Moving out West from Manhattan, if I set-up shop and began painting pastoral cowboy scenes… they’d (literally) run me out of town, on a rail. No. That wouldn’t work. So… over the past two years… I’ve been trying to identify my vision of the West, through the lens of the East. Finally — the epiphany — Western Cowboys from the silver screen, in front of famous NYC neons. My first? Gary Cooper, from The Westerner, on his horse, in front of the Seinfeld Diner — Monk’s (actually, Tom’s Restaurant).

The narrative? Gary arrives at Monk’s, unannounced, for a drop-in with Jerry. Jerry offers Gary a bowl of cereal. Gary offers Jerry a smoke. They both decide this isn’t working out (it’s not like Gary asked for help moving, right Keith Hernandez?)… so Gary jumps on his horse, in search a gunfight… something ‘The Westerner’ was missing.

https://www.facebook.com/borbay/videos/1648992768517702/

Check the entire process inside a hot minute, soundtrack courtesy of Gato Loco. And, pardner, do read-on for more process.

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