“The Lombard” is inspired by my Strolls through the Hood in Jersey City.
It shows a street view of the oldest pawn shop in NJ – H. Schoenberg, founded in 1895. I was thinking about how while this is type of business is a lifeline for folks, it also conjures sad feelings when I pass it and see the things in the window. So many complex stories and circumstances are in plain sight.
My overarching mood however is one of hope, and better times ahead, and hopefully the souls who visited the shop will be able to return once again and claim their instruments and heirloom jewelry as their own.
This original painting was made with spray paint, acrylic paint, gouache, ink, pencil, markers, pastel, and collage on canvas.
“Up in the Hills” is a new painting inspired by my Strolls through the Hood in Jersey City.
Moore’s Place, a bar and jazz club run by Mrs. Ruth, has been here for over 60 years as part of the neighborhood, and now during the pandemic has become a special, magical space with live jazz music outside every weekend to soothe our souls.
The building itself used to have a different life long before the music arrived – there is still machinery in the basement.
I have yet to uncover the history of this building – one day I will ask Mrs Ruth, but right now I let her hustle and bustle around us lucky happy faces when we are here to listen to the music and see the people of the neighborhood, while eating Mrs Ruth delicious fish fry.
For this painting I used spray paint, acrylic paint, gouache, and markers on canvas. Give Moore’s Place a new home – and purchase it here in my store. edited: So stoked this painting found a new home at home here in Jersey City !!!
Strolls through my hood get me out of my studio, they help me get unstuck and often I get inspired by what I see and get new ideas to create something. It is part of my philosophy about Artful Adventures in Mixed Media – which is the subject of my book. Here are some photos that I gathered in the last couple weeks.
hehehe what can I say? Mingus is the worst thief ever- here he is after we caught him stealing frothed milk ….but he is pretty funny no?
I loved this picture at the Secret Beach – the Family was running around in the sun and I thought it was cute how they had lined up their shoes on those tiny horseshoe crab shells.
this view from the beach to Lady Liberty gets never old for me.
Funny flying critters :) I love how all construction plywood is always instantly turned into something colorful in this city.
Weird orange car- I wonder what this was …like a little electric car or so? I feel this car could be a model for a comic and should speak :)
We got a mini portable fire pit and have been enjoying it in our little garden on the cooler nights already.
A new bakery opened in my neighborhood and I love their decoration and the baked goods are also very good :)
I voted. And I am not actually giving you a stink eye (not sure what is going on there) but if you haven’t voted yet I might ;) This is my first presidential election as a U.S. citizen.
This house looks like it should be in some Bavarian forest LOL.
These are the judging faces of cats when you left the house for a long period and they are not used to you being outside for a long time anymore. I wonder how they look if we travel some day again.
Still enjoying the weekend jam sessions – and this little guy is the cutest. He was so fascinated by the drums and could not stop looking at them. I think he will ask for a drum set. I saw him again two weekends later and he is still as entranced.
I must have walked past this little window on the side of a corner a couple times but never noticed it until now- I also love the brick inlay – so cool!
We got a new handrail and I am so excited about the little rosettes we picked out as they are very similar to the ones that are in our banister
ah, I know how that little boy feels about the drums. I’ve always had rhythm and even played the middle eastern Dumbec for a few years (during my Belly Dance years). When I met a guy who played guitar, I knew I wanted to play rock and roll drums, so one day I got out the pots and pans and started playing them. When he came home and heard what I was doing, he said ‘you need a drum set’. Sure enough, we went out and bought a set; I was thrilled. (I was in my 40’s) Now I’m 75 and need a hip replacement, but I bet I could still play a mean beat if I still had the drums!!
Love your walks around the hood….my neighborhood isn’t so interesting! Keep up the good work. (oh, are you doing Creative Jumpstart for 2021? I really enjoy those workshops)
Last weekend we went to a really amazing art show by Distort – a mural artist I really admire at the Deep Space Gallery.
Upon entering the showroom you see one of a many absolutely awesome wall installations in brick and plaster also done by Distort.
Most of this work was on engraved metal plates and oil paints. Photos can not really show you the depth and dimension Distort creates in his work and boy – It is awesome!
Above Against the Current, 2020
Style Warriors, 2020
Watching Machines, 2020
This wall installation was sooo dope- when you look inside you see a train track vanishing into the plane – Amazing.
Distort had a zine at the exhibition that would show the collage work he did as prep work before painting the work. It was amazing to see the magazine clippings and imagery and then see the actual work resulting from the “draft”
Mountain Dew, 2020
such an awesome reference to his graffiti and mural background
Reaching for the Steal, 2020The Pentagon, 2020Supreme Court, 2020
Supreme Court hit me …it was my favorite piece of the show!
Must Come Down, 2020Venison, 2020Love Story, 2020
I love how abandoned buildings, the theme of nature taking back areas of architecture and human artifacts are woven over and over into his work.
Father and Son, 2020
Another favorite of mine – this one was actually created on a mirror! Distort is mirrored talking to someone else in the background …I did not talk to him …I am always very shy when I am a groupie hahahaha.
It was such a cool exhibition! If you are in Jersey City or close to it – make an appointment this month with Deep Space Gallery and see it. I love the work that Deep Space Gallery shows but this exhibition was my favorite so far. And really …nothing beats seeing art than seeing art in person!
“Till the Curtain Comes Down” is another painting on canvas inspired by my Strolls through the Hood in Jersey City . I love this beautiful brick building from 1887.
I used spray paint, acrylic paint, gouache, collage, wax bars, and markers. The house was built by a descendant of one of the oldest Dutch familes of Jersey City, Wilhelm Brinkerhoff. He was a state senator who died in 1931. After his death, the building was a christian mission with a radio station on the roof.
It has a bit of a Rapunzel Tower feel for me as the building is a little bit overgrown by plants and even though someone lives here it seems to be mysterious. I picked up some piano player roll paper and the first thing that happened was I saw the wording “till the curtain comes down” and that my friends is how the title was born ….I mean …it was just meant to be .
Till the Curtain comes down is looking for a new home. You can find it here. The canvas measures 10×10″.
Strolls through my hood get me out of my studio, they help me get unstuck and often I get inspired by what I see and get new ideas to create something. It is part of my philosophy about Artful Adventures in Mixed Media – which is the subject of my book. Here are some photos that I gathered in the last couple weeks.
This is a gorgeous statue on the waterfront of Jersey City.
For the first time in a long time the train station on Liberty State Park was open again . This is where the immigrants that came through Ellis Island would set out to their new homes all over the U.S. Unfortunately this historic landmark has been hit hard by Sandy – but I still love all the lines and shadows when I walk through.
Low tide and a wonderful view of Jersey City to the left, Manhattan and Brooklyn and the Statue of Liberty – it was a wonderful early morning bike ride with my hubs.
Lady Liberty and some really big Hibiscus flowers – gosh red and green – speaking of natures color scream :)
I still love love love this gorgeous sign of this old store front in Jersey City’s little India – I put this building on my list of “paint some day”
Fabulous mural!
Got a new mirror for the entrance which also leads to my studio. Love the cool shape. I think it is time to repaint our old radiators. The things you notice when you take pictures LOL- Old houses – never a dull moment.
Mural down town – it is one of the things I love most about street art and murals – how they are a reflections of the time we live.
This guy showed up recently on relay boxes.
Big storm knocked out a lot of trees and branches in New Jersey – we also lost power for about 6 hours which is nothing in comparison to some other areas of New Jersey. Of course my nifty husband took the opportunity to get some fire wood – LOL- we just bought a little fire pit for the garden and I cannot wait to sit in front of it in the fall.
I looooovee this brick cornice- usually the cornices around in my neighborhood are made of wood and it is the first time I noticed on those houses that they are made with brick- and how beautiful it looks.
you might remember from a former stroll this really cool building that I also painted – now it is right next to a Black Lives Matter Street Mural. I have to go back now that the artists are finished with it .
Definitely tomato season – I am loving it. Lots of roasted tomatoes, tomato sandwiches, tomato salads …well …they call Jersey City the Garden State and we do have for sure amazing tomatoes.
Love our city coming a little bit back to live. One section of this street has been closed off to traffic on Saturday afternoons and there is a jam session with a lot of amazing jazz musicians. Mary, who is in the red t-shirt singing, is a Jersey City institution and boy it was so wonderful listening to music an seeing them all.
This last shot is a weird one- it is an old power plant and we drove by on a bike tour – I had never really noticed this place- took a picture and two days later I – along with thousands of other Jersey City peeps woke up at 5.30 am because of a huge implosion of the place. A little warning for us would have been nice. Anyway- it is gone now – not really a loss- although the structure was interesting.
I hope you enjoyed this little stroll through the hood. Until next month :)
“Dressed to the 9s” is a new painting I made using spray paint, acrylic paint, gouache, collage, markers, pastels, and oil pastels on canvas.
I was inspired by my Strolls through the Hood in Jersey City for this mixed media painting, and specifically a charming historic firehouse and line of elegant row houses in my neighborhood. I love seeing the firemen of Ladder 9 taking the trucks out once in a while and cleaning them – there is something really fascinating for me about American Firetrucks :)
I used some long treasured vintage player piano paper- I always waited for the perfect piece to use it for and when I was thinking of this street scene I knew I had to use it as part of the collage elements.
Dressed to the 9s measures 10×10″ and is available in the store. It would love to find a new home. found a wonderful home in Wisconsin!
“All Fur Coat and No Knickers” is new painting made with spray paint, acrylic paint, gouache, collage, and markers on canvas.
I was inspired by my Strolls through the Hood in Jersey City for this mixed media painting, and specifically a building that was used to cold store fur coats in the summer months for the people in the neighborhood (glad that’s not needed anymore).
Nowadays there is a restaurant in the building but the story intrigued so I researched a bit. I found that a 1932 issue of The Jewish Standard featured an advertisement for a company called Kriegel Furriers offering “cold fur storage” at the address, with a storage rate of 1% of the value of each item with a minimum charge of $2. Those were different times for sure.
what fun who’da thunk it?! a place to store ur furs ladida! love the title and ur yummy pallette! the presence of the car a little wonky in my book, but luckily it does blend in nicely ? thnx for sharing! ???(funny fur story… my ex was wearing his mum’s full length?! raccoon?! (sigh, poor animales! but i do eat them so can’t get tooo indignant ?) when he and his 3 bros plus dad rolled their open jeep in river… it was thanksgiving (we the sensible.were waiting at home.for them) so what did they think?! (re depth/strength of water….) the coat survived! tho i wouldn’t want.to smell it at the time… wet racoon, yum! ?
Strolls through my hood get me out of my studio, they help me get unstuck and often I get inspired by what I see and get new ideas to create something. It is part of my philosophy about Artful Adventures in Mixed Media – which is the subject of my book. Here are some photos that I gathered in the last couple weeks – as New Jersey and New York are slowly going to Phase 4 after the lockdown.
What a heat wave week – wowsers. Early mornings are the best for bike rides and stroll through the hood right now for sure :) The picture above is showing an old Cigar Factory – the Parodi Company. The Parodi’s were a brand of cigars made in Jersey City up until 1929. The company was started in 1913 in New York City, in the Village by three Italian immigrants who came from a wealthy family in Northern Italy. In 1916, they built this factory here in Jersey City.
We spent a nice time at the Deep Space Gallery– now open again – appointments only. The painting above by Rebecca Johnson was very touching.
If I Die Too Young , or the Gunmen Come, I’m Full of Love, 2020
Acrylic, lime wash and mirror on linen
Mazunte – also by Rebecca Johnson – this is a close up of a wonderful painting. Love the usage of little mirror pieces.
Interesting facade – the little balconies are funny- and nothing seems to fit together.
A wild style of architectural fun back then :)
X-actly. Dog Poop is after parking the most discussed issue in this neighborhood.
This was a walk bye poster project with artwork and poems written by school kids in Jersey City.
Very powerful – and it seems as if it is now moving from park to park throughout Jersey City.
Oh my oh my- I cannot stop taking photos of this magnificent Art Deco Entrance …Swoon.
Speaking of ..I love those Art Deco Fire Escapes – It is funny because the building itself is a bit plain and boring but those curved escapes – so awesome.
Another Stunning Art Deco Building in my neighborhood.
I see this sign every time I go to drop of packages at the postoffice and it makes me laugh ! I think this neighborhood is boom box free since 1983 …LOL.
This guy visited me one afternoon on the deck – pretty pretty big and apparently had a little fight in his live as the right wing shows. Made my day.
I hope you are all well – sending you Love!!! Until next month with hopefully more strolls through the hood.
ah, I know how that little boy feels about the drums. I’ve always had rhythm and even played the middle eastern Dumbec for a few years (during my Belly Dance years). When I met a guy who played guitar, I knew I wanted to play rock and roll drums, so one day I got out the pots and pans and started playing them. When he came home and heard what I was doing, he said ‘you need a drum set’. Sure enough, we went out and bought a set; I was thrilled. (I was in my 40’s) Now I’m 75 and need a hip replacement, but I bet I could still play a mean beat if I still had the drums!!
Love your walks around the hood….my neighborhood isn’t so interesting! Keep up the good work. (oh, are you doing Creative Jumpstart for 2021? I really enjoy those workshops)
Reply