Lost Art Treasures to be Displayed in Ummagumma

BONNY, UMMAGUMMA (WRI) - A veritable treasure trove of paintings recently discovered in the attic of Phil "Bean Face" Kozlowski, a noted motorcycle enthusiast and private businessman will go on display at Bob's Museum of Art and Smoke Shop.

Titled "Renderings of the Human Condition on Black Velvet" the 412-piece collection was discovered in Koslowski's attic only two months ago as he was rifling through one box after another, searching for snacks.

"Me and the old lady, you know, we was up all night - um - talking, yeah, and you know, maybe having a smoke or two, and I got hit with a powerful case of the munchies, you know?"

So after finding nothing in his kitchen, his living room, either of the bedrooms, the bathroom, or his garage, Kozlowski climbed the ladder into his attic.

"Aw, man, I didn't want to drive all the way into town, you know?," he said.

After rummaging about for more than half an hour, Kozlowski found several large refrigerator boxes. Thinking they might still hold refrigerators, and thus possibly, food, Kozlowski opened the boxes finding only the paintings.

"I thought, 'Man, what the hell is this?,'" he said, not yet realizing how important his discovery was.

Kozlowski's collection, compiled over more than six years on a number of what his probation officer, Nash Coltland, describes as "prolonged acid trips" are an astounding collection of the works of artists from flea markets throughout Ummagumma.

In fact, more than two dozen of the works are from the rare "Toilet Paper Brush" school of black velvet painting, a technique perfected by the late master Frank Slod (1941-1998). Using subtle but deft strokes of carefully wadded sheets of toilet tissue, Slod created sublime representations of crying clowns, and what Kozlawski describes as "bodacious babes."

The entire collection, easily valued at more than 100 golden bonds, represents "the peak of this particular art form," said noted Ummugumman art critic, Joel Plath. "Frankly, it never got any better than this."

The entire collection will be on display at Bob's Museum of Art and Smoke Shop through Jan. 16, 2015, or until Bob sells them all, which ever comes first.