Zenith Consoltone Radio

4"x6" oil on raymar panel. • The full name of this radio is actually, "Zenith's Beautiful Consoltone (Yes, We Just Made That Word Up) 6D015, Six Tube (That's Totally Tubularly Awesome, Dude, and Can Really Bring in the Tunes) Mid-Century AM Radio That Will Rock Your World!"  Hey, that's what the manual said. All kidding aside, it is a beautiful piece of industrial design. I was first attracted to the wood version that I believe was designed by Ray and Charles Eames. Still haven't landed one of those, but I got my grimy little paws on this bakelite beauty. Even though I was raised in the electronics business, I do not think I really came to appreciate old radios and the like until I became a painter. The daily painting regimen really enhances your powers of observation—it is the constant hunt for subject matter* (an obsessive personality helps, but let's not talk about that)—and many of these older items are, quite frankly, gorgeous. They also can be very challenging to paint. This radio, in all of its mid-century glory, had me cussing and spitting a bit whilst I was painting it—and that's a good thing.

*If you want to know more about my reason for painting what I paint, go and read my atrocious "Artist Statement" on my website. Here is the link: www.raymondlogan.com/about.html
 
Posted August 6, 2013

sold • private collection lopez island, wa