Lightfoot Bust-HAMILTON, Ont.

[Doug]

Just stumbles across this

http://www.ginocavicchioli.com/sculpture_gordonlightfoot.html

[charlene]

He's a very talented fellow. All of his work is quite amazing.
I'm still not sure I like the Lightfoot piece tho. Could be more of an emotional thing however.

[Peter Bro10]

Wow, that's almost eerie! but in a cool sort of way!!
I'll have to browse his site when I have more time...
Thanks for posting Doug.

[Patti]

Who is that girl in image7?

That is pretty cool. :biggrin:

[Bill]

Extremely well done, but I agree...as a tribute I'd have done one from "back in the day"...but that's very presumptuous of me...this is a VERY nice piece of work!

[Bill]

But it does bring to mind...can the public buy mini copies?

[RM]

It's a fine piece of craftsmanship.........but the pointy shoulders makes it a little hard to look at. Nah....it doesn't pass my test.

[lighthead2toe]

Gotta get me one of those for sure.

Always said he would go down in history as a great composer.

So the collection will now be:

Bach, Beethoven,

Liszt and Lightfoot.

Can't top that eh?

RJ.

[podunklander]

Gino :kiss:

[charlene]

you sure can't RJ!!
here's what the artist said when he posted the link at the NG:

I finished Mr. Lightfoot’s portrait bust last week.
He sat for me last fall in my Hamilton Ontario studio.
It has been a great pleasure for me to serve and honour this man's
life and work with my art.
You are all most welcome to see the portrait sculpture photos on my
web site below,
http://www.ginocavicchioli.com/sculpture_gordonlightfoot.html

[jj]

I finished Mr. Lightfoot’s portrait bust last week.


wow, i was going to ask if he had permission to sell these commercially and what photo he had used (must be hard to do from a photo, anyhow obviously it was endorsed!

yea, great post, rj...i'm glad has lived longer than most composers:)

now we just need to contact Madame Toussauds (sp?)

[patybear]

I like it.Very Nice piece of work!Thanks for posting this.
patybear

[BILLW]

Who is that girl in image7?

That is pretty cool. :biggrin:

maybe a clue from a song ?

"I met one up in Shanghai
And another in Rangoon"

Bill :)

[charlene]

I replied to Gino at hi spost at the NG and rec'd this reply:

Beautiful!
All of your work is amazing Gino. What was it like to have him sit for
you like that?

Thanks for asking
I dream come true Char, I thought I had died and gone to Heaven. I get
lots of important folks in my studio, but Mr. Lightfoot I have
personally 'loved since a young age. To top it off Char, he asked me
what other musicians I love, I mentioned Leonard Cohen name, he agreed
and started singing some of Cohens songs to me...I nearly had a
stroke :-)

Take great care my new friend,

G

[jj]

this thread just keeps getting better...i wish i had been there ( a free offer for sure) to do a time lapse video recording of the session...with an audio recording running as well of course

i never saw there were more sculptures to click on til now and am having a good go at trying to name all the CFL hall of famers based on face and filename...it's tough...Flutie, Dunnigan, Pinball..then it gets tougher, Lui Passaglia(?) etc etc...

so char, again, who is the gal kissing Gord? Gino's girlfriend?

[charlene]

i'll ask Gino!
probably his wife..
lol

[charlene]

more from Gino:
G
Was this work commissioned by Gordon for his own personal
collection ?
Perhaps you would rather not, or cannot answer, so I'd understand
about the possible privacy issue.
It must have been amazing to hear Cohen lyrics being sung by
Lightfoot. Cohen is another of my favourite artists. Lightfoot once
sang some Everley Brothers lyrics for me several years ago..that was
quite something!
You were born in Australia (one of two places I'd love to visit - the
other being Italy to visit my paternal grandparents birthplace) but
moved to Rome as a youngster? When did you first discover Lightfoot
music and when did you move to Canada/Hamilton?
It's quite the life story you have so far..
Char
Gino - who is the model in one of the pics of the Lightfoot bust?
Char
Good morning Char.
90% of my sculpture work is by commission.
About 10% of my studio work is self chosen :-)
This 10% is where I invite folks that I personally admire and fancy to
sit for me.
I invited Mr. Lightfoot to sit for me last summer. His busy schedule
kept him from doing so, until late fall.
To hear Gordon sing in my studio was an out of this world experience.
But for one of my favorite (Lightfoot) to sing one of my favorite
(Leonard Cohen)
Was nothing short then a religious experience.
I came to Canada in 1968. It was during this first year that I
discovered wonderful Lightfoot.
This fall I will invite Mr. Cohen to sit for me in 2010
Take care Char,
Gino
The model is my beautiful wife
Gino

[Gitchigumee]

Wow, that is cool. The bust is amazing. I love it!

The second thing that is amazing, is the conversation between Char and Gino. How wonderful!

Thanks for making my day!

[formerlylavender]

Gino seems so open and nice. How cool is that that Gord was one of the 10% that he invited to sit for him?

[johnfowles]

Another interesting thing on Gino's website is a link on his home page to a video on
http://tsn.ca
"Canada's Sport Leader" at:-
http://watch.tsn.ca/clip16861#clip16861
the site is run by
CTVglobemedia Inc which is Canada's premier multimedia company with ownership of CTV, Canada’s #1 television network, and The Globe and Mail, Canada’s #1 national newspaper. CTV Inc. owns and operates 27 conventional stations across the country, with interests in 32 specialty channels, including Canada’s #1 specialty channel, TSN. CTVglobemedia also owns the CHUM Radio Division, which operates 34 radio stations throughout Canada, including CHUM FM, Canada’s # 1 FM station. Other CTVglobemedia investments include an interest in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and the Air Canada Centre; and an interest in Dome Productions, a North American leader in the provision of mobile high definition production facilities.

In the video Gino describes how he forms a bust and you also must install a Microsoft video feature I was previously unaware of
silverlight (http://silverlight.net)
After Gino's video you naturally get a chance to watch some Canadian sports Ice Hockey and Curling

[jj]

After Gino's video you naturally get a chance to watch some Canadian sports Ice Hockey and Curling

what, no ice fishing?

I couldnt get the things to play even with Silverlight (i'm sure that download came with a worm of some sort)...but the 30 second commercial beforehand played perfectly, of course

I never realized how HUGE some of those busts are (and they're all natural too)....the one of Linc Alexander must be 400% scale...there's a pic of the lovely wife kissing Linc's also..it must be a tradition:kiss:

nice pic of Gino...

[bjb]

Just came across this: http://ginocavicchioli.com/sculpture_gordonlightfoot.html
(apologies if this is already posted)

[BILLW]

Hi bjb,

Good to hear from you again. Thanks for posting. Regards to your Dad.

Bill :)

[charlene]

Here's more about the sculpture:
http://www.corfid.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=19488&highlight=sculpture+gino

[charlene]

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/552613

article in Hamilton paper.

[joveski]

hmm, i see he was born in Melbourne! small world!

[charlene]

well I guess we all have to be born somewhere..
;)

[imported_Next_Saturday]

http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1538181

Lightfoot Lightfoot -- or bust
ARTS AND CULTURE: What a relief for hometown hero
Posted By IAN SHELTON, SPECIAL TO THE PACKET AND TIMES
Posted 3 hours ago


Gordon Lightfoot immortalized the stories he sang about. But the Hamilton artist who sculpted Lightfoot says that in his face you can read the stories of the troubadour's own life.

"Faces are like road maps that tell about a person's victories and defeats," Gino Cavicchioli said yesterday. "His (Lightfoot's) face is extremely expressive. There are so many experiences and stories in there."

For Cavicchioli, a widely commissioned artist who barely finishes one project before starting another, sculpting the Orilliaborn folk hero's bust was more

Submitted photo

Gino Cavicchioli sculpted this 350-pound bust of Orillia's own Gordon Lightfoot.

personal. Each year, he takes time out of his commissioned work to sculpt something that is, as he said, "near and dear" to him.

"Mr. Lightfoot is someone I admired my whole life. He's just an incredible poet."

Though in fact, it was not until Cavicchioli immigrated to Canada as a 13-year-old that he first heard

Lightfoot's music.

Though Born in Australia, Cavicchioli spent his formative years serving mass in a small church 24 kilometres from the Vatican, and was occasionally called up to the big show for special holidays.

He says he spent many of these years in close contact

Continued After Advertisement Below

[charlene]

here's the rest of the story:
with the works of the great classical

artists, and also soaking up the folk music of Naples, Sicily

and other regions of Italy.

He said one day, his father, who was an engineer, called from a business trip to Burlington and

informed the family that they would be relocating to the southern Ontario town. Cavicchioli said the move was a shock, one that left him struggling in a school where he didn't understand the language. But he also found something he loved in Canada's musicians.

"When I heard Gordon Lightfoot, it was a different sound, a sound I wasn't really familiar with," he said. "But it really was love at first sound."

It was also a comforting sound one afternoon in Tobermory. Having survived a stormy night on Georgian Bay in a boat that had lost power and drifted dangerously close to rocks, Cavicchioli and his friend stepped into a small tavern to eat.

"When we walked in, a folk singer was playing Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

"Being in safety, with the assurance of food and this national anthem playing, I nearly wept."

In September, Cavicchioli contacted Lightfoot's manager. Two months later, the two artists met and Lightfoot sat at Cavicchioli's table to be sculpted.

The result is a bust almost three times life-sized and weighing in at 350 pounds of clay, in addition to steel armature and foam filling.

Cavicchioli is pleased with his work. It is more than a replica of the singer's face, he said. "It has to feel like Gordon. It's got to have his heart and soul."

The artist certainly seems to have succeeded in that. Apart from Lightfoot's own approval, Cavicchioli said he has received praise from fans as far away as Australia.

Negotiations for the sculpture's purchase are ongoing. But wherever it ends up, Cavicchioli said he hopes to see a casting in Orillia one day.

[johnfowles]

I don't know about the rest of you but I cannot get enough of seeing this remarkable sculpture
so here is the picture of it in that Orillia Packet article
I noted that "Negotiations for the sculpture's purchase are ongoing"
Susan and I were wondering if anybody would be possibly be able to buy the original
Best of luck with the negotiations Val!!

http://www.orilliapacket.com/DisplayPhoto.ashx?img=%2fImages%2fContent%2f28%2f2 009%2f4%2fw4242009105701mnxsymio1ljph355g1z4okb11. jpg&w=300

[Gitchigumee]

I don't know about the rest of you but I cannot get enough of seeing this remarkable sculpture

Me neither John, it's really beautiful.

My heart skips a beat each time I view it anew. I cannot imagine how impressive it must be in person.

[RM]

Just so you know: I find it "creepy". I don't like it.

[charlene]

Just so you know: I find it "creepy". I don't like it.

At times I too find it a bit disconcerting to look at..not sure why. Perhaps it's the hair..perhaps it's just an emotional jolt at looking at an image of an aged Lightfoot that is not a photograph..

[RM]

At times I too find it a bit disconcerting to look at..not sure why.

I've just never been a fan of this type of art. There's nothing wrong with it, except that 1/2 of the torso has been removed, and the arms and legs amputated.

Just not my cup o' tea.

[jj]

Gino seems like a wonderful new friend, char...and full of talent

who could have that in their house (unless you have a Gordian mansion)? that thing is larger than my wood stove and probably weighs more

it does give me the same willies i got, at a tender age, when i first saw a deceased relative in a casket, with what i still remember as a very clay-like face...yeah, they somehow even gave him (the deceased) a nice thick head of hair

i never noticed straps like those before on Gord's black leather jacket

nice story...Tobermory is where i decided to head when Gord got ill (i guess it eventually brought good luck)...i lost my keys swimming in mid Sept on the very chilly Georgian Bay side but the water was so clear I was able to find them the next day, about 100m out...i will not buy swim trunks with pockets again

[charlene]

maybe it's the missing arms and rest of his body..
I like a man with arms and a body..
;)

[Gitchigumee]

maybe it's the missing arms and rest of his body..
I like a man with arms and a body..
;)

it's always nice when men have all their parts, but...

I still love the bust

[charlene]

:biggrin:
:redface:
:clap:
;)

[johnfowles]

I still love the bust
Is that some sort of reference to Jimmy's
btw, i now know what a wonder bra is...amazing

[charlene]

val sent this thru her e-mail list:

Gordon Lightfoot will Attend "L'Aquila is in my heart" Art Exhibition and the unveiling of his bust by Sculptor Gino Cavicchioli

Canadian music icon Gordon Lightfoot will be in Hamilton on September 6th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., at Michelangelo's Banquet & Convention Center, Upper Ottawa St., to support the Hamilton Earthquake Relief Fundraiser organized by the National Congress of Italian Canadians-Hamilton District and Gino Cavicchioli.

The singer/songwriter penned many memorable Canadian classics: "If you Could Read My Mind", "Carefree Highway", "Canadian Railroad Trilogy", "Sundown" and the ever-popular "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" among many others.

This is not a concert stop for Lightfoot; he is attending to support the Hamilton Earthquake Relief and his friend Gino Cavicchioli, will officially unveil the Gordon Lightfoot portrait bust, when asked if he would please sing a song or two, he replied, "I will bring my guitar!"

Valerie Tryon, noted Canadian pianist, is a special guest at this event she will be playing 3 of her favourite musical pieces.

Other special guests are: Charles and Margaret Juravinski, Canadian Football League Stars: Matt Dunigan, John Bonk. Ben Zambiasi, Angelo Mosca, Mark DeNobile, Ex. Dir. Canadian Football Hall of Fame Museum and the Hon. Lincoln M. Alexander.

Gino Cavicchioli has donated twelve original artist's signed A/P prints which will be drawn as door prizes during the event.

The cost of admission is $10 and it includes wine and cheese reception. This event is sponsored by Michelangelo Banquet & Convention Center and the Ciancone family, The Framing Warehouse and Sterling Print Solutions.

Admission is limited to 1000 people. Tickets may be purchased from Miriam Olivieri (905-388-6434), Fabrizio Angelici (905-560-6094), Michelangelo Banquet & Convention Center on Upper Ottawa, Enzo Galano (905-528-0144).

[brink-]

Gee, I wonder who would go to that? I wonder if anyone from Corfid will attend.....nah probably not.
:)

[charlene]

hmmm...I wonder...I wonder, wonder who....
;)

[buzzard]

This event looked too interesting to miss and the price is certainly right. I ordered a pair of tickets today. The fellow I spoke with, Enzo, seemed quite surprised that someone from Sarnia (a couple of hours away) would be calling for tickets.
He was quite confident that they would not have difficulty selling 1,000 tickets.

Brian

[Minstrel Man]

Hey everyone:

It's been a long time since I've posted. I still lurk often though. Anyway, I picked up my tickets today. It's great to have Gord around in my neighbourhood. There's still lots of tickets left.

MM

[T.G.]

Well, hats off to Gordon again for his good heart in donating his time to this event helping people across the ocean. Perhaps not every famous musician would have been willing to lend his name to such an occasion. I look forward to seeing him there.

[SherylKat]

At times I too find it a bit disconcerting to look at..not sure why. Perhaps it's the hair..perhaps it's just an emotional jolt at looking at an image of an aged Lightfoot that is not a photograph..

Wish the sculptor had used themid-to-late 70s likeness - the curly hair, the beard, like on that poster you have, Char! (Keep your doors locked, I know where you live and would be EXTREMELY TEMPTED to "requisition: it! :biggrin:)

At the Riverboat plaque ceremony, there was a tall, cute reporter (baby-boomer age) who had on a handmade Lightfoot t-shirt which had a large photo of Lightfoot during the mid-70s. When the ceremony concluded and I walked back into the Hazelton, I passed the reporter and said, "Like the shirt!" He replied, "So did Lightfoot. He came up to me and said, 'I wore that beard and haircut for 17 years.' " I said, "Wish he still did" and laughed. He smiled and said, "So do I!" Oh well, I wish I look like I did 30 plus years ago - don't we all...:biggrin:


Sheryl

[bjm7777]

At times I too find it a bit disconcerting to look at..not sure why. Perhaps it's the hair..perhaps it's just an emotional jolt at looking at an image of an aged Lightfoot that is not a photograph..

Like a "life mask" (or "death mask", like the one done to Beethoven). What jars me is that the face seems alive to me - but I guess that's the point of a bust. Almost expect it to start talking......

[Minstrel Man]

Hi everyone:

I can't stay here long, but just thought I'd tell you that the earthquake relief fundraiser appearance by Gord was awesome. He played two songs acoustically, no Mic (IYCRMM, and Diamond Joe). He was literally 10 feet in front of me. I've caught it all on video tape. The whole event was casual and thoroughly enjoyable. Pictures and video to follow. I did notice Char was there to so I'm sure that she will write another of her wonderful reports. Everyone there had a chance to talk to Gord too (and get an autograph). Someone had a vinyl disc of "Lightfoot." I had my picture from Massey a few years ago. A number of touching moments. More later. Bye.

MM

[charlene]

Yep! I was there..It was wonderful! The bust is amazing and Gord loved it.
I took some very amateur video as well..and some pics. Gord was more than generous with his time after he sang two songs , staying for more than an hour signing autographs and having pics taken.
thanks to Brian for being my driver today - ever appreciated!
more later!

[jj]

thanks for attending on 'our' behalf, char, mm and brian

those are 3 wonderful smiles in that photo

and i'm sure there were 3 equally radiant ones in the audience at that moment

[buzzard]

The unveiling of the Lightfoot bust was a unique experience; I’m glad I went. It was a pleasure to accompany Char & Lisa. The venue was a beautiful new banquet hall up on the mountain in Hamilton. We arrived around 1:30 and were among the very first people there. We chatted with some of the organizers and Gino Cavicchioli, the sculptor – a very warm and charming fellow. About half of the hall had his works on display – about 12-15 sculptures and maybe 10-12 paintings and drawings. All of the exhibits were incredible. The other half of the hall had three tables for the dignitaries and a very elevated stage with the Lightfoot sculpture draped.

By 2:00 there were still not many in attendance. But people soon poured in. By the time the program began around 2:30, I’d guess there were 700 or 800 in attendance. There were some opening comments and then a pianist, Valerie Tryon, was introduced. Before she could begin to play, Gino had to rush out and back twice – first to fetch her a bench to sit on, then to unlock the piano keyboard. Did I mention that this guy was very charming? Ms. Tryon was a fantastic pianist and graciously played an encore piece.

Then it was Mr. Lightfoot’s turn. They started to make arrangements to bring him a vocal mike, but he said “No” (What a shock!). So he walks up, plugs his guitar into this little mini-amplifier on the floor and begins. He sang If You Could Read My Mind and Diamond Joe. We were sitting not more than 20 feet from him and it was really hard to hear the vocals. It must have been almost impossible for the people standing behind us to hear much of anything.

Nonetheless, he got a huge ovation. Then they did the grand unveiling. His comment was something like, “You know Gino. . . it does bear a resemblance, there is a resemblance!”. Gord also commented about how he had gotten the hair right (which is VERY long in the back). They hugged and took some pictures; it was evident that Gino was very pleased (as very well he should be).

After the unveiling, Gord signed autographs and posed for pictures for well over an hour – had to be tiring for him, but he seemed in great spirits the whole time.
That’s about all I remember.

Brian
(Official driver of the Westbrooks)

[T.G.]

Fascinating ... Gord plugged into a battery operated Pignose amplifier -- I've been trying to get one of those for years -- stepped right up to the crowd with no mic and started. At one point, he turned and especially played for a fellow battling cancer who made a trip in from Quebec especially to see his idol. Very moving. Later, there was a presentation of a piece of the Edmund Fitzgerald's bell tower to Gordon in honor of his song about the sunken ship.

Gordon stayed until the hall was empty, signing every autograph and posing for every picture. Sitting beside Lincoln Alexander, someone asked him how he manages to deal with all the crowds hassling him for attention. "You just do it!" he laughed. A class act.

I got some good video of the performance and bust unveiling and will try to upload to YouTube shortly, if I can get through the technical snafus I always seem to encounter while trying to do so.

[charlene]

do you know how to 'rotate' the video I took - I held the camera for portrait pics/video and can't rotate it to 'landscape' viewing..

i have to lay on my side to view it..lol

[Minstrel Man]

I recorded the video with my DVD recorder today (from my camera), but the computer won't read the disk. Grrr. It's excellent video too. I'll try to do get it on the computer using school computers tomorrow.

[charlene]

pics:

[GJA]

Thank you!

[SherylKat]

pics:

OMG, he's wearing a very spiffy suit! :biggrin:

Thanks so much for the pix. SherylKat

[charlene]

more:

[jj]

do you know how to 'rotate' the video I took - I held the camera for portrait pics/video and can't rotate it to 'landscape' viewing..


dunno what edit tools you might use or have but i notice windows movie maker will do this...go to edit video and select rotate 90...or if it needs 270 then do it two more times...i dont edit much using windows but i hear pc's are more stable these days...i can't wait til rj gets into his mac and does some video of his and liam's productions...hope the labour day parade gig went well down at the fading cne


ps) looks like Gord was wearing an uncle toad tie (or perhaps they're uncle froggies)...a Mer gift i imagine

[charlene]

Lisa said to Gord : "I like your tie!"..and Gord was quite happy to hear something other than "i saw you in 1969/75/84/96/2005 etc..!
He told her he received the tie (with frogs on it) from a friend and it is an antique that is 80 years old..
When he looked at her he said " I've met you before!"..lol

[podunklander]

We were going to ask Gordon about the tie...and forgot! Gordon was asking my son about the college he went to and I thought my son would mention the "frog city" then.

The frog bridge is pretty neat and the city places giant scarves around the frogs' necks during the winter :p. The frog theme has really caught on and it's just all over the place. Seemed a tad lame for me to be taking a pic of Gord's tie :rolleyes:...for my cousins who live in town there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willimantic

[charlene]

show us the rest of the picture Pam!
;)

[jj]

bad tutorial by jj....it's called view video effects actually

here's a thorough screen capture in sir fowles fashion :)

to apply it i think you just drag the 90 degree rotation effect to the intended object/clip...give er a go

[RM]

Would someone please post a video......I've grown weary of being teased.......

[podunklander]

Honest lol I really just took a pic of his tie there.

The rest of my pics didn't come out well :( . It's about time for a new camera...the one I have got busted when I had to slam on my brakes while driving on the QEW on my way to Massey '08. I managed to fix the toggle -don't know how but just took it apart figuring it's busted anyway...but have had to duct tape the battery cover closed all this time.

ok so a few to share!

[charlene]

http://www.thespec.com/article/552526
Every face tells a great story
Picture at link: Ron Albertson, the Hamilton Spectator Sculptor Gino Cavicchioli in his studio surrounded by some of his work.

Jeff Mahoney
The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 22, 2009)
Last week I sat in Gordon Lightfoot's chair, the one he sat in at Gino Cavicchioli's house in east Hamilton when songsmith met sculptor.

Cavicchioli had Lightfoot over to talk about sculpting his face and head. (Cavicchioli's licence plates read Bust Man.) Before Lightfoot modelled for Cavicchioli in the studio at the back of his house, the two became acquainted at the dining room table.

"He sat right there, where you're sitting now," Cavicchioli told me, as we talked across that same table.

I grabbed the arms of the chair as though to steady myself. Wow. Gordon Lightfoot. You know that feeling you get when someone has warmed up a seat for you? Well, it wasn't that feeling, because Lightfoot used the chair in September.

But there was some kind of energy transfer because when I came back to the office everything I wrote came out in the meter and cadence of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

"The public works shed never gives up its dead, and the budget increase will come early."

Cavicchioli is not doing my bust. Just the opposite. I was there to turn the table on him, so to speak, taking the measure of his head. And heart.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, he moved with his family to Rome when he was a boy, until his father, an engineer (and so much more), took a job in Canada and fell in love with the country.

Cavicchioli served Mass as an altar boy at the Vatican. And his father, who was an artist before he was an engineer, would take him around the city to see firsthand the great art that is everywhere in it.

"He would say, 'This weekend, Gino, we are going to the Villa Borghese to see Bernini's masterpieces.' And when we got there he would say, pointing to a sculpture, 'Look at that face. Why is it that way? What makes it work?'"

Cavicchioli could speak no English when he came to Canada. He hated it. He had, after all, come from Rome. He was a teenager in Burlington and he'd get into fights at school.

He was on track to fail Grade 9. One day his father told him, "Gino, you can do Grade 9 until you're 40 but you're going to pass." You didn't defy his father. In a matter of months, Cavicchioli astounded his teachers, learning English, bringing up his marks.

Art was his saving grace. When he sought a source of confidence in his troubles he had only to look as far as the products of his own hands. There is a bust of a girl on Cavicchioli's mantel. Exquisite. He did it when he was 15.

In time, Cavicchioli became a pipefitter, working 10-hour shifts at Dofasco, sleeping, getting up at midnight, working till 6 a.m. on his art, mostly painting, then starting his next shift. In the late '90s he switched to sculpture and before long his commissions enabled him to retire from pipefitting.

Cavicchioli does the busts for the CFL Hall of Fame. He did Lincoln Alexander's bust. And he did full-figure sculptures of the Juravinskis for the Ontario Cancer Centre lobby.

His work, rooted in classical values, is technically virtuosic. Again, his father.

"He was my best critic," says Cavicchioli. "'Yes, yes, nice nose and mouth,' he would say, 'but can it breathe?' Or 'does it have a pulse?' Or 'can it walk?'" His father would spur him on.

Cavicchioli's busts do breathe. He does get blood out of a stone, to put a new twist on that phrase. They have a pulse. He has put a living joy into Pinball Clemens' famous smile.

"When Pinball came to my door for his sitting, I went to shake his hand and he said, 'Gimme a hug.' And when I hugged him he said, 'Can you feel the love?'" That's Pinball.

Gordon Lightfoot is one of his latest and he has practically written the Canadian music legend's biography with every line and contour of his craggy bust. But perhaps the most telling highlight is the cascade of hair.

"I wanted to make it flow like the water of the Great Lakes," says Cavicchioli.

He sums up eloquently what he attempts to capture, to achieve in his busts, especially of older subjects.

"I'm interested in the faces they've earned, more than the faces they've been given."

Cavicchioli's father died in 2003, at the age of 81. His name was Amadeo.

"Those are his," Cavicchioli says, pointing to several beautiful urns with Grecian friezes in a glass display case by the dining room table.

He learned another thing from his father. How to fly. Amadeo did aerobatics. And now, says Cavicchioli, one of his great comforts is recalling their moments together in their glider, son flying, catching the thermals, turning around, seeing his father's face behind him.

(To learn more about Cavicchioli and his work, check out his website at ginocavicchioli.com.)

[charlene]

video of IYCRMM (very amateur video..)

YouTube - Lightfoot in Hamilton-sept.6-09

[jj]

thanks for the load up (aka upload, lol), char

btw, the file you sent me was only 7 kilobytes (and it won't play), even after unzipping, you may have attached the wrong file...the flower is just the goofy wmm user interface icon...you might as well just load up diamond joe in sideways fashion before rm starts climbing the walls

btw, why the diamond joe selection (i remember he played it solo in Peterborough comeback)?

i was wondering how many acoustic solo tunes GL has in his bag...could he do a whole night solo? the decibel level was just as if this were at Massey, lol...great crowd in the Hammer, cheers!:)

[charlene]

it`s going to take over an hour so it will be up in the morning..
I am sure 99.5% of the folks there had never heard of Diamond Joe ..
I`ve re-sent the video to you...it was in ZIP file mode...
this one is 332MB.

[T.G.]

YouTube - Gordon Lightfoot - Hamilton, Canada 09-09-06

All right, because people like RJ just can't wait any longer (LOL), here's a rush job video posted to YouTube. There are some skips and slips along the way; the data stream hiccuped here and there. But you get the general idea.

[charlene]

TG - great video! I'm hoping to find out how to get copies of my videos/pics to the fellow with cancer. I can pass along the info if you wish to do same.

Here's Gord admiring how Gino got the hair perfect on the bust:
YouTube - Gordon Lightfoot in Hamilton-Sept6 2009

[charlene]

Lightfoot lights up the fundraiser
Gary Yokoyama, the Hamilton Spectator

September 08, 2009
Dana Brown
The Hamilton Spectator
(Sep 8, 2009)
It seemed like everyone had a story to share with Gordon Lightfoot.

A man from Toronto who had been trying to shake Lightfoot's hand for years, a woman who met him when she was a little girl, another man who was donating his newly autographed shirt to his 92-year-old father-in-law.

The Canadian music legend was in town as part of the Hamilton Earthquake Relief Fundraiser, held Sunday at Michelangelo Banquet Centre.

The event, to support earthquake relief in L'Aquila, Italy, was organized by the National Congress of Italian Canadians-Hamilton District and renowned artist Gino Cavicchioli.

To date, around $400,000 has been raised to help with the aftermath of the April 6 quake.

Cavicchioli estimated more than 1,000 tickets, which cost $10 each, had been sold for the event.

It was an art show first, and for $10 patrons got to enjoy the works and wine, but were treated to performances by Lightfoot and acclaimed pianist Valerie Tryon.

Lightfoot was on-hand to help with the effort, as well as enjoy the unveiling of a bust depicting the superstar.

"Lightfoot is someone that I've loved for about 40 years, so I approached him last summer to come to my studio and sit for me," Cavicchioli said.

It took the artist, who was responsible for bringing Lightfoot to the fundraiser, more than 200 hours to complete the work.

"Gino has the cascade (of hair) very nice in the back," Lightfoot joked after seeing the bust.

The singer dazzled the hundreds who attended the exhibit of Cavicchioli's work with an intimate performance of two songs, including the hit If You Could Read My Mind. Afterwards, fans flocked to the music legend, telling him stories, asking for autographs and snapping pictures.

One Ancaster fan, Chuck Ouellette, 55, presented Lightfoot with a piece of the bell tower from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Ouellette said he was friends with those who went to retrieve the bell.

One of Lightfoot's best-known hits is the The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald.

At first Ouellette thought of an autograph, but decided on giving the piece to Lightfoot instead.

"It meant more to give it to him because he brought the ship to life," he said.

dbrown @thespec.com

905-526-4629

[T.G.]

TG - great video! I'm hoping to find out how to get copies of my videos/pics to the fellow with cancer. I can pass along the info if you wish to do same.

By all means I can pass on my video footage to the fellow with cancer. I got just under an hour in all, mainly including the meet and greet.

[SherylKat]

YouTube - Gordon Lightfoot - Hamilton, Canada 09-09-06 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcxTN85S84c)

All right, because people like RJ just can't wait any longer (LOL), here's a rush job video posted to YouTube. There are some skips and slips along the way; the data stream hiccuped here and there. But you get the general idea.


WOW - Do you give lessons? What a great video! Thanks for sharing...:clap:
SherylKat

[SherylKat]

more:

Char, what a great shot of Lisa and Lightfoot, not to mention you with the bust. It looks like a great celebration! SherylKat:clap:

[T.G.]

WOW - Do you give lessons? What a great video! Thanks for sharing...:clap:
SherylKat

Well, thanks ... I did actually get training in television and video about 15 years ago so some of the principles come in handy even with a cheap handicam LOL

[jj]

Char, what a great shot of Lisa and Lightfoot, not to mention you with the bust!


LOL!:clap:



yeah, TG, great steady zoom work...you're hired for Massey09!

[charlene]

By all means I can pass on my video footage to the fellow with cancer. I got just under an hour in all, mainly including the meet and greet.

I have a call in to one of the organizers so will let u know what I find out..
;)

[podunklander]

The vid is awesome, great job T.G.!!!! Thanks!!! I'm sending it to my son -he'll love to see this too :)

[charlene]

I still can't flip that video of him singing Diamond Joe - help!!???

[formerlylavender]

Thanks everyone for posting pictures, video, info. on this event. It just proves what a consummate gentleman Gord is to attend this fundraiser, play a couple of songs and hang out for autographs afterward. The icing on the cake is that the fundraiser raised at least $10,000 for the victims of the earthquake in L'Aquila. My father is from the town of Introdacqua, L'Aquila, and I we have a lot of family there. I can't wait to tell him about this.

[charlene]

My father is from the town of Introdacqua, L'Aquila, and I we have a lot of family there. I can't wait to tell him about this.

My paternal grandparents were from there but I have no idea about family still there - I'm sure there are many relatives I've never heard of or met.

[formerlylavender]

Wow, Char, maybe we're related! We have the same great taste in music after all. My Dad has a younger brother, wife and family and many nieces and nephews, cousins etc. still there. We all went over in July 2001 and got to meet most of the relatives. It is a gorgeous area with mountain views all around. The weather was warm, but not humid which was great. Have you ever visited?

[charlene]

never been - it's on my list of places to get to tho..
grandparents came to canada in mid to late 1920's I believe.They had some family in the Buffalo/Hamburg NY area back then. Both grandparents are gone now-1963 and 1967..

[charlene]

ok - I have figured out the ROTATE function at windows movie maker but cannot load it to YouTube..

[formerlylavender]

I think you'll love Italy. I just called my Dad, and he loved hearing about the fundraiser. He said there are so many Italians in Canada...which I'm sure you already know. He said a cousin of mine went first to Hamilton and then moved here when he got married. I said Hamilton is where the event took place, and he thought that was great. I wish he had a computer so I could forward the pictures and articles on to him.

[charlene]

It was just a few years ago that Toronto had the most Italians living outside of Italy..huge huge population here.
Little Italy is a fab spot in town as well as the Italian festivals that are held in several communities.

As of 2006, 1,449,695 Canadians residents stated they had Italian ancestry, in which 741,045 had sole Italian origins while the other 704,285 were of partial Italian origin along with other ethnic origins, chiefly with other European ethnic groups e.g. Italian-Irish, Italian-English, Italian-French, etc. The latter group climbed by almost 25%, while the Italian Canadian population as a whole grew by 12% since the 2001 census.

In 2006 Canadians of Italian ancestry make up 4.6% of the population of Canada, a rise from 4.3% in 2001. The majority live in Ontario (867,980) where they constitute more than seven per cent of the population, while another 300,000 live in Quebec.
In the town of Vaughan just outside of Toronto over 40% of the population is Italian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Canadian

[podunklander]

I hadn't known there was such a large pop/community of Italians there and boy...reminded me of the old days w/that side of my family. I felt right at home at this fundraiser -with the sense of community and HUGS lol. Being someplace where I don't have to spell my last name lol.

My Italian family used to do all the fundraisers in town...cooking up huge vats of ziti and when I was old enough (when I was 9)...boy they put me to work! I'm used to being on that end and so when I attend as a guest, it's hard for me to not lend a hand to help out.

[charlene]

I went over to Gord just after he came in and was sitting at his table. I said HI and he said Hi CHar and gave me a peck on the cheek..I then offered to get him some cheese and crackers..
;)
wish there was some ziti for him - a huge plateful!!!
lol

[RM]

Dang......I had just figured out a way to brace my monitor for rotated viewing, I check in, and now I'm laying on my side watching them.

Just kidding.

Thanks for the pics and vids. Classics.

[podunklander]

btw...I was reprimanded at the US border for being noncompliant with the new requirements to enter the US :p

oh and would be nice if this somehow disqualifies me from jury duty! This latest is about my 9th or 10th jury duty notice (including one Federal, 18 month grand jury).

[charlene]

btw...I was reprimanded at the US border for being noncompliant with the new requirements to enter the US :p

oh and would be nice if this somehow disqualifies me from jury duty! This latest is about my 9th or 10th jury duty notice (including one Federal, 18 month grand jury).

apparently you get one notice..
next time - off with yer head!
lol

[charlene]

here's the upright version! He cracked me up when he gave me 'the look'..lol
YouTube - Gordon Lightfoot performing "Diamond Joe" in Hamilton on Sept.6/09.

[Sundown17]

Yep, love "the look" Char!

Thanks so much Char and TG for the excellent stills and videos. Almost felt like I was there.

Thanks to Gord too for giving so much of himself.

Diane

[podunklander]

Sad news, I've just learned that Stewart -who had traveled with his brothers to the fundraiser, has lost his battle with cancer. He passed away yesterday.

[charlene]

That's so sad to hear. I spoke with Miriam on Thursday I think, so I could get info to send the pics/video I have. I will still send them along to his brother Robert..
I just now rec'd an e-mail from Miriam about this sad news. Stewart was a pilot, only 45, with 3 children.
It's wonderful that only a couple of weeks ago he had his wish fulfilled in meeting Lightfoot..

[charlene]

THe sculptor,Gino Cavicchioli, who made the large bronze bust of Lightfoot is making smaller ones and they will be sold later this year.

http://www.corfid.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=19886&highlight=gino

[Dan O'Malley]

it's a pretty good likeness!

[charlene]

he will perfect it as he did the large one..can't wait!!
hope you're well Dan!

[Bill]

Cool. Now we can make like Schroeder withe the Beethoven busts!

[charlene]

maybe I won't sell my piano....
;)

[charlene]

But it does bring to mind...can the public buy mini copies?



http://www.corfid.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=26646&highlight=gino