I’ve had my eye on the controversial redesign of the Museum of Art and Design for some time. When I discovered a composition including the CNN Sign and the sexy Hearst Tower, how could I resist?
Apple’s stock finally surpassed the mighty Microsoft, to the chagrin of Steve Ballmer no doubt. But wait, now there is a huge security flaw with the iPad… oh, and Steve Jobs thinks Flash is garbage. And Obama thinks the iPad is a major distraction – he told some recent college grads.
Standing before a blank 3’X5′ wall of canvas, a rush of memories and emotions crept up from the far reaches of my brain. To date, I have driven across the country five times, lived on both coasts and spent a summer pounding massive G&T’s at 8000 feet. A pebble cracked my windshield in Texas, five miles from my destination after driving 2000 consequence free miles. In Oklahoma, I went to dinner at the only diner in the town of Arbuckle, where the marquee read, “Happy Birthday Edna Arbuckle.” My gauge hit 130MPH in Montana.
My friend Greg messaged me from Kenya, sharing some interesting perspective on the media, product placement and social mobilization. His point circled back to my general approach, positioning, and use of headlines.
When I had the incredible opportunity to experience the Stanley Cup, I asked Cup-Keeper Mike Bolt (his father, Ron Bolt, is an epic artist) to recommend a goaltending subject… his referral was no surprise. Martin Brodeur, The Devils and Goaltending have been three in the same for 19 years. At this juncture in his career, he is fighting rumors of an early demise, despite shattering records and posting consistent numbers. This, I felt, was the right time to capture Marty.
When Dave, Randi and I began discussing a commissioned piece, I asked them to think of meaningful places in Manhattan. After a few back and forth emails, they decided on the place they were married – the South Street Seaport. To get things rolling, I spent a sunny afternoon taking shots in the area from about twenty different angles. From there, I narrowed-down, cropped and emailed six choices to the Wenders.
And the Central Park Boathouse commission is now complete. To recap: In early January, Stephanie, Scott and Ryan (their son) Gurtman came by my studio for an up-close-and-personal view of my work. With a vision of a painting in mind, we discussed a commissioned piece and the Gurtman’s decided to give the image some thought. The initial concept of painting J.G. Melon shifted to the Central Park Boathouse, they place they were married.
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.
After the incredible Urbania ride, words cannot describe how much I enjoyed getting back to painting. I began painting this prior to my collage painting portrait, but it sat idle, unfinished. With time, it has undergone an interesting journey – there was some darkness and this 18″X24″ canvas was the recipient.
The year was 1925, the heart of the roaring twenties. New Yorker protagonist Eustace Tilley (below) had little on his mind other than butterflies and jazz ensembles. That was then. Today, poor old Eustace is out of sorts. The headlines illustrate doom and gloom. Strange new breeds of Three Term Changing Butterflies demand attention… he feels guilty. A rich man in a sea of social decline, afraid of terrorism, wondering who wants to kill him and his way of life.
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