THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 26, 1995 TAG: 9504250108
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALEXIS SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Michael Zuckerman has the most expensive wallpaper in town.
At least that was the verdict of one guest after getting a glimpse at Zuckerman's extensive and unique collection of Southwest prints, wall hangings, drawings and native trading blankets covering most of his walls and other surfaces.
Zuckerman, or ``Z'' as he likes to be called, spent eight years traveling in the West and Southwest, in big cities and out of the way places, to gather his art collection.
Now he's brought it all back to Virginia Beach.
``An Evening in the Wild West'' will be on display at the 21st Street Art Gallery beginning Friday.
Each piece is special. Wooden bowls are carved out of tree roots and laced with turquoise and malachite. An American Indian head carved out of a single piece of wood is draped with strands of deer antlers that produce the effect of a suede headdress.
Pieces of rock art, pictographs of animal and human figures that were carved into the walls of caves in New Mexico and Arizona, are copied onto stone and made into wall hangings. Zuckerman said, ``This art is also known as ancient graffiti.''
There are drums with titles such as ``The Horse Coming Drum,'' and ``The Buffalo Spirit Drum'' by Carl Winters. Wooden utensils by Tom Reed made from mulberry, sycamore and black walnut wood are titled ``Spoon with a Serious Leak'' and ``Veggie Pusher.''
According to Zuckerman, ``My collection will probably have a strong appeal to the flower children of the '60s that are now into Native American teachings. But I encourage everyone to come and view the art work and decide for themselves.''
He said, ``I became spiritually in tune to the art I was collecting and to the Indian custom of being in harmony with the earth which helped me gain valuable insight.''
A history buff, he developed an interest in art at an early age. Born and raised in New York City, his early ambition was to be a veterinarian.
But it didn't turn out that way. At 15, he was hired as a Hebrew tutor by a family in South Dakota and made the trek west, learning more and more about the ``cowboys and Indians'' he had read about as a child.
Now his knowledge is extensive. Ask him any question about Southwestern art and if he doesn't know the answer, he'll find it. His library of more than 1,000 volumes is filled with books on art and history such as ``Techniques of the Artists of the American West,'' ``American Indian Basketry'' and ``Journals of Lewis and Clark.''
Zuckerman hasn't always dabbled in art. There were other careers.
He was a police officer in Colorado and New York and a mental health emergency service worker in Norfolk for 18 years. That left him ``emotionally bankrupt from giving,'' said Zuckerman. ``You can only give so much before it takes a toll on your health.''
His life changed direction after he had a heart attack and was told he would have to reduce the stress in his life. Sandy Zuckerman, his wife, encouraged and supported his decision to pursue his hobby of collecting art as a new career.
Zuckerman's dream is to open his own gallery so that he can present the work of all of the artists he admires. MEMO: ``An Evening in the Wild West'' will run until May 9. The gallery hours
are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturdays. Call Tina King or Johanna DeFries at 491-2943.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH
``My collection will probably have a strong appeal to the flower
children of the '60s that are now into Native American teachings,''
says Michael Zuckerman. ``But I encourage everyone to come . . . and
decide for themselves.''
by CNB