Artist paints picture of the past

Cotti had a dream of being an in-demand painter since childhood

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A boy's dream of becoming a sought-after painter was realized in 1951, thanks to Josephine Baker.

The artist, Cotti, has been a recognizable name in the art world for decades, and he acknowledges that Baker, the legendary singer, dancer and actress -- sometimes referred to as the "Black Venus" -- allowed him to showcase his talent at the age of 16.

"Someone in my family kidnapped me and took me to the theater," Cotti said. "The first time I saw her on stage I was completely taken by her. I was mesmerized. I was truly inspired and hypnotized."

So Cotti went home and began painting. When Baker came back to Los Angeles, Cotti was pestered by his sister and cousin to go to the theater and show Baker a few of his paintings. Now a Las Vegas resident, Cotti said his sister finally talked him into it and he went back to the Paramount Theatre with a few of his paintings.

"So we went to the back door and my sister showed my paintings to the guy at the gate, and he was blown away, so he took the paintings to show to her. Then sometime later I got a call, and I thought it was a crank call, but it wasn't. She wanted to commission me."

Baker, who died in 1975, commissioned Cotti to paint studies of her on stage in her elaborate French couture gowns.

Cotti likes to make note that he never saw Baker in her infamous banana outfit.

"It's not like they say. She had these gorgeous gowns that people here in this country had never seen," he said. "I was a kid from East L.A., from the ghetto, and she just spoiled me. We became very close. She had me catch her favorite poses. From the stage she would look to me in the wing, and say 'Did you get that?' I was 16, but I looked 12, but she always introduced me as her artist.

"The influence was so heavy, it has never left me. She introduced me to the arts."

Cotti is a traditional oil paint artist. Nudes, portraits and figures are his forte, he said. This is obvious upon stepping into his studio at 3557 S. Valley View Blvd. The walls are covered with figure studies, nudes and people of all walks of life, from Baker to Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone to American Indians with traditional headdresses to his niece playing the guitar. And they all seem to evoke emotion of one from or another, like many treasured art pieces do.

Cotti has been commissioned by several notable figures throughout his career. Besides Baker, he also fondly recalled his time spent painting for Stone and Orson Welles. He also painted a portrait of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman's wife, Carolyn.

"Orson commissioned me in 1973 for a portrait," he said. "It was my first time in Paris, so I sketched all the magnificent architecture and gardens, and he kept most of it. He had this gorgeous 200-year-old mansion with hardwood floors, beautiful. But he couldn't care less about decorating. It was all about the film."

Cotti spent much of his life living near the beach throughout the state of California, but he relocated to Las Vegas because several of his family members reside in the valley.

Gary Goforth, Cotti's business manager, is thrilled to be working with the artist.

"Oil painting is a dying art," Goforth said. "And it's exciting to be a part of this, to see true respect for his work, and for him by his students."

Cotti continues to offer classes, to do his part in keeping his beloved medium alive.

For more information on Cotti and his studio, visit www.cottiart.com.