My continuing adventures as an artist...

a continuing saga of my previous Journal entry theartyst.deviantart.com/journ…

A muggy morning greets me with a 15 minute sprinkle of rain showers. It's expected to be 101 degrees today (no point in showering a record high in New York city to cap-off the start of Summer. They said, "partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain."  (uh huh, anti-persperant is reduced totally useless). None the less, I have a sunny disposition (pun intended) smile on my mug and optimism for a new day of art sales outside the MET. ( Metropolitan Museum of Art ) on 81st street and 5th Avenue.



It's my fifth week of this new Art Venture, and I'm really enjoying myself to the fullest. I knew that New York was a "dog town" of sorts, and besides that - people from around the world visit the MET daily to see masterpieces from renowned artists of times past.  I'm set-up just south of the great steps entryway,... A hot-dog bite and a couple sips of your cola will bring you in front of my display of art uniqueness.  Pointing fingers, smiles, ooh's and ah's from caught off guard tourists will arouse my inner salesman instincts.  My soon to be famous oil painting "it's a Dog's World" catches the eyes of most 8 yr. old girls (80 yr. Old men too ... But, for some reason young girls and women are attracted most.)  I have a 24" x 36" giclee canvas print framed and displayed within eyesight of each passer by.


the painting in question "It's a Dog's world" ... with changes - but, DA won't let me upload the newer version ?!

"Oh my, I love the plot of your art", says a pretty red-headed young Russian girl in a form-fitting white ensemble. An Italian couple want to know all of my hidden secrets in the dog painting before purchasing the canvas. Another stands far off gazing and looking intently, but seem confused at the same time. I say to them in a  calm voice and a smile, "you can come closer - they won't bite." They immediately take two steps forward and laugh in unison. Now they're in my world. I can explain the painting in further details.

Another couple with arm-sleeve tats look very interested. (my cue to peruse). I tell 'em, "there are 7 unique tattoos in the art." The girl finds the first 2. He points out 3 more enthusiastically. "Where are the last 2? They say together." I could tell they were hooked and were gonna buy at least a 14" x 20" print before I revealed the last 2.  A quick stop by the ATM and the sale is complete.  A family pushing a stroller stops in their tracks when the 10yr. old starts to laugh at "Salad Bar". He plants himself in front of it and begins to study the scene all-the-while laughing with the weirdest vocal range. He wouldn't even take a breath between chuckles and I was beginning to wonder what my painting had done to him. It was like he was trying to turn on his engine and was stalling out as laughter came out.  After five minutes I looked at his mom & she just shrugged her shoulders and said, "He's never acted this way before". Seriously, this was getting weirder by the minute, "heh heh eh heh heh" he uttered in the strangest kid laugh I've ever heard. At one point my neighbor came by and yelled aloud, "SNAP OUT OF IT BOY !!"  he looked straight at my friend and stopped immediately as if to come to attention,... But, only for a moment, then he looked back at "Salad Bar" and began anew his insane laughter.  After two more minutes he started to roll on the pavement and giggled even louder. Kicking his legs and making a spinning movement with his body was more than I could take. I looked at his mom and said, "I think that's your cue to go."  She grabbed his hand and swooped him off the pavement. As they left I didn't give it a second thought as to give 'em a free postcard of the painting that bemused him so. (( I wouldn't want to learn later on that it reduced him to insanity someday ))

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Some of my puppy best-sellers

There's an occasional dog walker prancing by,... What am I saying? ... Dog walkers abound in NYC - in every size shape and pedigree.  They may be working for the owner or be the proud papa or mamma themselves.

When it comes to being a salesman selling art is another animal all-together,... And, there is an art to selling art on the street (say that 3 times fast) to complete strangers passing by. Everyone is different, coming from various countries and having their own unusual take on what they might be seeing. If the piece is universal in concept, it will hit home and make a statement that will last a lifetime - after they walk away. (hopefully with newly purchased Art in hand)  As the sidewalk moves by my stand I have a short window of opportunity to work the room. Constant finger pointing and laughs are followed by comments of appreciation. "Look at the Salad Bar, so cool", ... "And they're all organic too", I say ... The laughs become louder as more people wonder what's going on.  Sometimes a rapport can be built instantly, or it may take a couple minutes to find that common ground that breaks the ice. I'm told sometimes, "you were made for this !" I just think to myself, no, I'm a people person, get too close ya might get hugged -  plain and simple.

I chose to come to NYC to sell my works of art on the streets for many reasons, but, little did I know that there would be an extra bonus to this new endeavor - constantly meeting a diverse group of people. There's Dashuai Sun from Mongolia, a watercolorist that has been featured in just about every major Art magazine and Soheil Tavakoli from Iran, an architect that hand-paints NY landmarks on T-shirts.  Boubakari Konseimbo is from West Africa and paints acrylic abstracts on canvas. Alvaro (Drakkus) is from Colombia, a fine art photographer, Arturo Arboleda Restrepo a floral painter from Colombia, Umut Urunca from Turkey and Alexey Chernyuk from Russia.  ... Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention all of the little Tibetans and Chinese vendors - but, that's another story all-together.   They've all left their respective countries to support their families from the greatest country on the planet, fleeing communism (in most cases) and embracing capitalism.  A diverse group to say the least - proving once again that America truly is an ethnic melting pot. We're like a United Nations of artists representing the world on our short stretch of cobblestone walkway.


Arturo, Alex, Myself and Boubakari at his impromptu Birthday surprise!!


Boubakari Konseimbo with a prospective client


Soheil Tavakoli hand painting a T-shirt for a happy tourist

Unfortunately, as in every story there has to be an antagonist, a villain,... (insert ominous scary music here) someone to throw a wrench in the works. Mayor Bloomberg fits the bill. He has been on a quest to rid NY parks of artists/vendors for years, and now it is coming to the final conclusion this week! ... ( I picked a great time to do this, huh? )   So, jump a week ahead to read the "new rules" which slash the number of vendors selling paintings, photographs, books and sculptures in certain high-traffic areas in four parks. The amount of vendors used to be unlimited (as long as we're not blocking pedestrian paths or benches).  Everyone was happy, the artists and vendors could come and go as they pleased and set-up at almost any time to sell.  Tourists loved the atmosphere of an Art Market where they could browse various stands to fulfill their souvenier buying needs. Now the numbers have been cut to under 25%, because city officials main argument has been that vendors have crowded sidewalks and blocked subway entrances. That's totally not true at the MET (I can say from first-hand experience, and have spoken with countless happy passers-by about this situation).


a Protest at Union Square Park, 300+ artists/vendors showed up to voice their opinion

As I approach the end of this writing 6 weeks have passed & everything has changed since the new rules have taken effect. It's a first-come first-served basis. When the park opens at 6am you need to be there ready to set-up. ( only thing is, what time do you get there before 6 to secure that highly regarded place. ) Bloomberg and his cronies think they've won, but they don't know who they're dealing with, ... The fight is not over,...  One thing I've learned in my 32+ years as a professional working artist is that one constant comes to the surface in every situation, ... Perseverance, a positive attitude and just plain down-and-dirty hard work always prevails.

The twists and turns seem to never end in this story and I have at least 7 other cool and unbelievably amazing anecdotes to tell (( no time to tell 'em now )). But, I will touch on a few - like the late afternoon cougars prowling 5th Ave. for fresh meat and the notoriously infamous Yorkshire Terrier gang known to disarm people with their cuteness and then run off with Prada purses full of treats.

I've met K-9's of every social standing, religious persuasion and political background, and they all agree on one point of interest, "It's a Dog's World." If you're ever in the area come by and visit me. We can say, "we met at the MET."


Ps. Everything in this story is absolutely true except for one item,... Yorkies only use their cuteness for good





I set-up in SOHO recently,... and would ya know it "a Hot-Dog vendor placed his cart smack-dab next to mine"


funny thing is the juxtaposition.