Two days ago, I check the mail and discover one of those letters with a translucent window. Money!
Indeed. Chase had kindly closed one of my accounts (upon request). Lo — a whopping $.01 remained. Fortunately, someone decided, “by the time we invoice, cut, print and mail this check — we’ll be $2.45 in the hole — let’s send the thing.”
I decided to invent a neon painting. The concept: a cowboy on a bucking horse, swangin’ his Indiana Jones style whip, atop electric grass, with the mighty Tetons far off in the distance… my result? “The Neon Cowboy” — not to be confused with “The Electric Horseman“.
It began with a tweet. Alan Rich responded, recommending yours truly — one hour later, I was on a call with Brian Reich of the UN Refugee Agency, discussing the project.
The concept? A New Yorker-inspired painting, addressing the Global Refugee Crisis. Brian’s original 9th Avenue World View idea, transformed to a modern take on the original New Yorker cover, featuring Eustace Tilley… the New York Dandy.
The neon train continues with this 14″X18″ canvas of Fedora — a West Village staple (now gratuity free).
This painting wasn’t going to happen. I was focused on moving our family from Minnesota to Idaho, when I completed packing five days early. A blank canvas taunts a painter like a blank page tortures the writer — so, I got to work.
Manhattan inspiration found me once again… And, so, before I move to Idaho — I’d like to share my depiction of The World Famous Apollo Theater.
Through a fortuitous introduction, I met Thane Stenner in Montreal. Following a presentation about my work, process and business model — we sat down for a long talk about life and art. Little did I know, this conversation would pave the way for a long term creative engagement. Thane had a vision — a commissioned painting of Jesus, with an emphasis on the concept of radiance.
Allow myself, to introduce, myself. I’m delighted to share the first painting of 2016… A self portrait… my first since 2010.
2015 was so huge, it took me until mid-January to post the year-in-review! The game changer? On February 5th, at 7:45AM, Vega arrived aquatically in our Manhattan living room… joining Erin, Coraline and me. One month later, she had a passport and was living in The Bahamas… we then left Manhattan, moved to Minnesota, then to Jackson Hole, and back to Minnesota…
