The Alternate Dave Rheaume...Round Three


Well, it's happened again...somebody has approached me about a "Dave Rheaume" painting that they've found themselves in possession of.  This time it was a woman from Illinois who sent along this jpeg and was wondering if it was one of mine.  Since it wasn't, I immediately thought of my afore-blogged-about alter-ego "Dave Rheaume" artist.  It wasn't at all like the other two, but then again there's been little continuity in his subject matter in the pieces I've seen to this point.  This one, of any of them, has been the closest to something that I would have painted myself.

The signature isn't much of a clue, though it seems to have the functional roughness of the previous ones.  I of course asked for details on her purchase, and it turns out she picked it up at a Salvation Army outlet in  Venice Florida.  This perfectly fits the emerging pattern.  The first two paintings in the puzzle surfaced in Florida and North Carolina respectively.

So here's the FBI profile I've built to this point of my cosmic twin: he was a somewhat skilled amateur painter, who dabbled with many different subjects and styles.  Active in the southern U.S., most likely Florida in the 1960s.  Probably recently deceased as his works are turning up in salvation stores and yard sales...so somebody seems to be clearing out his possessions.

This has happened enough times by now that I should expect to see more in the future.  In the meantime, here's a mini gallery of the assorted paintings that have come to my attention...courtesy of Dave Rheaume the First!






Update March 26, 2022:

I may have found my man, but I can't be sure.  While conducting a google search of my name (in part because it alerts me to where my art has shown up, in part because I'm vain as hell) I came across the obituary for David Rheaume, and many of the pieces fit.  He was born in 1940, which would have meant he was in his mid twenties when these works were painted.  The obit is from Ft. Myers but it also said that he lived in Naples, Florida, which would fit the idea that he was from the Florida/South Carolina area.  Also, he passed away in 2018, which probably meant his artworks would have been showing up at yard sales/auctions shortly after, and that's exactly when these pieces started to show up and I began receiving correspondence from that part of the world.  The clincher...which wasn't in the obit...would have been mention of art as one of his hobbies.  But in absence of that, this lead fits the rest of the profile.  Not exactly case closed, but the late Mr. Rheaume from Fort Myers tops the list of "persons of interest".  

RIP friend and namesake I never met.  How much fun would it have been for you and I to get together for a painting session and a beer or two!







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