Ok so all that intentional work paid off. Every morning for three months, after doing my meditation, I would sit and speak with my dad (who left this earthly plain a few years ago). I thank him for everything I have (I say thank you, thank me, thank us, thank we) - for my health and my creativity, my home and my friends, my family and my livelihood. Then I ask for help. I say “Hey - y’know - I could really use a place to paint. I have been painting in my apartment since I lost the Crane Street spot and its all cute in a nostalgic sorta way - memories of the olden days when I had nowhere else to run… but I’m kinda over it at this point. So hows about hookin your old pal ME up with a new space?”
I still do this every day. Thats how I get what I want in my life. I ask for it. I believe I can have it. Then I let it go knowing that I will be ok no matter if I get it or not. If I do fully let go then I get what I want. If I get hung up on needing what I ask for - I get nada. Thats the way it works. You can have anything you want as long as you don’t “need” it. And you have to be coming from a good place. Where am I coming from? I want to spread beauty and consciousness around the world. I figure there are worse things I could be doing with my time. (We won’t get into my past…)

So - out of the blue (from whence I had asked actually) comes this beautiful, amazing, huge and delicious studio space. Bing! Just like that. Thanks papa. Thank you. Thank me. Thank us. Thank we.

So I’m in heaven. I go there as much as I can. I’m well aware that - as with every space in a town like NYC - I can be out on my ass tomorrow. That is the best part. You don’t take it for granted! You don’t get attached. You keep a healthy sense of presence and appreciation for the moment and for your current blessings. Things change all the time. I know how to roll with the tide. I love change. I am change. I fear no change for I fear not that which I am.

An old pal - a writer named Tim Hall - dropped by today. We sat and shot the shingles and I asked him if he’d like a new portrait to add to his budding Zito museum of a home in rural Illinois. He said he thought he would so I sat him down in some nice light near one of the huge 10 foot tall windows in my unbelievable new studio and banged out a quick portrait in acrylic on plywood of my witty old pal.

The first series I completed in my new studio was a group of 4 paintings on glass for Two Boots Restaurant on Avenue A in the East Village. I painted Mr. Pink from Reservoir Dogs, The Dude from Big Lebowski, Charlie Parker and Big Maybelle - four of the cultural icons after which they have named their slices. Here is a shot of the paintings after I installed them… you have to see em in person to really appreciate them. Go have a slice of Mr. Pink and gaze upon his creepy visage as you do…

I went to my mom’s new house on Easter Sunday - not because we are good catholics or even because we like jellybeans but because my family has always gotten together on at least 3 days every year - Easter, Thanksgiving and X-mas. It was nice to see her all nested into her new little house. She loves it. My bro was there with his wife and SIX kids! My sis was there with her hubby and three kids. I took this shot of her daughter - my niece Alexa. She was just about to shoot a rocket out of a slingshot that I was holding…

And here’s a shot of my super-star nephew, Johnny, with the deer skull he found in my mom’s back yard. It was an odd find to be sure - really beautiful though - and no one of us would have found it than our own gothic punk - Johnny.