Zito chills with P Diddy and Q Tip - of course

Hey thanks to everyone who came out to the opening last week at GalleryBar. It was a friggin amazing event and I painted watercolor and acrylic portraits until 2am. Sorry if I didn't get to you but here's the good news.... I will be there working on portraits most Fri and Sat nites from 9-1am (check before coming if ur going out of ur way) and every Sun afternoon from 2-7pm. I'm going to be doing this schedule until Sept 2 - the closing reception.

I'm also working by appointment so get in touch with me if none of these times work for you.

Check out some photos from the opening.

Remember - these are rapid-fire paintings and you will be back on the sidewalk strolling in about 10 or 15 minutes.

Acrylics are painted on found materials - of which there are many to choose from - but feel free to bring your favorite flea market junk to be immortalized on - trays, cabinet doors, old paintings, prints, book covers, mirrors, etc, etc.

As well as live portraits, feel free to bring a foto of someone you love (or hate - I can do mean ugly portraits too!) or your favorite deceased pop star or vapid pill-popping 70s supermodel.

The offer is still on to win the 4' x 5' (48" x 60") portrait of your choosing - a piece normally priced at 10K- custom created from a foto provided by you. (In case you don't know about this) when you come to sit for a live watercolor or acrylic portrait, your piece becomes part of the current exhibition and your name is entered into the drawing to win the big painting. Minimum donation for an acrylic piece is $100 and for watercolors you can pay anything from $40 - $100 BUT you have to pay at least $100 for your portrait to get your name in the drawing.

So we choose the winner at the Closing Reception which will be held yet again at GalleryBar - 120 Orchard Street in the Lower East Side on Wed Sept. 2 from 7-10. This will be your last opportunity to sign up for the drawing - and even if you don't get your portrait painted by that time you can still be in the game (as long as you lay down that C note!)

As for you "outta-towners and world travellers", don't feel left out! Send me a foto and let me know what you'd like - do this by Sept 1 and you will be in the drawing for the big kahuna too.

Ok I'm outta breath - NYC has been crazy this summer, between Art Battles events like the one at StuyTown Oval where Sundance Channel was filming us, to SummerStage where I recently did a portrait of QTip and met him and (???) P Diddy. I shit you not. One of the weirdest moments of my life. Driving home I saw him on a 200' tall billboard in Times Square and I said to myself, "Hey. I just shook hands with that guy." New York has got to be the weirdest place on earth. I'll also be painting Chrissy Hynde, Juliette Lewis and Cat Power at the Pretenders show happening soon at Summer Stage (thats Central Park). now I'm really exhausted and obviously no-one has read on thru this far so I can say things like lugiffit gutsmell potsnpandering newbananadeli funkshoe dooble strank voit voit fug nut.

bye.

Zito