EARTHQUAKES LOSE A GREAT LEGEND

     Oct 16, 2004 - The Earthquakes Hockey Club lost a amazing player and great friend with the passing of John St. Arno on October 16th.
     John will be greatly missed by all that knew him. All our love, sympathy, and thoughts are with John's wonderful partner John.
   
           We'll miss you John.
     


A PORTRAIT OF JOHN

"John St. Arno was a big supporter of my art, and in fact, purchased art I created having to do with growing my in the 1960s during much racial tension while listening to Motown music. I created a piece of art with melted Motown records surrounded by flames, and John just loved it and had to have
it. Coming from Detroit John totally connected to what I was trying to create and say in the piece. John and his partner, John Hall, always came to my openings and really took an interest in what I was doing creatively.

I wanted to thank John for his support so I created a painting of him in his hockey uniform and helmet. When I do abstract-type portraits, I try to capture something about the person's features and accent those features. For example, with the portrait of John, I always saw John on the ice in his black helmet, black moustache and three-day hair growth on his face. What I wanted to capture was John's very rough facial images, while, at the same time, capturing his soft features, like his eyes, eyebrows and lips. I framed the painting in two of John's game-used Sherwood Hockey Sticks. When I painted it, I did it as an appreciation for John, and now, I hope it is looked at as a telling statement of a very unique individual in a world full of very ordinary people."
     - David Benesh
        Teammate of John St. Arno's

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