, with prayers from so many of my students and my family, I look forward to my full recovery. The album of photos that Pat has organized has helped to relieve the pain and debilitation of the Radiation treatments, while my month of succumbing to the after-effects of the brutal blood thinner drugs has passed. The drugs really made me loopy…cold…unsteady…and dizzy… especially since they denied my regular Vitamin and Mineral schedule. Most debilitating has been the lethargy that ensued, from laying in a hospital bed for so long. My body is used to being more active; I long to get back to the gym. The muscle developed from all those hours of exercise in the gym is wasting, rapidly, and I am beginning to look my age.

I’ll write to Pat, since I don’t have her e-mail, but please extend my gratitude to all of the students who participated in the creation of this wonderful album. Every photo has brought back precious memories.

Sincerely,

Frank

FRANK COVINO OBITUARY, 2016

Feb25

Maestro Frank Covino’s obituary has been published on the Perkins-Parker Funeral Home site and quoted below:

Covino Portrait1

https://prod2.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/print.cfm?type=obituary&o_id=3608351&fh_id=12898

Perkins-Parker Funeral Home

Frank G. Covino
(October 16, 1931 – February 16, 2016)

U.S. Veteran

Born to Italian immigrant parents in 1931, Frank Covino discovered his love for art at an early age. By 1950 he enlisted to fight in the Korean war, with a promise of paid college education. Extensive casualties awarded Air Force Sergeant Covino and his Battalion the prestigious Syngman Rhee Presidential Unit Citation, a distinguished medal of honor.

Upon discharge, Frank enrolled at Pratt Institute, earning his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Art Teacher Education in 1959. By 1960, Frank was hired by Norman Rockwell to teach the portrait course for The Famous Artists School in Westport, Connecticut, before establishing his own Academy of Art in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1963. Twenty-four years later, Covino closed the doors to his Academy and took to the road, where he continued to conduct seminars in major cities from coast to coast. In 1995, Frank led 15 art students on a precedent-setting trip to the Louvre in Paris, where they each completed a copy of an Old Master.

Over the course of 5 decades, Frank was commissioned to paint a wide range of portraits, including British Prime Minister, Sir Harold McMillan; retiring President of RJR Nabisco Corporation, Ross Johnson, the notorious subject of the year’s top selling book, “Barbarians at the Gate“. Frank’s life-sized portrait of singer Dinah Shore was dramatically unveiled during the popular national television show 20/20, and was displayed for years at the Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs. Covino was also commissioned to paint a large portrait of film actress, Gloria Swanson and another study of Marvin Gaye. In the 1980’s the World Wrestling Federation commissioned Frank to sculpt the original bronze Slammy Award.

Frank has authored three major art books: The Fine Art of Portraiture, Discover Acrylics With Frank Covino, and Controlled Painting. His latest and final book, The Left Brain Alternative, is set to be released later this year as an eBook. He has also produced 12 instructional art videos.

Stationed in the Rocky Mountains before his Korean deployment, Frank discovered a passion for skiing. After he survived the war, he pursued the sport relentlessly, becoming a ski instructor in 1955 and continuing to teach for 22 years, guided initially by his mentor and close friend, Olympic ski champion, Stein Eriksen. Stein invited Frank to participate in a clinic held at Sugarbush Valley, from which would develop the new Stein Eriksen Ski School. Over the years, Frank and Stein collaborated on a nationally syndicated newspaper column entitled “Ski Tips From Stein Eriksen” which Frank edited and illustrated. Together they invented the “Chalk-Talk”, a popular audio-visual presentation that involved ski instruction narration by Stein supported by live action sketches, which Frank drew on an overhead projector. In 1975, Frank was asked by Digest Books to collaborate with Olympic Gold Medal Champion, Jean-Claude Killy, which resulted in the book “133 Ski Lessons by Jean-Claude Killy. Frank’s three ski instruction manuals, illustrated by the author, were published by Digest Books in the seventies, culminating in his most significant ski book, “Skiers’ Digest “ in 1976.

In 1999 he co-authored the popular health and fitness book, “Rage Against Age” with Dr. Charles Anderson. An avid body builder and health enthusiast throughout his life, Frank decided to enter the Vermont Regional Bodybuilding Championships, and took home two Silver trophies and a First Place Gold for the Super Senior Division at the advanced ages of 79 and 80. Frank loved life to the fullest. His many adventures also included bareback bronc riding in the Federal, Wyoming rodeo; skydiving; heli-skiing in British Columbia; surfing; horseback riding and kayaking.

Frank leaves behind the love of his life Barbara; his son Mark; daughter Cameron; his sister Carol; his brother Lee; his sister in-law Geri; as well as cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family. Frank was predeceased by his beloved brother Bob. The family will hold a celebration of Frank Covino’s incredible life in June at a date and time to be determined. For more information, please visit: http://www.frankcovino.com In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mad River Ambulance Service, PO Box 305, Waitsfield, VT 05673, or the Mad River Valley Community Fund, PO Box 353, Waitsfield VT 05673. Assisting the family is the Perkins-Parker Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Waterbury. To send online condolences please visit http://www.perkinsparker.com or the funeral home Facebook page.

FRANK COVINO, LONG-TIME FRIEND AND MENTOR, HAS PASSED

Feb20

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Dear Artists and Friends,

It is with ineffable sadness in our hearts, that I must report this news. Our friend and long-time art teacher and mentor, Maestro Frank Covino, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, February 16, 2016, after being pronounced “cleared of cancer” just last week.

If I may use a bold simile, his loss feels like looking up at the mountains in Sugarbush, where Frank worked hard to build the home he loved, and seeing that the grandest of summits has disappeared from our sight.

Here is a note from his wife, Barbara Covino, that you will all want to read:

Subject: It is with a deep abiding sorrow in my heart that I write this letter…forgive the delay but it has taken time to believe this is true…

Beloved friends and family , one and all,

After two days of profoundest shock, and countless tears I realize I must write you. It is with a heavy, heavy heart that i must inform you that dear Frank has passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday night, February 16th. It was quick and he did not suffer–a death we would all prefer–but he had been progressing so well, it was a gut-wrenching shock that still is unbelievable.

I truly cannot imagine a world, or a life without him…32 years of happiness and adventure. Life was never boring with him!!! What an amazing talent, a brilliant man with a wealth of knowledge, a gentle and sensitive man who had to excel in everything he did, and was thus an inspiration to all who knew him. He encouraged others to strive for excellence and to believe in themselves, giving them the tools to create a positive reality in their lives, whether it be art or health. We all can repeat that golden maxim: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO AMELIORATE! Wise encouraging words, those.

But he was more than the sum of his parts; he was a genuine force of nature, a real Renaissance man, but above all else, he had a kind heart and a very great soul. We all loved him so; there will never be another Frank. But I know it is now time for each and every one of us who was touched by his life, to take that spark and pass it on. He gave us wings and it is time for us to fly…Make him proud!!!

I am too choked up to continue writing. God Bless each and every one of you who had a place in his heart…family, friends, students….He loved you all sincerely and without guile….

We are in the process of collaborating with the family and planning both a smaller family funeral as well as a larger set of celebrations of his life and legacy open to all who loved him–one in Vermont and one on Long island. As soon as the Covino south clan and Mark and Jennifer and I hammer out the details, I will email you all, soon as can be done.

We are going to give that wonderful man a send off he won’t soon forget!!!

Love and blessings , Barbara Covino

PS: PLEASE FORWARD THIS to everyone you can think of. It has grown into a cast of hundreds, and forgive the delay but it has taken time to believe this is true.