Howlfest 2004

i participated in the Howl Festival's "Art Around the Park" gathering in Tompskins Square Park this weekend. Designed as a festival of East Village Arts, they surround the park with a wall of canvas, assign 7' by 6' sections to artists and let 'em have at it.

it was an interesting experience painting in public. at times i felt uncomfortable so it helped having my back to spectators. and at times i wondered why more people didn't attempt to enagage me. they'd comment as if i wasn't there or i that i was so focused i couldn't possibly hear them. a few people stopped and asked questions. several said it reminded them of "Jack and the Beanstalk." i consider the greatest compliments to be those given by young kids who thought "it was cool" or "i like that one."

thank you to all who came on by Saturday to say hello. (a special shout out to my sister.) i know many of you planned on stopping by. it was best you didn't. the rains came with a fury at about 2pm forcing most of us to scramble for cover. i came back Sunday and finished up as throngs of people bought produce 4 feet from my back at the farmer's market set-up on the same sidewalk.

i know some of you expected monsters. what's up with the ladders? exactly. they're bridges up. they remind us that sometimes we need a little help to reach the next level. they give us the path, and provide the rungs but the climbing is up to us.

it all starts with an idea roughed out


the blank slate


"The Ladder Triptych"