Chronology

Paul born 1923 to Daisy Ostrow and Thomas Theseus Georges. He was raised Jewish in Portland in the 3rd house Poppy converted from a chicken coop

Paul (L) lived near an ocean his entire life. As a kid he spent summers at Seaside photo with Poppy and his beloved brother Ossie (R)

Pops drove to Seaside Fridays w/fresh farm vegetables & clean laundry tied in blue ribbon.Trips back, were full to the running boards w/dirty laundry

Crowds of teens hung around the Georges house & pool, Daisy fed all the kids plenty: fresh bread+butter, sandwiches, milk+cookies, blackberry pies

The Bully chased Paul w/a knife/axe around the yard. Cypress trees in the distant landscape ingrained in his mind. Girls made goo-goo eyes at Paul

Paul's 1st painting made age 16, won 1st Prize at Multnomah County Fair. He bought a car. Friday nights polished his shoes intently before going out swing dancin' & jitterbuggin' at a Catholic girls school. Girls swarmed Paul due to his good looks & agility. The brothers fought: Tommy "the Bully" threw Paul into a glass display case, scars covered one side of his torso forever.

High School Grad. Full-time laundry job. 1st girlfriend Marguerite had crossed eyes. Daisy called doctors asking how to un-cross a girls's eyes (HA!)

Paul pursued his dream to become a Dry Cleaner & attended Oregon State College fall. Drafted Dec 1942. Fought 3 years 9 months 16 days in Asia

1942- 1945 WW II Lifeguard in Hawaii, 2 weeks army private. Next mission 10 month walk entire coast of New Guinea. Few survived heavy bombardment.

A guy lost his blood onto Paul all night in heavy shelling. Paul had an Epiphany age 20. If he lived, he'd do something worthwhile with his life. 

1946- 1948 at U of Oregon/Eugene on the G.I. Bill, Prof Jack Wilkinson artist/philosopher became Paul's close, challenging, only loyal lifelong friend

Hofmann School Provincetown, summer 1947 Paul met lifelong friends Jane Freilicher, Wolf Kahn, Clem Greenberg & Larry Rivers who nicknamed him "PG"

Fall '47 PG returned to Eugene, received 2 yr Certificate in Dec. Drove a laundry route, $500 a week, saved, painted weekends at the Beach house 

Fall '48 PG left Portland to see NY. March '49 to Paris to live on the G.I.Bill until it ran out. Poppy hissed 'Art is Shit' & cut Paul off. FOREVER.

Shared a small room on West 62nd w/Jack's student Vern Witham. NYC excitement deli's, dancing, museums, jazz clubs, Hofmann friends, mobbed by girls

1949-52 Paris G.I.'s went to Fernand Léger's weekly, hung up a painting in front of his nose. Master Léger said 'en lever' signed a page: Each paid

Dec 1949 PG met Lisette Blumenfeld at a party Impasse Ronsin. She worked at LIFE Magazine.He walked her home, they kissed madly, both felt a wild LOVE

A tiny room in chic Rue de la Bûcherie was tres cher. PG found a dacca as far south as le Metro ran. Space to paint. His Mom sent a pressure cooker

Dec 1949 He couldn't stop proposing. For 52 years they were madly in love, inseparable, always talking. Every moment they were together was electric.

Lisette & a pipe smoking American had A BIG, BIG LOVE! Why rush marriage? Not  to live in a horrid dacca, she needed to think & left Paris for a week.

January 1950 Paul and Lisette Honeymooned in London before they married 7 weeks after meeting. He loved to see the National Gallery, V&A, Rubens

January 1950 Paul Georges and Lisette Blumenfeld's Wedding picture in Cambridge, England, "note the flower" he wrote to his mom. All parents outraged

Lisette found an artists dream to rent, Impressionist Albert Marquet's magical house & studio; affordable if shared. Jack+family arrived on sabbatical

PG painted. Jack philosophized all night on whiskey foraged by his wife Una. Cathy 9, kept school hours. Baby Shawn, Margie+W.D White shared after

September 1950 they rushed to Portland Oregon. Daisy died of a heart attack at 57. She lingered a week, He arrived late, Paul cried over his mother.

PG drove a laundry route for a month, they drove a laundry truck on a narrow brick highway to NY, took a boat to Europe saw Italy & more of France 

PG left Oregon behind. After the death of his mother,he returned 5 times. Cypress trees once surrounded the farm in beauty.Pops cut the land into lots

Paris w/laundry money they got a poodle named him Yuki drove their Deux Chevaux to Florence, Arrezzo, Ravenna, Padua, Verona, Venice. Madly in love

Dinner parties turned into wild parties.Just for them, Lisette boiled pork chops an hour, browned on an iron.She made leather, the dog couldn't chew

Beautiful wall outside Albert Marquet's studio "Fete a La Frette" 1950-52  Painting Not in Existence PG is 5'10 1/2"-? guess: 72"h x108"w 183cm x 274c

Loft slated for demolition. Pollock busted in to see Peter Busa, Pollock forgot Busa went West, PG awestruck, not Lisette whose ass he slapped

Paris paintings filled loft. Larry Rivers worked at Rosenberg downstairs. He stole anything he could brought the loot up at lunch. 50/50. Helped both

The Club,Cedar Bar, The deKooning's, Kline, Kaldis, Joan Mitchell+Barney Rosset, Arguing/Friends. PG was a painter w/strong convictions.His work earne

Built a bookcase for Auden. Carpentry. Worked at the Oregon laundry. With his charm, a 6-week route paid enough to scrape by all year. 

1955- John Myers friend, Broadway Director Herb Machiz hires PG to Design Set for Tennessee Williams Premiere. Took Set Design Exam. Failed

1960 645 Broadway an illegal skylit loft, stolen utilities. 1 bar electric+stove heat, coats for blankets, tepid bath once a month. Lentil soup.

PG's career is smokin' hot during the 60's deKooning,Krasner,Hess,Fairfield Porter,Harold Rosenberg: people respond to his skillful, vigorous approach

Country Life Allan Kaprow Nude Beach Happenings Artists Dinner Parties Love Hazel & Trap Talmage Neighbors Granny's Dahlias Potato Fields Warm house

Artist's Beach, East Hampton, New York. Everybody went 12 - 5 all summer & stayed late for picnics. PG brought his chess set & played except for swims

Everyone leaping into bed with everyone.  East Hampton cops measured Lisette's shorts. Over 4" above knee prude law: lewd ticket issued

1965 Smoking Linked to Cancer announced, PG quit cold turkey. Poppy visited NY. At The Metropolitan Poppy told Paul maybe some art is okay. 

Artists drink Turkish coffee & tea from bowls. Live illegally. Kids don't go to NYC schools. ConEd looks at you: RUN. Pan of smelly lentils atop stove

Old Style Loft Party the last & largest celebrating the New Loft & Sweet Sixteen. Dick Bellamy threw fireworks off the catwalk over the dancing crowd

Mugging Musings

1975 In the Studio with Brushes and Palette at 85 Walker Street, photo Richard Brooks ©2022 PG Foundation

Sag Harbor Bay, Southampton, NY. Kayaking with Yuki 3. A runt, but awfully sweet & dear.

Coal Oil Point, Isla Vista 1988  UCSB, Santa Barbara, California  Photo Hank Pitcher 

Normandy 2002

Feeding the fowl 

PG on the way to his studio 

found in PG's last wallet 

on the verso of a handwritten emergency ID