The one and only Alex Toth… he is my artistic hero and what I get out of his work is sheer pleasure.
When I dream my world is drawn by him… When I go for a walk and escape for a while I picture the faces, buildings and surrounds as to how I would imagine Alex Toth to have drawn them…
It’s a fun game!! Try it… sometime!
One of the things I love about art is how everyone can have their own perspective on an artist and they get what they want from that persons work.
I have heard Alex Toth be described as a classic American illustrator, but I see more European influence from him, considering he is Hungarian this is not that a crazy acquisition.
I learnt that his mother was an artist and she would draw for a young Alex, he looked at her as his greatest inspiration, she was an illustrator across Europe designing posters and signs for boutiques.
If you consider when this was, this was a time when women were not known in this work, to take on a male dominated industry within that time frame takes some confidence, defiance and strength!
From the countless stories of professionals and fans a like they can assure you Alex Toth inherited that quality.
When I was 24 I had the pleasure for a short time to converse with Alex. From seeing a request on a web site asking if anyone was from the UK… which we answered, this was a favour to send Alex Toth some Rowntrees Fruit Gums…
As weird as it seemed off to the local shop I went to see if the manager could pick me up a box of the things!! He could, I through in a few other surprises and newer sweets from Rowntrees too!!
Via email with the correspondent who asked for the favour he found out our favourite characters.
A few weeks later arrived an envelope with the most distinctive handwriting and doddles on the envelope, inside was a collection of art and a thank you letter for the sweets.
Turned out Alex liked to write letters… I do to!! From chats about art, Europe, family, cats, conservation, history! All kinds of things were discussed we went back and forth.
I made it VERY clear I didn’t want anything from him and would be happy to help out with the old sweets when needed…
I was very sad to hear that his health was failing very quickly and the changes in his circumstances… Then a few years later hearing of his passing, I was deeply saddened by this, the world had lost another creative genius, enigmatic, passionate man…
I collect comic art work and illustration... but there is nothing that means more to me than the art he sent to me personally, 4 sheets of designs, faces and dices and a Doctor Midnite and Black Canary thank you for the sweets.
Over the years I have picked up other Toth related art and this is what this blog is about, to share what I have by one of the 20th century’s masters. Hope you enjoy it as I do!?
Art sent as the thank you.
An example of his envelopes.
Three Musketeers
Superfriends! acetates.
Black Canary!
I would love to acquire some of his Zorro work as I find that some of his finest. But I have only ever seen it going for BIG bucks... way out of my price range!
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