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Last week I spent an evening at the Boca Museum captivated by the paintings of Robert Vickrey.  George Bolge, the Museums’ Executive Director, is noted for his fine exhibits and this one is over-the-top. Vickrey, who died two weeks ago in Naples had a chosen medium – the ancient medium of egg tempura. This is a process where paint is made by mixing pigments with egg, especially egg yoke, to produce a dull finish.

It’s an intriguing process that makes his work pleasant to view and an attest to why he was considered an expert in the medium and a great proponent of this style– having produced two books about egg tempura painting.  The subject I found most interesting in the extensive display of his works that spanned from the late forties to the present was his treatment of the nuns Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

He captures in various ways the distinctive white habits that were worn by “Mothers” of the order with small ones being worn by the order’s “Sisters”. As you will see when you view the exhibit, these paintings comprise a large part of it. Don’t be fooled as they are varied and the presentation is wonderful. It makes you wonder how he could take such a mundane subject and present it in so many ways.

Vickrey also created 78 covers for TIME magazine from 1957-1968. Some are available on the magazine’s web site. If you want a truly exhilarating experience in the art of a man captivated by nuns and balloons you must see this outstanding exhibit.

The museum is located at the north end of Mizner Park in Boca Raton. For further information call 561-392-2500.