Remembering Gene Wilder: Comedy Legend's Hidden Talent
As the insightful Netflix documentary Remembering Gene Wilder reveals, the renowned comic actor and movie star has a great range of skills, including Watercolor Painting ability. Wilder was a gifted watercolorist, committed to honing his ability, as the documentary details. Though the video shows fleeting views of Wilder's paintings, it doesn't adequately explain where, if anywhere, the works might be seen now or what happened to them following his death.
Recalling Gene Wilder is a chronology of the late actor's path from obscurity to among the most well-known figures in Hollywood. The documentary reveals the various highs and lows of his career as well as his breakout performance in Mel Brooks' acclaimed The Producers, which many felt he wasn't suited for the character. Apart from his career successes, Remembering Gene Wilder highlights intriguing aspects of Wilder's personal life. Although many of these more personal tales center on his relationships, the documentary also looks at less well-known interests including art.
Passionate about watercolor painting outside of his acting career, Gene Wilder
According to the Remembering Gene Wilder documentary, Wilder's innate skill and passion for watercolor painting transcended his Actor profession. More than a passing pastime, his love of painting evolved into a passion project for which he was ready to devote all of his time. As friend and fellow performer Alan Arda said:
"Gene was a really gifted individual in several spheres. He studied art and received tuition; he was a really, very good painter, mostly in watercolors. He kept striving for ever improved quality.
While the documentary doesn't get into great length into where Wilder's watercolor career started, some sources indicate that his particular interest in the style started in the wake of the loss of his third wife, Gilda Radner. The fine art site Sartle notes that "Before she died, she gave him a set of watercolors, and painting served as a therapeutic rock in the latter decades of his life." Though he had always been fascinated in painting since boyhood, watercoloring became a major creative release for Wilder, complementing his acting and writing to characterize the last phase of his career.
2005 saw Gene Wilder exhibit his artwork at the New Britain Museum of American Art.
Wilder's watercolorist ability was clear-cut, but the Actor hardly ever mentioned wanting to show his work or sell it. Rather, it was a far more intimate endeavor. As Sartle explains, "while other celebrities paint for diversion or extra notoriety, Wilder painted simply as a labor of love," with Wilder himself reported as remarking "artistic energy is like a sexual drive to me. There is always that.
Though Wilder painted only for enjoyment, he did consent to have a collection of his works displayed at the New Britain Museum of American Art in 2005. Dubbed "New/Now: Gene Wilder," the program ran concurrent with the publication of Wilder's memoir, Kiss Me Like A Stranger: My Search For Love And Art. Sartle claims that although Wilder never indicated interest in public exhibition, he accepted out of respect for the museum and over 600 people attended the event. The effect of this little show emphasizes how very good Wilder's paintbrush technique was.
Gene Wilder gave the New Britain Museum several of his works.
Given how personal Gene Wilder's watercolors were to him, maybe naturally, the location of many of his paintings is still unknown. Following the success of his exhibition, one watercolor of a woman wearing a pink dress and a hat is thought to have been given to the New Britain Museum. But practically all of Wilder's body of work is housed in the private Gene and Karen Wilder collection, so any broader public finds it challenging to value his skills.
Apart from the several intriguing facts regarding Wilder's career, one of the most interesting features of Remembering Gene Wilder is the fact that some of his paintings are first-time clearly presented. A little montage can help one to see Wilder's command of color and remarkable grace in capturing complex forms. Though it's unknown whether Gene Wilder's watercolors will ever be exhibited in public once more, the documentary at least clarifies an important component of the actor's character.
The Multidimensional Artist Legacy of Gene Wilder
Renowned for his classic roles in movies such Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Blazing Saddles, Gene Wilder was a multifarious artist. Beyond his comic genius, Wilder was deeply passionate about painting—especially watercolor. Though the public is probably not familiar with his paintings, they provide a unique window into the creative side of this cherished actor.
For Wilder, his watercolors served as a therapeutic release and a personal statement of his inventiveness. Though he decided to keep his artwork secret, the documentary Remembering Gene Wilder offers a rare window into this side of his life. The film emphasizes the need of valuing the several skills of artists and the surprising passions that could develop even among the most accomplished people.
