Art and Healing

Last night I attended a reception at one of Memorial Sloan Kettering's facilities where 3 of my paintings - 2 in the permanent collection and one on loan - were displayed among 121 art works installed throughout the facility on several floors. Cast Iron SoHo and NAC, my painting of the National Arts Club, were beautifully installed and lit. As Sarah Campbell, the MSK curator explains in the handout for Vantage Points, "down to the subtlest details, these artworks on view were strategically positioned based on how near or far individuals would be from each artwork and even their scope of peripheral vision. Vantage Points demonstrates the necessity of embracing that patients and caregivers are unique individuals with diverse tastes, preferences and needs. By viewing treatment centers from the vantage point of each patient and caregiver, one can more thoughtfully make decisions to serve and inspire them."

Several of my paintings are also included in installations in other MSK facilities. Back in March, the online art magazine, Hyperallergic ran an article "Curating for the Cure: Medical Facilities Embrace the Power of Art" and some of my work was featured. Here is a link to the article.

As an artist and cancer survivor myself, I know first-hand the healing power that art - both creating it and viewing it - can bring.

The Brooklyn Bridge Revisited

Brooklyn Bridge Looking East
Oil on canvas
10x10 inches

I just finished this painting of the Brooklyn Bridge, a view from lower Manhattan looking east. Never tire of looking at this magnificent icon of New York. I'd blocked this canvas in awhile ago and set it aside, waiting for the right time to tackle it. Not sure why I picked this time, as there is a lot of construction going on in my studio right now due to a restaurant remodel on the ground floor. Amid the sounds of drilling, hammering, welding and workmen coming in and out of my studio, I managed to finish this painting. Must have pretty good powers of concentration after all.

Currently working on two new paintings, larger scale this time. Just hoping an end to the construction is in sight.

LIC - The Gantry

LIC Gantry II
Oil on panel
6x6 inches

Had a nice time during the LIC Arts Open Week-end. Saw several shows and visited some artist studios. Several friends from childhood joined me for brunch on Sunday at the Crescent Grill where I have 5 paintings on view in a group exhibition as well as several LIC-themed pillows. The pillows are almost all sold.

We went to see group exhibits in 2 old warehouse buildings, The Factory and the Falchi Buildings. Here we are standing in front of a deconstructed school bus sculpture, a fitting backdrop as we were in grade school together. In addition, I visited the Edison Price Lighting Gallery on Friday and was very impressed with their new gallery space. Among the studios I visited were those of Donna Levinstone, Elinore Schnurr, Zoe Morsette and Chi, all wonderful artists.

In all honesty, this 5-day event is a sprawling affair with way too many events and spaces to attend and visit. You really had to pick and choose. I saw some fine work, but I also saw some awful stuff. There is a lot of bad art being made today and one really has to sift through the junk to find those rare gems.

I'm posting this new study of the Long Island City Gantry today in honor of this past week's events in the neighborhood. Seriously thinking about working this one up into a larger painting.

LIC Arts Open 2015

LIC manhole cover pillow
Patchwork


The Long Island City Arts Open is upon us next week and I will be participating this year in a group exhibition, STARS OF LONG ISLAND CITY, at the Dougherty Gallery at Crescent Grill. Opening Reception is Thursday, May 14, 6-8 pm. Located at 38-40 Crescent Street, Long Island City, NY. crescent grill.com

In addition to the paintings, I have created several LIC-themed pillows which will be available as well.

For a full festival guide listing, here is a link

Citicorp building in LIC on the market

LIC 1889-1989
Oil on canvas
48x36 inches
SOLD

Just read that the Citicorp building in Long Island City, constructed in the late 1980's is up for sale (see article). It is currently the tallest building in Queens, but might not be for long. I painted this while the building was under construction. An older brick building in the foreground was constructed in 1889 and I decided to tackle this subject to show how a neighborhood had changed over a century. Many of the places I've painted have disappeared, but in this case, it looks like ownership will change hands with the tower still stands in the ever changing neighborhood that is Long Island City.

Diego's Place IV

Diego's Place IV
Oil on canvas
9x12 inches
SOLD

This is a recent painting of a rooftop view in Long Island City, looking toward the ever-changing Manhattan - and Queens - skyline. A commissioned piece, it was a challenge and I think I've caught the feeling of being up high and looking over the once thriving industrial landscape.

A window show in the Village

On a rainy Friday my exhibit in the Greenwich Gallery Frame Shop was installed. Paul, the organizer of the window shows, did a great job. I selected 12 smaller scaled paintings depicting various neighborhoods around town. This is a new venture for the frame shop and this is the inaugural show. My thoughts about doing this is that I believe many more people will see my work as they pass by then would see it in a gallery setting. You never know and as an artist, you learn to try different approaches to getting the work out there.

Updated info as of 4/20/15: The owner of the frame shop decided to take down the exhibit after 16 days (not the agreed upon month), before the scheduled run was completed. He was unhappy that no sales resulted in that short period of time and decided not to continue with the window show program, choosing instead to display other work. Both Paul, the organizer, and I were surprised and angry and only found out about this turn of events when Paul passed by yesterday and noticed the work had been taken down. I wonder when the owner was going to notify us. This utter lack of respect for artists and their art was the most extreme example we'd ever witnessed. I went over last night to collect my paintings, tell the owner in no uncertain terms what I thought of his actions and decided to chalk this incident up to yet another experience in the life of a working artist.