SMSU Exhibit

Final weeks




Thought I'd share some installation photos of my exhibit at Southwest Minnesota State University Art Museum in Marshall, MN. I haven't traveled out to Minnesota to see the show but all accounts I've received are that they are happy with the exhibit.

The local paper, the Marshall Independent wrote an article on the show as well. Here's the link

I have been busy finishing up a commissioned painting for a collector and have been working on several new paintings. Happy first day of SPRING! It's been a long, hard winter and I'm looking forward to spending more hours in the studio now that daylight savings has kicked in.

Selling New York...art

Art on the small screen

"G.E."
Oil on canvas
30 x 24 inches

Last Fall I had an exhibit of my paintings in Warburg's Tribeca real estate office. They have an ongoing program of showcasing artists works. My friend Leslie who works at that location made the introduction and that is how that opportunity came about. I also found out that the HDTV program, "Selling New York" was featuring a broker from that office on the second season.

Long story short, a film crew was at the opening reception in September, busily filming away and the recent episode, "Big City Dreams" had a clip from the reception. The storyline of the episode featured a musician and an artist looking at real estate, hence the tie-in with the art reception at Warburg. The clip is a short one, and several of my paintings can be seen. The surprising thing is that I've received several emails and calls from friends asking if those were my paintings on television. It reminded me of the time I was watching an episode of "Law & Order" one evening, when an elevator door opened and there was my friend Denis with a newspaper in hand. After seeing my paintings on the small screen I have a better understanding of how my friends who do background work on film and tv must feel when they catch a fleeting image of themselves onscreen.

The episodes are repeated, so if you want to get a peek at some outrageously expensive New York real estate, here's your chance. You might even catch a fleeting glimpse of an original "Florin" too!


Photo of realtor Deborah Lupard, Warburg's chief, the artist looking to relocate and my painting "G.E." featured on the episode "Big City Dreams" on HDTV's "Selling New York." Note: Photographs on the left are not mine.

Remembering Andy Jurinko 1938-2011

A great guy, a fine artist
"Liberty Plaza"
Oil on canvas
66 x 84 inches
©Andy Jurinko

Last week I did a mailing about my Minnesota exhibit and received the sad and unexpected news that the artist, Andy Jurinko, had passed away on Valentine's day from pancreatic cancer. The email message stopped me in my tracks and as often happens when I hear this type of news, the memories started flooding in. I first met Andy in the 1980's when we were both new members of the NOHO Gallery, then located on LaGuardia Place in the Village. We were assigned a two person show and on a very cold day in January, 1982, we installed our paintings in the gallery. There was no heat as a pipe had burst the night before, so we were bundled up in our overcoats as we worked. At that time Andy was showing a series of figurative street scenes, a subject he would revisit time and time again throughout his career. He was very adept at painting the figure, especially the female form.

Over the years, we would keep in touch now and then, especially after receiving each other's exhibition announcements. I followed Andy's work over the years and marveled at his talent and his vision.


"Bobby Thomson 1951"
Oil on canvas
32 x 40 inches
©Andy Jurinko

An ongoing project, and one that he will be most remembered for was his series of baseball-themed art. Deciding to use the "golden age" of baseball as his muse, he did over 1,000 paintings of the stadiums, portraits of the team players and scenes of historic and memorable moments in the game. Books, exhibitions, prints and much-deserved acclaim came his way as a result.

Andy and the love of his life, his wife Pat, were early "homesteaders," living in a loft in the the Wall Street area when it was not a trendy residential neighborhood. On September 11, 2001, the great tragedy that struck New York would impact them directly as their building was the closest residential building to the towers. I remember trying to get information about them after the collapse of the twin towers and saw posters asking about them on the many walls plastered with questions. Thankfully, they and the tenants in their building survived. Andy and his wife decided to remain and spent months and months dealing with the aftermath. The New York Times ran a series of articles about their building and the tenants. Many of their neighbors were in attendance at the memorial service on Saturday, as were a throng of family, friends, fellow artists and collectors. The chapel was standing room only, a testament to how loved and respected a person Andy was. He will be missed.

If you would like to learn more about Andy Jurinko's work you can check out his website

Read the New York Times obituary here

Midtown in the Midwest

"Reflections of the City"

"Vesey II
Oil on canvas
30 x 24 inches

A solo exhibition of 18 paintings will be on view from February 19 - March 31, 2011 at Southwest Minnesota State University Art Museum in Marshall, MN.

Being a New Yorker I sometimes lose sight of the fact that there are thousands and thousands of towns and cities that I've never visited or even heard of. That was true of Marshall, MN until a few years ago when my cousin married a lovely gentleman from that very town. Then add to the mix an artist/curator that I met through the Franklin 54 Gallery where I've exhibited who lived in and taught for many years in non-other than Marshall, MN. Coincidence? Not sure why but the stars aligned and I was offered the opportunity to exhibit my work there. I happily accepted.

Fine Feathers in the Garment District

Peacocks on parade

"Peacock Freight"
Oil on canvas
11 x 14 inches

A new painting to share today. Not too long ago, my friend Sandy and I were walking around taking photos in the mid-30's, in what used to known as the garment district. Looking up we noticed these beautiful peacocks perched nonchalantly above a nondescript freight entrance, where once upon a time racks of clothing would be whisked in and out, on their way to stores around the country.

The garment district has changed dramatically over the years with much of the clothing once produced on those crowded busy blocks now produced overseas. Yet, many beautiful architectural details still remain on the building facades in this part of town, and coming upon one, such as these beautiful peacocks, is a rare treat.

Cityscapes in American Art Collector February 2011

A magazine article amidst snow, snow, snow

Photo of a snowy Union Square Park

Life has been hectic and with all of the snow we've been having, my regular routine has been sidetracked several times this month. We just had another 19 inches of the white stuff this week. Not one to let a good photo opportunity pass by, I met two artist friends for lunch and with cameras in hand, we surveyed the neighborhood in search of some new painting ideas. I know I have a few paintings in the batch I took and wanted to share this one of Union Square Park. More snow is headed our way mid-week, so I am in the studio today playing catch-up.


The February issue of American Art Collector is now on newsstands and includes an interesting article on cityscapes, "Constructed Spaces," with my painting "Empire Reflections" featured on page 98.

Right now I'm surrounded by packing boxes as I am getting ready to ship out work for a solo exhibition in the great state of Minnesota. "Reflections of the City" will be on view at Southwest Minnesota State University Art Museum in Marshall, MN from February 19 through March 31. More to come on the show soon. If any of you readers live in the area, try to stop by!

Courthouses Here and There

Beaux Arts Beauties

"Downtown Courthouse Reflections"
Oil on canvas
10 x 10 inches

Starting off the New Year with a new painting. Last fall, I wandered around the city with my friend Sandy, visiting a bunch of sites open to the public for the Open House New York week-end. Having done a lot of walking we took a much-needed break and sat ourselves down on a bench downtown. I noticed some interesting reflections of the courthouses on Centre Street reflected on a glass facade and since I'd already taken a load of photos that day I figured why not a few more? This painting is the result. I really enjoy the way each panel tells its own little story.


"LIC/Courthouse Fountain"
Oil on canvas
10 x 10 inches
Sold

Courthouses seem to be the theme this month as I just learned that my painting, "LIC/Courthouse Fountain" had been sold on the last day of the Small Works exhibit I participated in at the Jeffrey Leder Gallery in Long Island City. Another painting sold at the opening reception so the book-ended sales were nice news indeed.