1999 NYC Paintings

After Allan retired I focused on Cincinnati (where I did all of my more internal shows, usually involving lots of writings) and Japan, where at this time I had a 3 city tour / show lined up. Their economy then tanked and at the last minute, before shipping (thank god), they canceled the shows.

I want you to try to imagine what that is like, me being a full-time artist with an elderly retired wife and a small adopted daughter. The only other job listed on my resume was working at an ice cream store in high school.

I personally knew the director of Henoch Gallery as they had borrowed my work from Allan Stone for group shows in the past. I forget how exactly, but somehow George arranged to give me a solo show practically overnight. It’s a high-end commercial gallery - not something I would choose with my brand in mind - but I was up against it, and this was street level SOHO. I needed to make some money.

Not one painting sold. Not one.

This would be one (just one - there are a good number) of those times when I was REALLY freaking out.

Just then, the phone rings. It’s Louis, the director of MB Modern, a VERY respectable gallery on 57th Street.

I had approached this gallery with this guy sitting behind the reception desk just a couple of months earlier. He left me standing with my arm outstretched with one of my Japan catalogues in it as a gift. He said the gallery does not accept anything over the desk. I thought there is no fucking way I will ever approach this gallery ever again.

His story is that he had been looking for me for 13 years. He said that when he first arrived in NYC he saw a drawing show of mine on 56th Street, and had been describing my work to others trying to find me ever since. He had just recently came across the invitation from that show with my name on it. I was in the phone book.

57th Street is a serious gallery location. Show on 56th, and you might as well be showing in Kansas. It was a favor I was doing for a friend, who opened a gallery on the third floor above a Japanese restaurant. I seriously doubt that more than a handful of people even saw that show.

So Louis takes the subway up to my apartment / studio in Washington Heights the next day, me sitting on a ton of pristine inventory, him sitting there in his expensive suit, he offers me a solo show for the very next month due to a cancelation.

I instantly became their Art Star. Louis sold everything I gave him.