Danke, Merci, Mille Grazie NYC!

Had a great time in the city, finally had some time to upload our photos to share!

Our first walk of any length was dusted in snow which had the usual affect of creating magic


The Flatiron building, take that Steiglitz! I'm thinking your photograph needed a little red...


Continued on our northward journey, sort of like Amundsen seeking the Pole. Instead of the Pole we found these mallards in the south pond in Central Park!


Feeding Frenzy

Admist all the mallards was a solo sighting of a wood duck!


He was decked out like a Russian palace without the gaudiness or a Tiffany display window... Beautiful!

We saw the tree in it's last minutes of glory, just before it was taken down.

The tree in Washington Square was still a survivor well into the evening of our long journey.

The arch framed the spindly tree surrounded by spot lights and the surreal forms of NYC in the night snow, seemed like a stage setting.

Matisse's Red Studio @MoMa we like MoMa's Friday free masterpieces!

Black and white and chrome and measurably deep enamel paint, the Vincent Black Shadow a true design masterpiece, simple and purposeful. Although out of focus in the photo the 1955 Vespa GS150 is the Vincent's equal in simple one stroke acts of design genius.

New to our list of NYC must sees was Mario Batali's fait accompli, Eataly, everything imaginable surrounding food that is beautiful, delicious, and masterful from Italy. Lavazza, panchetta, Alessi, vino, gelato, foccacia, etc etc times 1,000. Our daily presence bordered on addiction, high end without pretense, Italians don't do pretense, was refreshing after our experience at The Montcler shop in SoHo and The Ace Hotel, can you say bourgeois BS?! Even though temporarily served from Lavazza paper cups, the coffee was far superior to the watery brown nuancey brew from Ace's Stumptown, Ace you've been aced. Even the squirrel knew to hang out near Eataly. He now thrives off of Croccante con Nocciole! Here's a shot of him in full Italian attack mode, lunging for my foccacia!!

Bulldog tough when it comes to things Italian.

Hopes temporarily dashed, he heads towards the next whiff of garlic...

Coming at me! Pre-attack foccacia lunge.

Mille Grazie NYC! *Not pictured 3 movies, Somewhere, and a double header 4 hour Mesrine at The Cinema Village, was never bored. A trip to the Brooklyn Brewery, a 3 legged cat, German beer hall lunch, and a fruit fly in our Brit pub ale which engendered drinks on the house!

Abstract thoughts

I've decided to list my full series of Rainbow Stripes paintings for purchase in my big cartel shop and was able to provide a verbal insight into some of the thought that was felt when creating this series. Read what I had to say below...

Rainbow Stripes no. 1

Appox. 11 x 13 in. Original acrylic painting on paper, signed and dated.

Before drawing my cats I used to create large abstract paintings and in between I made these.

Entitled my 'Rainbow Stripes Series', a exploration of color and light portrayed in bright vertical bands of color, including neon pinks, oranges, and turquoise.

Using acrylic paint I'd layer bands of color, one on top of the other, sort of like weaving with paint, leaving certain colors open to breath and stretch with airy mindfulness and others I'd hurridly hush and make opaque, pillars that allow just the faintest pops of color to shine through and give the work weight and balance.

It's sort of like creating a musical score, the work happens as it's being created, each color and mark a visual note that responds to other colors and marks to make a chord. A bright golden yellow is emphasized by a rich olivey green, or an aqua blue sings with a rich cotton candy pink just peeking from behind it's edge. Each mark and color is brought to life by the color and mark it stands next to. A visual rhythm in vertical lines.

Rainbow Stripes. no. 4

Touch is also important. Like hitting the keys on a piano, when pressed softly a note floats, shimmers and dissipates, filling the air with it's hum. With a hard strike it jars, awakens and excites. Each mark is a note that vibrates and captures an energy, however unlike the ephemeral nature of a piano key being struck, these notes create a lasting impression, a visual record of energies captured in paint.

Really these pieces don't need words to describe them, but thought I'd give you an idea of how each one is made, hopefully like the conductor setting up the premise before each musical piece and then letting the music itself engulf and move you in its own unique way.

Created from a series of 7, each piece is sold separately.
While each piece can be enjoyed on it's own, they compliment each other well when viewed together, like separate movements from the same symphony.
Feel free to contact me for framing options/ideas or more information.

(Many of these works I've been saving to hang in my own home and finally decided they needed to be shared and enjoyed! This is the first time the works have been shown together and available for purchase.)

This series was created in the wintertime on Martha's Vineyard.

You can find this series in my bigcartel shop here. I find the same expression of joy in all my work and hope you do to :D

Ensor-ish

Ensor-ish, originally uploaded by jamieshelman.

The James Ensor exhibit @ MoMa is PHENOMENAL and ends this Monday Sept. 21, if you haven't seen it yet GO!
Inspired by Ensor's self portrait these cats have true Ensorian pazzaz!

James Ensor Exhibition coming to MoMA in June

, originally uploaded by Mark Barry.
I'm really liking this painting (can you spot the iPod touch for sale anywhere?)
photo via Mark Barry

Christina's World