Grand Manner: A Timeless Artistic Journey

 “Picasso Celebrating in Paris in 1953 with Françoise Gilot, Wifredo Lam, and George McNeil,”
oil on canvas, 20” x 20,” 2019,   

“Luncheon on Riazor Beach, La Coruña, Galicia, Spain.”
oil-on-wall, 10′ x 19.’ 1977, (Davis Island, Tampa, FL.).

Rodeiro’s “grand manner” mural “Luncheon on Riazor Beach, La Coruña, Galicia, Spain” displays a family picnic on the shore of Riazor Bay against the background of the Eiras promontory with its prominent 2000-year-old Roman “Tower of Hercules” lighthouse on Punta Eiras. Just beneath where the “Tower of Hercules” is painted, the artist (José Manuel Rodeiro) lovingly embraces a childlike version of his mother (Olga Perez Rodeiro) next to the artist is his grandfather Manuel Perez Garcia. Below him is a childlike version of his aunt (Jennie Rodeiro Sabin) holding a red balloon.  Above the balloon with a parrot on his arm is the artist’s uncle (Robert Rodeiro) above the uncle are the faces of cousin Frank Rodriguez and his wife Magda along with Cousin Joe Sabin.  Robert’s body arches over the artist’s parents, seated together at the edge of the table.  In a white straw hat on his head and wearing a golden silk vest is the artist’s father Dr. José Antonio Rodeiro Martinez and next to him, gazing at Robert’s parrot, the artist’s mother Olga Sandra Perez Rodeiro (wife of Dr. J. A. Rodeiro).  Behind them are the eyes of the artist’s great-grandmother (on his father’s side) Sophia Rodeiro Mira.  And, just above Sophia beneath a streetlamp, chat Aunt Esther Rodeiro and Uncle Hannibal Rodeiro.  Meanwhile, right next to Great Grandmother Sophia is the artist’s paternal Grandmother Juanita Martinez Rodeiro in profile.  In the center of the composition gazing out at the viewer is the artist as an adolescent child dressed in white, on his right is Rosa “Cookie” Perez Valdez Ledon, the artist’s maternal grandmother wearing a straw sunhat with red flowers.  Above Rosa’s flowered hat are two men dressed as “tunas” collegiate troubadours: the artist’s cousin Galen Jones Perez and his brother-in-law Victoriano Martinez.  Just behind the tunas, is Cousin Cheryl Sanchez-Simmons fanning herself beneath a tree.  Seated directly behind Grandmother Rosa is the artist’s younger sister Irene Hunter, gazing out at the viewer.  Just below Irene, is a depiction of the artist as a toddler in a sailor suit looking at mischievous cats and dead octopi beneath the table.  Just above the toddler with his back to Irene sits the artist’s cousin Galen Jones Perez; above him, we see the artist sister Irene dancing with Cousin Joe Sabin.   Adjacent to the dancers are three female family members: at the top is the artist’s Aunt Norma Perez Jones, below Aunt Norma is the artist’s older sister Joyce Rodeiro Martinez, and his younger sister, Irene Rodeiro Hunter.   Dancing on the beach are the artist’s Aunt Jennie Rodeiro Sabin and her husband Joe A. Sabin (aka “Tio Sabin”) who patiently taught the artist as a child how to play chess; below them dances the artist’s cousin Josefina “Josie” Buzzetti and her husband Albert Buzzetti.