CORNER OF 52nd & 10th, NYC - AKA: THE VORTEX

This is the apartment I live in at the corner of 52nd Street and 10th Avenue in a little place called Manhattan in a little neighborhood called "Hell's Kitchen".

At 17 years this year, It's the only place I've lived longer than the home that I was raised in. With my studio located in the front corner room, (count up 2 windows from the corner of the building). Over the years, it's become the center of my Universe. I've seen a couple roommates come and go, a couple boyfriends come and go, a couple dogs come, (The Mimz is still here.... and well, one ex is still here), but most importantly, I'm still here watching the world from my little corner.

Below are a few of the steps I go through to finish one of these itty-bitty, little 5" X 5" paintings.

THE INTREPID

"Having lived 16 years just a few blocks away from The Intrepid, it's easy to forget about it. Today was the perfect occasion to remind myself how fortunate I am to live so close to the Hudson River." - March 28, 2012

New "SKETCH" BUDDHA - RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART

Here's my latest acrylic "sketch" based on a photo I took of a Tibetan Buddhist sculpture at The Rubin Museum of Art in NYC. My sketch is approximately 4" X 4", acrylic paints on textured paper. Unfortunately, because I used metalic gold paints, reproduction of my painting isn't the best quality. The subtlties of color in my painting are not obvious in the photo.

THE VORTEX 04.08.09 - HEADS WILL ROLL

I've seen this truck on my street doing repairs for the past week, loved their added visual display element.

CENTRAL PARK - EARLY SPRING

The weather today created the perfect environment for taking a walk through Central Park. Some of the trees were starting to bud, the crocus were blooming, and a Redtail Hawk was perched on the stone cliffs a few feet away from us on the edge of the turtle pond.

VIEW FROM BELVEDERE CASTLE


BRANDON LACY CAMPOS


REDTAIL HAWK


CENTRAL PARK WEST


MAKING DUMPLINGS - MEE NOODLE SHOP

HOLIDAY CARD - STEP 2

Here's the first layer of printing for this years Holiday card.



We finally got a little bit of snow/sleet/rain last night. It was beautiful to look at for a really short time as it's 37 degrees and already almost all melted away. Oh well, maybe next storm!!!

SIAMESE FARTING FIGHTERS

SIAMESE FARTING FIGHTERS - PRINT


Can you tell it's been a rather quiet week. The best I can come up with for a post is my new linocut print titled, "Siamese Farting Fighters", pretty self explanatory right? It's part of the Berube Bug series I've been working on for many years now but most importantly it was created specifically for a mail artist by the name of Ryosuke Cohen who puts together limited edition compilations of images sent to him from other mail artists around the world. Called "Brain Cells", I've been fortunate enough to have received 2 of his previous hand constructed/printed compilations and decided it was my turn to reciprocate and participate by sending Mr. Cohen one of my original linos for him to use in an upcoming Brain Cell.

POSTCARD SENT TO RYOSUKE COHEN


POSTCARD WITH LINO ATTACHED


BRAIN CELL #683 - RYOSUKE COHEN


BRAIN CELL #689 - RYOSUKE COHEN

ANOTHER CRAZY WORK WEEK

Last weeks hike in Connecticut was exactly what my body and soul needed and it was a great way to begin my week back in NYC. This week reminded me of why this time of year is both loved and hated in vast amounts. It's the time of year when Holiday installations go in all over the city, showrooms need to be installed for market, and I work 13, 14, 15 hour days and get an insufficient amount of sleep. The flip side is that in turn all of the work affords me the possibility of paying rent and having something extra for the gift giving as well as providing the truly uplifting thought that I just might be able to do some international traveling in the spring.

The pics below are from one of the showrooms I worked on this week.

Stay Warm if you're in the Northern half of the country!!! I think it's finally Winter here in NYC. (Maybe even a little snow tomorrow).

TOM THE TURKEY SAYS - THANKS FOR NOT EATING ME THIS YEAR

A few years ago a friend of mine in North Carolina had a turkey that she had raised from a baby who as he grew up became quite accustomed to following her around the yard and if you weren't careful into the house as well. He became much more than the turkey that he was.

She also had a number of large dogs who weren't to keen on Tom The Turkey moving in on their turf...... End of story.

So I created this piece in memory of Tom.

BUSY WORK WEEK

Crazy static work week. Managed to walk by Radio City today and then when I got to The Time/Warner Building at Columbus Circle the picketers were doing their thing.

VIEW FROM THE FIRE ESCAPE - MEXICAN FESTIVITIES

It's nice to know that despite the dramatic changes that have occured in my neighborhood over the past 10 years there are some traditions that seem to have survived the building of 2 large "Luxury" apartment buildings across the street and a number of my favorite places closing due to astronomical increases in leases. Each year that I've lived here, on this weekend in October, the sidewalk downstairs is transformed into a mini Mexican food festival, in turn reminding me of how the neighborhood used to have much more of a neighborly feel to it 10 years ago. Here's to tradition!!!

THE GATHERING


THE SPREAD