Whenever I return to Manhattan, I find myself wandering the streets… memories, flowing like wine. In November, I met good friend, Tony Black, for a pint of the dark stuff at Old Town. Before leaving, I told the owner, Fitz, “I’m going to paint your sign.”
They say, “do what you say you’re going to do,” so I did… and here was my source image.
My legally issued artistic license allows for interpretation. If you’d like to see the entire process in one minute in time lapse, narrated by yours truly… view this video… more of a photo and commentary person? Read on dear friend.
During Broadway Bares Las Vegas, Josh Strickland won my painting created live at Planet Hollywood. This year, however, before host Scott Nevins brought down the gavel, Director and recent “Mr. Abbott” Award Winner Jerry Mitchell, matched Strickland’s bid, asking if I would recreate the painting for him.
The day after Christmas, we packed our bags and flew to Bangkok for our belated honeymoon. It was a luscious four week excursion. I did things unprecedented in my adult life… I read seven books without interruption. Sat on the beach. Worked very little.
Our Broadway Bares adventure began when Ari Lankin painted an impromptu tatoo on the arm of a Kriss Angel dancer in front of the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign. They suggested we paint live at Broadway Bares Las Vegas, which we did, at Planet Hollywood. A few weeks back, Ari received a call requesting the live-painting action for the fittingly named “Broadway Bares XXI: Masterpiece” at the Roseland Ballroom on Father’s Day (the Vegas installment was on Easter Sunday). And just like that, it was on.
In mid-February, I was commissioned by the CEO and Founder of BEVFORCE to recreate the storied TriBeCa Grand Hotel on a 48″X60″ canvas. Rapidly growing, the men and women of BEVFORCE required a larger, loftier space and with that came bare walls. After some discussion, we decided on a large canvas versus a mural… so the work could travel as they continue to grow.
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.
You're here, and I love you for it.
Join me. Let's do this together.