This is a show I’m especially glad to be in. My wife Yoshiko Mori is also exhibiting, and the full group is a strong one: Nicolette Barquie, Carol Bach, Dorothy Cancellierie, Peter Cheney, Lisa D’Amico, Patti Ettinger, Theresa Ellis, Hal Jamilson, Barbara Shapiro, Inez Sibben, GG Kopilak, Elizabeth Lauri, Lisa Lee Freeman, Linda Mendelson, Annie Pollock, Emily Query, Hedy Rodriguez, Moses Ros, Lois Uttley, and Sarah Valere. When you get this many artists working in different directions into one room, the conversation between the pieces is what makes the show worth seeing.

The exhibition is organized by the Yonkers Public Library and the Council on the Arts. For more details, visit www.ypl.org/artgallery. Hope to see some of you there on the 20th.

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The painting is of the Putnam Railway path in Van Cortlandt Park — a corridor I walk regularly as part of restoration work at the park. What I didn’t say enough when I submitted it: my grandfather and uncle both commuted this same path, decades before I started walking it as a painter and volunteer.

The WORDS show asked artists to interpret language in their own terms. My answer was that landscapes hold text we don’t always know how to read. The Putnam trail is a line — literally a rail line, now a walking path through the forest — but also a line of inscription. Generations move through a place and leave something in the ground. Restoration work trains you to look for those marks.

Are some of these trees witnesses to all three of us? I think they are.

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Each design is presented on 17×21 Canson Infinity Aquarelle 240g paper, with two designs per page. The series includes:

1. “Since 1988”: My original Powell Peralta board from Christmas ’88, capturing years of use and neglect.
2. “Be Leaves”: A minimalist design exploring trees as the origin of skateboarding.
3. “Collab with my 10-year-old self”: Digitized drawings from 1988, brought to life with Procreate.
4. “Skateboarding begins with leaves”: A tribute to photosynthesis and its role in skateboarding.

These 1/1 prints are available for $88 each. Visit Yonkers Arts at 222 Lake Avenue to see the exhibition in person. Check yonkersarts.org for gallery hours and details.

“The Art of Rebellion” Art Exhibition Debuts Thursday Evening at the Yonkers Arts Gallery. 

Yonkers, NY – July 24th, 2024 – Yonkers Arts is excited to announce the opening of its latest exhibition, “The Art of Rebellion.” This immersive exploration of the skateboarding subculture delves deep into the intersection of art, fashion, and music highlighting the notion of “skater-vision” and how it impacts their lives as well as the world around them.

““The Art of Rebellion” challenges traditional notions of art by showcasing the raw energy and creativity of a subculture often misunderstood”, said Ray Wilcox, co-curator and Executive Director at Yonkers Arts. “The Art of Rebellion” is more than just an exhibition; it’s a journey into the heart of a subculture that has redefined creativity, self-expression, and social commentary.””

Co-curator, Tralona Boisne states, “the skateboarding culture consists of some of the most passionate, creative, ingenious, adaptive and persistent people on the planet. Visit any skate spot in the world and you’ll likely find yourself in the company of an artist, a musician, a craftsman, or a dancer. The overlap of skateboarding, art and music cultures is a world all its own”.

“The Art of Rebellion” is a must-see for art enthusiasts, skateboarding aficionados, and anyone seeking a fresh perspective. This exhibition celebrates the incredible and diverse ‘interpretive’ artists and skate spots like the Brooklyn Banks in NYC, le Palais de Tokyo AKA “le Dôme” in Paris, MACBA in Barcelona, and the Southbank Undercroft in London; All to which you’ll find basking in the natural unity of what were once considered societal taboos.

The “Art of Rebellion” features artworks from local and international communities. The exhibition is co-curated by Ray Wilcox of  Yonkers Arts, Joseph and Tralona  Boisne of Little Shop of Gorgeous, and Thomas Feinstein from Fillin Global. The exhibition is supported by Yonkers Arts and will feature an Opening Reception on Thursday July 25th  from 6pm-9pm.

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On view will be two works, one from my Prospect Park collection and one from my Brooklyn Collection.

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While it was bittersweet to part with more pieces from this series, it was a privilege to sell two additional paintings during the event. The remaining works will soon be available for purchase in my online shop, where a portion of the proceeds will continue to benefit the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance.

What makes this project even more exciting is the reason behind its inclusion in the event: the team responsible for the Daylighting Tibbetts project was honored at the fundraiser. This project, which has captivated me since we first considered moving to this area in 2018, is now moving forward.

For those unfamiliar, daylighting is the process of uncovering a previously buried stream and bringing it back to the surface. Tibbetts Brook, buried over 100 years ago and diverted into the Combined Sewer Overflow system, has caused millions of gallons of freshwater to be unnecessarily sent to sewage treatment plants, straining the system and contributing to river pollution. The daylighting of Tibbetts Brook will help mitigate these issues and transform an old railroad right-of-way into a new public park. It’s a visionary project, and I’m thrilled to share that, if all goes well, it will break ground in 2025.

At the event, I had the opportunity to display my work and engage with members of the community as well as those involved in the project. It was a full-circle moment that brought my artistic journey and this vital environmental initiative into focus. When I first painted this series, I never could have imagined such an outcome.

Looking ahead, I hope to bring some of these works to Councilman Dinowitz’s office, where they will be on public display in the coming months.

In addition, the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance will continue distributing the postcards featuring my prints. I’ll also be offering the entire series as a set of greeting cards, which will be available for purchase on my website once the shop is set up. The remaining original paintings will be listed for sale as well. Stay tuned, or feel free to reach out if you’re interested and I haven’t yet posted them online!

With deep gratitude to the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for the opportunity to share this work in such a meaningful context, to the City Artist Corps for initially funding this project back in 2021—which allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and reconnect with watercolors—and to the Daylighting Tibbetts project team for their incredible design that I can’t wait to walk down.

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I sent both of these paintings below off to new homes! Always grateful.

For more information, you can explore the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance’s work at vancortlandt.org, and dive deeper into the designs of the Daylighting Tibbetts project on the City’s official project page. You can also check out my YouTube animation of the watercolors.

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In creating ‘Architecture of a Puddle’, I thought of the Anthropic Principle, where nature acts as a mirror to our impact on the world. The painting captures the reflection of an ironwood tree in a puddle, posing a silent question: How does our world reshape itself around us just as we reshape it? This artwork is an intimate dance of adaptation, a dialogue between the existence of the natural branches and their ephemeral, watery counterparts. The space in between.

“If you imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, ‘This is an interesting world I find myself in — an interesting hole I find myself in — fits me rather neatly, doesn’t it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!”

Douglas Adams

I’m delighted to share that ‘Architecture of a Puddle’ has found a home with a couple who had admired it for a long time. Despite its understated presence in exhibitions, where it often flew under the radar, this piece has always held a special place in my portfolio. Completed in 2021, it continues to resonate with my current physical work in addressing drainage issues in our local Bronx Park, blending the realms of art and environmental action.

‘Architecture of a Puddle’ is a narrative about our interaction with the natural world and an invitation to observe the subtle, yet profound, conversations between us and the environment we inhabit.

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Title: Oak in Van Cortlandt
Park Medium: Oil on Panel
Size: 6×6 inches
Date: 2023

This piece also holds a special place in my journey as an artist, a gift crafted with affection and thoughtfulness. It’s a celebration of roots, both literal and metaphorical, and a reminder of the enduring beauty of nature that surrounds us.

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