2024 is Smokey Bear's 80th Birthday Year!

By Robert Hudson Westover

It's been 15 year for me and my bear. 

15 years of being what many jokingly call me "Smokey Bear's PR man". 

But it's no joke. 

In fact, I have been honored to have played a significant role in getting the word out about Smokey's universal and timeless message of "Only You can Prevent Wildfires". 

Click here to see my interview all about Smokey Bear: Interview with Robert Westover

As a recipient of a Gold Smokey, our nation's preeminent fire prevention award called the Smokey Bear Award and first handed out by President Eisenhower in 1958, I know the importance of getting the word out to each new generation of kids. 

President Eisenhower holding a
Smokey Bear doll in the White House.

So let's all give Smokey Bear the BEST birthday gift of all this year by doing all we can to practice safe fire prevention methods while visiting the Great Outdoors! Click hear to learn what you can do to prevent wildfires: Only You

Learn about Smokey Bear's 80th by clicking here: Smokey Bear Turns 80! 

Dali and Picasso aren’t the only forged artists

Artists on the cusp of worldwide recognition can find themselves victims of stolen identity

By Robert Hudson Westover

During a recent Google search for an artist friend of mine (I own some of his works) I discovered something impressive and something disturbing. The impressive something was the artist, James Purpura, is on Getty Images.

No Small Feat...

Getty Images picture
of James Purpura 
(courtesy photo)

Having an image with Getty is basically saying you exist as a viable professional in your field, or you are a person of notoriety. James, at this point in his career, clearly falls into the former category but, possibly, not for very long.

I feel this because the disturbing something seemed innocuous enough—an ad from someone on eBay reselling one of James’ paintings. The first thing I found unusual was the price. At about $900 it seemed rather low as a Purpura painting often sells for many times that price. But what was most unusual was the art itself.

Those Colors...

If you know Purpura’s works you know how his use of color is mind bending unlike this portrait of a woman which, in my estimation, was so drab, so plain, and so grounded-in-reality, that it completely violated James’ philosophy of art: have the observer question reality.

An actual portrait by artist
James Purpura. Note the use
of color. (courtesy photo)

So, I contacted James and sure enough it wasn’t his work.

He was understandably upset. On a month’s long sabbatical in Palm Springs (so art guy like!), he would have to wait until returning to Paris to deal with these alleged forgers. Truth is the person(s) selling the Fake James may be victims themselves of the international market in forged works.

Maybe Not a Forgery?

The "Purpura" portrait 
in question. (courtesy photo)

And, of course, there is a small chance that another painter named James Purpura has a strikingly similar signature—anything is possible in the world of art.

Obviously, there will be more to follow (for sure) but for now I told James that this is a good thing: His name in the art world is prominent enough that even thieves want to cash in on him.

I think I might buy a couple more (real) Purpuras.

If you would like to see James Purpura’s reality challenging art, go to: https://www.singulart.com/en/artist/james-purpura-15851