Beautiful Painting In My Home Gallery: David Gamble's 'Kate Winslet'

Pal Leo has been kind of enough to loan me a sensational painting of Kate Winslet, created by British artist & photographer David Gamble (b 1953), who has been based in East Hampton, Long Island since 2000.

Among his claims to fame, Gamble was given access to Andy Warhol's New York apartment just after his death in 1987. Sotheby's allowed him eight days to explore the pop artist's home, producing an intimate portrayal of Warhol. Gamble has also captured images of the Dalai Lama and Margaret Thatcher.

His Winslet acrylic on canvas work is spectacularly detailed, with vivid blue eyes and textured "crackles" across her face, making it a mystical exploration of simultaneous beauty and horror. (29"x28")

It has all the more meaning to me because of Kate Winslet's connection to Celine Dion, as the co-lead in Titanic, for which Celine, of course, sang the Oscar-winning theme "My Heart Will Go On." I hope Kate and I remain fast friends for a long time. She really dresses up the joint. *