February 2006 Archives

When it rains it pours. It seems that projects only come at the same time. So i'll have time to work on my own art then all of a sudden 15 offers come in. Right now i'm working on a huge project so will be mia for the next week or so.

Real estate in Manhattan is a professional sport. That is why when you're looking for a new place it is unethical to court more than one agent. So i hope none of them are reading this (hello, if you are) but different brokers can show very different places. For a new project i'm working on we're looking for a garage type of place. And the things i've seen!

Someone is making the claim in their "selected exhibits" section on their website that in 2001 they showed their work at el sophia's in nyc. In 2001, although elsophia was already a registered company, i, the owner, was crouched in a studio downtown wondering what to do with myself. i had just a tiny studio, some canvas and painting materials. We were not yet showing works of other artists. The funny thing is they listed us as a reference and actually had people call here.

Please do your research on an artist before collecting their work. Feel free to contact us to verify such claims. Any artists we represent will be featured on the following website: www.elsophiagallery.com

The title of this entry is "rain" but ironically the sun is out and the weather is fine. Have a fabulous day!

It's been an exciting past few days. I'm in the process of simplifying my life. I have so many goals that need to be accomplished. And now finally, finally things are taking off.

David said that everyone that called in yesterday was asking about our snow fall. YES! There was lots of snow. Recording breaking snow. Everybody had grins from here to there slapped on their faces. Like when you're 6 years old and get the gift of your dreams on your birthday. Now i want it to all go away. The narrow streets in SoHo have not even been plowed.

I wasn't able to take my car out of the monthly parking this weekend (read: 48 hours). Apparently you have to call in advance if you'll be using your car. So I was in the city the entire weekend. Took an IQ test and this is what it said:

Your Intellectual Type is Insightful Linguist. This means you are highly intelligent and have the natural fluency of a writer and the visual and spatial strengths of an artist. Those skills contribute to your creative and expressive mind...

It's nice to be constantly reminded that your career is what you were meant to be doing with your life. And even better being blessed enough to be doing it.

Yesterday evening we went out to the opera- it was so romantic. And very crowded- even the security was complaining. I would advise you to go see Verdi's Aida but all performances are sold out. Maybe you can snag tickets to the last show on eBay :)

The decision to take on a writing course was bred from a longtime passion for journalism. And a lecture @ NYU with George Clooney further facilitated it. Unlike many of the other uninteresting celebs i meet, Professor Clooney is rather intelligent.

I have also slowed down my art production line (ha, ha). Art should be a product of the artist's soul. Not made to appease a certain market. The new panel works have been in the creative process for the past year now. And finally they're now in the completion process.

Also in the works: art on paper! Of course my VIP Loungers will get first peak at these. If i could get Amy to squeeze it into her busy schedule, they should be up later today. Check it out: http://www.elsophia.com/lounge

Got home at 4 am.. Can barely think my head is throbbing so hard. But off to make art nonetheless :)

In regards to the cartoon saga: I do not agree with violence -not war- not a bar brawl- nothing. Don't even understand it. As an artist who does believe in free speech, I do find the cartoonist to be offensive and wrong on this point. For instance, in America (and i hope everywhere else) we would never draw a picture demeaning to the African American community; such as something with slavery. This would be purely out of ignorance and disrespect and would most certainly incite protest from all races. So glad i live in NYC.

There was a point in my life when i hated sitcoms and movies because to me they were either very unrealistic or fake and just way off base to be believed.

Well, now it's 2006 and there's a war being staged through cartoons and religious hate. When did toons turn belligerent- as to incite all this violence? Turn on the news and immediatey your inundated with events that you would have never been persumed as realistic a decade ago.

With all this anger where are we headed? Are we that incapable as people to commune with different ethnicities? Can't turn on the tv or radio and not hear how intolerate the human race is becoming.

All i have to say is the animal kingdom must be thinking we're such morons.

OK have to get going.. late for a dinner. Next entry: "how blogging can destroy your social life."

Ode to the licensed civilians of NYC:

dearest driver
licensed or not
a simple reminder
you might've forgot

a lane from five
for an emergency
and a real life
an apparent urgency

it's in our might
to make the shift
move to the right
or slightly left

it could be
your one
or mine maybe
just any one

so please be kind
to the 911 truck
if you don't mind
and move the f*ck

out of their way.

Thank you anyway.

After the recent fake "real memoir" best seller scandal, i know that Oprah would so disapprove of this "news" blog. But what should she expect from a dweller of a city in which tabloids are considered newspapers? Honestly i get most of my morning news from other blogs. Where best to get at the real truth than straight from the opinionated pages of those who experience it first-hand and have nothing to lose by reporting it.

But just as soon as a blog entry is absorbed into cyber-space and already there's more news to report. Then the whole internet press cycle starts all over again. And i, too,  get my own share of press, the good, the bad and the ugly. There's no solace in anything.

Well, at least the next couple of months promise much in the art category with fairs to enlighten the spirit. And i'll be covering each one- news straight from the source :)

And for everyone else who'd like some real news, here's a headline for you:

The problem with living in a city like manhattan is that at any one moment you're bombarded with so many invites. And choosing becomes a full-time job. And as with Los Angeles, NYC has no days. Each night calls for celebration.

Back in the early 2000's, when my friends and i were in our early 20's and could go all day working and all night partying, we could get away with sleeping just a few hours a night. Then it became increasingly more difficult to maintain that life style and the reign was handed down to yet another generation of party-goers, the Paris Hilton crowd. Friday night we went out to enjoy an Indian cuisine. And then decided to venture downtown for the remainder of the night. But just as we got to our destination and i was already nodding off. Those were the days.

Slept through much of Saturday. Pretty exciting, i know. But i did take a break to go get a mani/pedi.

Sunday evening Ian, Matt and i, after much quarreling, decided to head up to the Upper West Side for a thing our friend Sarah was throwing. Now, the whole night Matt was just getting on our nerves complaining and chanting the people suck mantra. He finally got so inebriated and decided that he wasn't getting enough attention. When life hands you salt, make margaritas. Invitees were forced to talk him in from the ledge. Someone should tell him that vitamin water is a real beverage as well.

In desperate need of a vacation. How much longer till summer?

Went to Conneticut today to have lunch with some friends. The home was gorgeous on multiple acres of land with horses, pools (yes plural), tennis court and gardens. The art collections weren't bad either. Abe reminded me of a promise i made to him that i would take up tennis lessons this Spring. My entire life i've hated playing the sport. Used to go to the country clubs and forced to play when i was younger. I'd just watch the balls fly past me and make the ball boys go get them.

Ian was waiting for me when i got back to go to a hypnosis appointment. He has a problem he thinks this will cure. I reluctantly decided to do it as well. See, i have repeated thoughts that the world is doomed. As soon as i got back and turned on CNN, i knew it hadn't worked. Guess hypnosis hadn't changed reality.

Today our emailing list should hit the 25,000 subscriber mark! Do your part and sign up now!

Making real progress as far as studio work goes. It's tasking having to create work by a deadline and then negotiate wall space with galleries- that's the gruesome, business side of making art.

On Friday night we went to a fiesta thrown by Matthew- an artist and performer. But i was out of luck and this was not my groove. The rough crowd of artsies could be quite unforgiving. It was a lovely night to be enjoyed without re-living the studio 54 movie so rapidly made the move to the exit.

Walked up to see the outsider art fair saturday afternoon. The weather was fabulous.

The city was jam packed with traffic and people. We headed out just before midnight to meet up with friends from Florida. One of the guys, Abe's longtime friend, is a wall street suit type by day. And by night, oh dear.

It was the first time i would meet them, however the duty of finding us a locale for the evening was left up to me. As soon as i saw the gentleman pull a pink, faux-fur hat out of the trunk of the limo, i knew the agenda had to change. Costumes fare much better below 14th street. But luckily the velvet rope always drops for us.