CThru.com Presents Tony Ward

Erotic Plates

Posted by Denise Fike

Denise Fike is playfully sassy, naughty and energetic, incorporating the nuance of naiveté with the seduction of maturity. Girlish at times, painting striped legs with a terrier in tow, she quickly reminds us of her sophistication and love of wearing wide brim hats. It’s fun to watch Denise at work in her studio. She loves what she does; climbing into her painting like putting on a garment. No veneer here. She lets it all hang out. There is immediacy about her imagery; her bold line demanding our attention.

As if revealing three sides of her nature, Denise presents three distinct approaches to her work: floral, fashion and figure. She loves to draw form, specifically female form. “I just like the parts better. Men are too angular. Women are fleshier.” Opacity and palette play a great role in creating the backdrop to her figure work. Despite a monotone genre of sorts, she has the wonderful skill of conveying nuance with no gradation or shading of light. Denise’s transparent and special relationship with her models avails us to intimate visual conversation; we are keenly aware of their essence.

Very much about her materials, nearly twenty years in the wallpaper design and manufacturing industry, Denise incorporates wallpaper with figure in her “fashion” and floral paintings. Weaving figure with rich wallpaper design and patterning, she creates rich textural tapestries.

No fanfare here, minimalist even, Denise paints with enamel on canvas, wood and other found materials, preferring a toothless texture to enhance the opacity of her color fields.

She is fortunate that her relationship with her models allows for a comfort level that results in the most intimate of poses. A night of revelry, some martini’s, Gin of course, and a spontaneity, that has evolved into “The Dirty Dishes”. Buon Appetito!

To learn more about Denise Fike’s work log on to www.denisefikedesigns.com.

AVN: Adult Actress Of The Year, 2010

………More to follow about Kimberly Kane in upcoming posts!

TW met with his long term publisher Claude Bard and his assistant Anne Hautecoeur yesterday in Paris to review printers proofs from his forthcoming book entitled, “WASTELAND”. Mr. Bard is the owner and publisher of La Musardine, one of the most highly respected imprints of erotica in the world. TW and his publisher first teamed up in the year 2000, when his renowned book of erotica was published entitled, ORGASM, under Mr. Bard’s oversight. It was to be followed two years later by the sequel ORGASM XL.In the year 2000, TW embarked on a new project, to photograph over a period of time the largest fetish party in the world, held twice yearly in Amsterdam, thus the title of the new book and and also the name of the famous fetish extravaganza. The WASTELAND project has been the most prolonged project of the artist’s career.

The Faces Of Wasteland

Mr. Bard assured Wasteland producer Rene Meuessen during a telephone conference, that the first printing of the monograph will be made available to the public at a book signing to take place at the next Wasteland event on April 17th, 2010 in Amsterdam. TW is looking forward to attending the event.

Claude Bard

The book is dedicated to TW’s best friend and assistant Frans Verlinden. Mr. Verlinden was the former art patron, Winston Hotel owner and founder based in Amsterdam, who was at TW’s side over the many years of documentation of the event. Mr. Verlinden passed away in 2006. He is sorely missed.

Frans Verlinden: Former Owner And Founder, Winston Hotel, Amsterdam

Natascha & Olga At The Royal Monceau, Paris

……….Natascha and Olga agreed to meet me in the lobby of the Royal Monceau where we would check in for the shoot of the day. I arrived at the check in desk only to find that the models got there earlier than me, and were waiting at the lobby bar/lounge to have a drink. Those two girls new how to get around. As soon as I noticed them seated in the lounge with drinks in hand, there were several Arab sheiks hovering around them, curious I’m sure as to who they were. Sting was having a drink at the bar just a few feet away.

Our room wasn’t ready so I joined the girls at the lounge to soak in the sights and sounds. Suddenly I heard a loud voice coming from the check in desk of a man screaming at the top of his lungs, “Where is my baggage, Where is my baggage” repeatedly. I noticed a man yelling at the concierge, it was Helmut Newton and his wife June close behind.

I immediately felt like a little boy watching a cartoon character of one of his idols in real time. at that moment, I didn’t know quite what to say or do. I was speechless. I always wanted to meet Helmut Newton and I had learned through some German contacts that he was becoming familiar with my work as well. I told the girls who he was, and they suggested that I introduce myself if the opportunity presented itself.

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Well it did. Helmut got everything straightened out with the concierge about the missing baggage. I’m sure like any photographer he was afraid that perhaps his equipment was lost. No doubt he was probably there to do some shooting. He and June walked over to the elevator to check in to their room. That was my chance as they were just in front of me. I finally mustered the hutzpah to approach him. As I rose to my feet, the elevator door opened and Helmut and June proceeded to enter the lift. I got to the door just as it was about to close. Helmut pushed the open door button for me. That was it!

To see the entire sitting of Natascha and Olga and more Erotica from the Tony Ward archives, log on to tonyward.com

Natascha & Olga

……….I was in a meeting with my former magazine editor Dian Hanson at her Leg Show office in New York, when she casually mentioned that she was going to be photographed by Helmut Newton for this Sumo sized book that he was publishing with Benedict Taschen. It sounded like an interesting project and I was delighted to hear that Ms. Hanson was invited to Paris to have her portrait taken by the grand master.

She mentioned that Helmut was staying at The Royal Monceau on a regular basis and doing some shooting there. I also enjoy shooting in great hotels myself so Dian suggested I check it out the next time I visited Paris. It just so happened that I had already made arrangements to photograph two Russian models from St. Petersburg, on location in Paris for Penthouse a week earlier, so I decided to book a suite at the Monceau instead of my usual place, The Hotel Regina just a short cab drive away.

To be continued…………….

The Joy Of Consent

……….Please join us tomorrow as we celebrate the exhibition, “THIS IS NOT AN INVITATION TO RAPE ME” at the University of Pennsylvania, opening reception from 4:00 to 7:00 at the Fox Art Gallery-Cohen Hall. Join TW and Studio associates, as we welcome Charles Hall at the most recent installation of this ongoing International public service campaign.

Consent Lubricates Relationships

Sex Without Consent Isn't

Consent Is An Aphrodisiac

Consent Can Be Revoked

Exhibition Announcement

……….I just got back from Silicon Gallery to see the prints that are going to be hanging at PENN starting on Thursday, February 18, 2010, opening reception from 4 to 7. Charles Hall put one hell of show together. I recommend that everyone should stop by the opening if your in town. Various associates of the Studio will be there……

The Kandy Project

……….According to Wikipedia, Saint Valentine’s Day, shortened to Valentine’s Day is an annual holiday held on February 14th, in celebration of Love and affection between intimate companions. The holiday is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius 1 in AD 496. It is traditionaly a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards, commonly known as Valentines. The holiday first became associated with romantic love in the cirle of the Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of the courtly Love flourished.On behalf of Tony Ward Studio we wish everyone a joyous and loving Valentines.