Adventure to NYC

“Adventures don’t begin until you get into the forest. That first step in an act of faith.” Mickey Hart

That first step was over a week ago now, when I discovered in passing that a friend, a blogger friend would be visiting from her home state to NYC. I could not pass up the chance of meeting with her when she would be 2 hours away, by car, train or bus. We made arrangements to meet once she got into the city and knew what her plans would be. I made my plans, the Chinatown bus was the lest expensive way of travel, even through I did not know my way from Chinatown once in the city, google direction were looked up, so I had a plan, my intentions were set, attention to the making this intention a reality was put into place.

on the road

Oy Vey! What was I thinking? I hardly slept the during the night, because I wanted to make sure I work up in time. 5:30 am rolled around, an early morning walk with the dogs, a cup of coffee and some breakfast, heck if I know what that was. Checking emails, Facebook for any changes in plans, made sure I had my list, phone #, etc. I had an 8 am bus to catch in Philly… I made it with ten minutes to spare, time to grab a cup of coffee at Wawa and a Tasty Cake. On to the bus, second seat for the back, most of all the other seats where full. Almost as soon as the bus began the young lady behind me got on her phone and began chatting with her girl friend about things I did not need to know at 8 am in the morning. It is amazing how people are so unconscious of what they are sharing in public. The conversation went on for some time, finally she said she was going to get some sleep… and that she did.

into the tunnel

I tried too to get some sleep but sleep was not my friend, maybe a little Reiki and mediation but my mind was chattering away, so I wrote in my journal, yes people I still use a pen and paper sometimes. I had nothing really to share there just emptying my mind. The bus trip was uneventful, it began to rain, and misted the rest of the day. We entered NYC via the Holland Tunnel into an area of the city I do not recall seeing before, the west end of the city. Well the bus lets us off in the middle of Chinatown at 10 am, I have to find the F train, (subway) when I was really looking for the 6, when I got to the station, none of the ticket machines were taking cash, so up to the street to find the 6. The Chinese people where no help, I ask a young father, walking his baby, he got our his smart phone, which offered all the directions I needed. I would have to walk a while but not to far.. about 6 blocks. I realized it was getting to the time that we were to meet, so I made the call, informing Kathy that I was in the city and looking for my train, and should be there in the next half hour. If it had not been raining I would have been taking photographs and I would not have notice the walk so much but it seem to take forever.

Chinatown NYC

Off to 27th street and 5th Avenue and the Gershwin Hotel , imagine meeting a person I never met at a hotel in the city of New York City! What kind of guy does she think I am? What kind of lady is she to meet a stranger in a hotel? Not to worry it was all very innocent people, Kiah, her daughter was working her last shift in the lobby coffee shop “Birch” so Kathy was hanging out there, with books and laptop and as much coffee as she could consume.

The sign !

The Gershwin is this red building with strange art hanging from it exterior which look like sperm, and how fitting since it is right next to the Museum of Sex which on the corner. Into the lobby and looked into the coffee shop, I saw no Kathy. I called, she said she would be right there. In seconds she came through a doorway into the lobby and we laid eyes on each other for the first time in real life, of course we have been sharing photos or our blogs for some time, so there was not shock of difference. We where greeting each other with hugs, than to get coffee and to meet Kaih, who is a sweet young lady, who ask about my journey and created us our coffees.

captured! Kathy at the hotel

Kathy and I adjourned upstairs of the coffee shop “library” which was a balcony over looking the lobby and shop filled with books, tables occupied with young people enjoying their beverages, while on laptops or with books, and friends, walls adorned with Photographs which I did not notice at first because Kathy and I were getting comfortable on a large sofa, asking each other questions, filling in the gaps of things we didn’t know or remember about each other.  It seemed like we had been friends for years, getting renewing our friendship. It was warm, comfortable, welcoming, as I knew it would be. Kathy had ask me about meeting people who we know via computer, and my comment was, that I think because most of the people I have met are people from groups with a more spiritual or growth oriented purpose, the experience is real, if the people are being authentic, than they will be what I expect them to be. The meeting only to deepen the connection, raise the vibration, and I felt that the whole time we spent together.

You can read and see more of our day together at Kathy Dure’s blog “What did I do in on my visit in NYC…”

I would continue but I don’t want to bore you all…

 

 

 

A quick Museum tour

Art to me is a humanitarian act and I believe that there is a responsibility that art should somehow be able to effect mankind, to make the word a better place.
Jeff Koons

I saw this on the wall of a store that sold modern art objects and books and collectables. The quote resonated with me, that my art/photography is created and shared to effect mankind, to awaken them, to inspire them, to offer a view of the extraordinary of the everyday.

I was in NYC for the day on Wednesday Dec 8th, I was meeting a long time friend who I had not seen or had much contact with in last 10 years, and when we reconnected on Facebook a few weeks ago he mentioned he was coming in to New York to do the museums, he is a big art fan, mostly modern but is aware of all forms of art, is a collector and supporter of the arts. So I thought it was great way to do some creative viewing while spending time together.

I researched the bus time tables and cost, I was going to take the Chinese bus out of Philly but once I got into town I was unclear of where that particular bus left from and I did not wish to walk all over looking for it. I bought a ticket a the Greyhound bus terminal for $38.00 rather then the $ 20.00 that the china bus would have been but I wanted to get on the road. I discovered where the china bus was on my way back from getting coffee while waiting for my 9 am departure. I will know next time, of course each bus leaves you off in completely different area of the city, the Chinese bus in China Town, the Peter Pan bus in the theater district at 42 and 8th.

Need a cab?

Phil and I were to meet at the MOMA, and he was right there when I walked into the gift shop of the museum, big smile, warm hugs, and off we went, he had already bought my ticket, he is a member, we headed to the cafe on the second floor for nourishment, to relax a few moments before taking on the 4th floor exhibit of what the critic call “abstract expressionism”.

A viewing

Here is the museums words:

“More than sixty years have passed since the critic Robert Coates, writing in the New Yorker in 1946, first used the term “Abstract Expressionism” to describe the richly colored canvases of Hans Hofmann. Over the years the name has come to designate the paintings and sculptures of artists as different as Jackson Pollock and Barnett Newman, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko, Lee Krasner and David Smith. Beginning in the 1940s, under the aegis of Director Alfred H. Barr, Jr., works by these artists began to enter the Museum’s collection. Thanks to the sustained support of the curators, the trustees, and the artists themselves, these ambitious acquisitions continued throughout the second half of the last century and produced a collection of Abstract Expressionist art of unrivaled breadth and depth.

Drawn entirely from the Museum’s vast holdings, Abstract Expressionist New York underscores the achievements of a generation that catapulted New York City to the center of the international art world during the 1950s, and left as its legacy some of the twentieth century’s greatest masterpieces. Galleries on the fourth floor present Abstract Expressionist paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, films, and archival materials in a display subtitled The Big Picture, marking the first time in the history of the new Museum building that a full floor has been devoted to a single theme. The exhibition continues on the floors below, where focused shows—Rock Paper Scissors in the second-floor Prints and Illustrated Books Galleries, and Ideas Not Theories in the third-floor Drawings Galleries—reveal distinct facets of the movement as it developed in diverse mediums, adding to a historical overview of the era and giving a sense of its great depth and complexity. The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated publication.”

impressionistic view of Phil

It was my first time to really view most of this type of creative artist painting, I know of Jackson Pollack, William de Kooning, the others I had not known by name but many of the paintings by sight! The museum was fairly busy, these galleries where teaming with all sorts of folk viewing and taking notes as well as photographing, so out came my camera, unfortunately many of my shots are not very good, we where to much on the move. For we were to head to the Metropolitan Museum for a look at David Baldessari’s wild and creative work using photography (film) and word.  Then off to the Whitney to take in Paul Thek and Charles LeDray . This was a whorl wind gallery viewing for both of us had to catch buses back to our home by 6:30/7:00 pm and we where on the other side of Center Park from where we needed to catch our buses.

I think I know where I am?

It was a day worth having, a meeting worth expressing, a viewing of works to induce creativity and wonder, as well as research and wonder into the creative process of each of these artist works. My day yesterday was to do just that, as well as rest, get back into the swing of regular life, whatever that is.

There will be more about the artist, the trip, my friendship with Phil and my experience in NYC in future blogs. I just feel I have come to the end of this for now! Enjoy the links, hope you enjoy the photographs.

Growth Question: Have you allowed yourself an artist date in a while, if so what, where?

I am Love, Jeff