An old saw

People hearing about Firpo’s unusual artwork bring him antique woodsman’s saws, the kind your grandfather might have had in his shop. He started with saws he inherited from his own grandfather. Gene turns these rusty relics into something beautiful and unique.

If you thought painting was all about pigments on canvas, panels or paper think again. Any surface that paint will stick to in any shape is game.

Firpo cleans up the toothy tool and lays down a surface treatment. Then he brushes a landscape masterpiece.

The Golden Gate Bridge, Pigeon Point Lighthouse. If he’s seen it and was inspired it spreads to the tip of the saws in glorious realism.

Chuckle if you will, but it will be a conversation piece for visitors to your place, both for its beauty and uniqueness.

Firpo has been painting for over five decades, alongside his former career designing ads with the defunct Redwood City Times and Times Tribune newspapers. He trained in commercial art at the Academy of Arts in San Francisco after returning from military service in Vietnam.

Though his home studio is in Foster City, Firpo grew up a Redwood City kid. He knows where all the bodies are buried, having worked with many politicians, business folks and local characters. His history is a very local story.

He’s so Redwood City that one of his best-selling paintings, made into prints years ago, is of that iconic sign over Broadway, “Climate Best by Government Test.” He painted it from a 1938 photo borrowed from photojournalist Reg McGovern. It graced many a store and office wall. The city liked it so much that they used it for a promotional game they sold, “Redwood City-Opoly.”  

Firpo’s artistic journey took him from painting on stone slabs he salvaged from Lyngso, to miniatures, cards, canvas and saws. A stunning example sat next to us depicting Yosemite’s Half Dome — a famous rock painted on a big rock piece.

You’ll likely see his prize-winning work every year at the San Mateo County Fair, and he doesn’t just adorn shop implements, he paints on canvas too.

This month Firpo is exhibiting another of his favorite forms, miniatures, at Lou Lou’s Holiday Market Nov. 19-23. We’re talking hyper-local here. Yes, saws too.

Firpo is a proud veteran, one of many who are also artists and artisans. His saws will be at a show and sale honoring Veteran’s Day hosted by the Atherton Arts Foundation Nov. 14-16 at the Jennings Pavilion in Atherton’s Holbrook Palmer Park: athertonartsfoundation.org.

Small, large or long, any subject on any surface is game for Firpo.

Firpo tells the story of his first customer, who, after gladly paying full price, informed him that his antique saws were worth more than he was charging for them painted.

“If I were in it for the money, I’d get a website,” he said.

He doesn’t have one, but you can reach him at: gafirpo@yahoo.com, just in case you have a saw or a rock you’d like him to paint.

As the old saw goes: “Life is short, art is long.” In Firpo’s case, it’s long and sharp.

You Can Create Too: You may come across Firpo in the field with the Burlingame Plein Air Painters, one of three outdoor painting groups in our area open to the public. It’s easy to join a group for artistic sharing or just a jolly good time outdoors with like-minded creators in any medium and at all levels of skill: Burlingame Plein Air Painters.

Bonus: There’s a free oil pigment stick demonstration at California Art Supply Nov. 22 from 1-2:30 pm.

Lou Lou’s Holiday Market, 2511 Isabelle Ave., San Mateo.

Bart A. Charlow, author and consultant, has been painting more than 45 years, had a professional photography business, and leads plein air painting groups. View his artistic journey at: bartsart.weebly.com. “Bart on Art” brings you the inside and insights from our local art scene. Come along for the ride, and bring your sketchbook.