Please allow me to introduce this portrait of my friend Shane Fleming. This work was commissioned for his birthday by his fabulous bride, Lorre — we’ve had some amazing times with these guys, on the golf course and beyond.
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Back in 2010… I met a Bob and Kelly Stephens and their pup Oz while I was painting in front of The Guggenheim. We became fast friends… Bob and I even played some hockey together (he went to Cornell, you might have heard of it? It’s in the Ivy League).
In 2013… they fell in love with my 5th Guggenheim, and added it to their collection. Eventually, as you all know (by now), our family moved to Idaho… but that didn’t stop us from being in touch. One day, Bob contacted me, wondering about creating a family portrait…
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On July 2, 2009 — I became a full-time artist. My first sale? A 30″X30″ painting of The Guggenheim, created on 5th Avenue, in front of The Guggenheim. When the desire to paint Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece struck again, it felt too opportunistic… unless. Unless it became something grandiose… a benchmark for my career.
So, I decided to paint The Guggenheim, each year, for twenty years. Back then, as a dude living in NYC with a steady girl and a scary new career — it felt impossible. Today, I find myself living in Idaho, married, with three kids and nine Gugg’s to go.
It began with a cold call to Forbes back in 2011, asking for Zack O’Malley Greenburg. I had just completed my #KingsofHipHop portrait series, when I spotted his Cash Kings of Hip Hop list. Fortunately, Zack entertained my call, previewed the show and we became friends.
On Tuesday, June 4th, Forbes hosted a splendid book launch party for Zack O’Malley Greenburg’s Michael Jackson, Inc. (already the #1 Business and Leadership title on Amazon).
Rewind to December, 2010. I recall pondering a portrait series, but found I had 99 problems and picking a portrait subject was one. As fate would have it, I decided to paint Jay Z, which lead to a series of hip hop stars nearly identical to Zack O’Malley Greenburg’s Cash Kings.
New Paintings. Works-in-Progress. Insider Art Market Information.
Another newsletter? You got that right. I'll honor and respect your inbox, as if it were my own. I endeavor to share everything happening at Borbay Studios & Gallery. No daily updates. No weekly updates. Simply a message, every month or two... updates on life, creativity, and the journey that began on July 2, 2009. Let's be in touch, as the first leg of my quest reaches completion in 2026. From a studio in my 600-foot Upper East Side apartment living room, to a museum collection. Oh, but friend, that is just the beginning. The road is long, and I am looking for cool, sophisticated company to navigate each challenging turn.
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