One day, Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni sauntered into the Madison Worldwide Art Galleries in Manhattan. Pausing before a painting called The Girls by Ohio expressionist Michael Jolin, he removed his sunglasses and regarded the work for several moments. "Mastroianni is a man of great artistic taste," John Vidaver, who assisted the actor, later explained. "He wasn't sure what the artist was trying to say but he liked the symbolism of the many attractive female forms rising from the mist. Without asking the price, he said, 'I'll take it.' It was my duty to inform him it cost $10,000. He nodded his head and said 'Fine.'"
[The artist later offered a theory explaining why the star had doffed his shades: "The central figure is based on my wife , who I think is one of the world's greatest beauties. Perhaps Marcello and I have the same taste."]
In 1975, a Jolin original sold for around $1000.00 in less than one decade his paintings sold for between $10,000 and $15,000 each.
Private collectors and Celebrities have been buying Jolin's work. Among the celebs are Marcello Mastoianni, Raymond Burr, Julio Iglesias, Lee Majors, George Hamilton, Evander Holyfield, Dottie West, Marvin Mitchelson, Peter Ustinov as well as worldwide collectors .
