Updated August 4, 2023 – When the great singer, entertainer, and artist, Tony Bennett passed away in July, we were reminded of this painting and quote featured in a past issue of FLOWER magazine.
“Though I am a singer, I have been painting all my life, and one thing I have learned is that nature never disappoints. I gravitate to landscapes and still lifes with botanicals as the subject, which has given me a deep appreciation for the extraordinary beauty of flowers. One of my favorites is the pink rose, because I associate them with the jazz master Duke Ellington. Duke and I were good friends, and every time he wrote a new song he would send me a dozen pink roses to let me know. As a tribute to him, I painted his portrait and put pink roses in the background. I called it God Is Love, something Duke would often say.” —Tony Bennett
Photograph by Leisa Cole | Painting ©1996 Tony Bennett/Benedetto | Black and white photo: Everett Collection