Smile Train!

Febrauray's charitable donation went to Smile Train (www.smiletrain.org), that gives reconstructive surgeries to children born with cleft palates. The surgeries only cost $250 each and makes the child look and feel better, and helps them get jobs later in life.

We all know that even in so-called developed countries, what you look like has a great impact on your success. More so for rural areas in other countries.

Happy Leap Year Day!

additional 5 points photos

5 Points in LIC (Long Island City)

I recently went to 5 Points, a building in Long Island City (near Astoria) that the city has devoted to grafitti artists. here are a bunch of photos of some COOL work.

Studio 57 and Dali!

I bought another signed Dali from Studio 57, a fine art gallery on 57th Ave between 7th and 8th Ave. They have Chagalls, Dali, Miro and Picasso, among others.

My original came from White Space Gallery in New Haven (see "The Dali Arriveth", June30, 2005).

Above is a picture of the original Dali "Don Quixote on an Infinite Landscape."




In this classic image, we see the knight Don Quixote, perched on his valiant steed, doing battle with the giant Caraculiambro. He seeks to vanquish the giant and order him to kneel in submission to his beloved Lady Dulcinea. Note the special design in the lower right corner wherein his name and his wife Gala's are intertwined under a crown as a tribute to Don Quixote and his love for the Lady Dulcinea.

A seldom-seen statue

I train a client at East River Place, which is all the way in a cul-de-sac on East 72nd Street, bordering thr East River.

There is a statue of a woman with her head on her knees, by a reflecting pool. It looks sad on cold days, and not much better on warm days. But overall it has a very beautiful effect.

Shrek!

My friend AD and I recently went to the Jewish Museum at 92nd and 5th to see the exhibit "The Art of William Steig". Steig was a cartoonist who drew some amazingly funny cartoons for The New Yorker and also created Shrek!

Shrek! is actually the Yiddish word for Fear! In the books, Shrek is uglier and nastier and not anywhere as lovable as the Dreamworks version. Check him out above.

BTW -- if you go to the Jewish Museum on Saturday, it's free because they do not handle money on Shabbat (Saturday). Of course, you can't shop in the gift shop -- you have to order nline later -- but they give you a promo code so the shipping is free.

www.jewishmuseum.org

Best Gallery Name Ever!

I was recently in the DUMBO area (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) in Brooklyn and saw, at 25 Jay Street, a gallery called "Museum of modern Arthur" or MOMAR.

MOMAR shows the work of artist Joseph Arthur. He is also a musician with a band called the Lonely Astronauts. I am now a new fan!

Here is a sample of his artwork. Cool, huh?