Not to forget New York City -- and a wonderful art director

Model posing for a shoot in New York City

There's no doubt about it -- one of my favourite cities in the

world is New York City.  It's almost like a country unto itself.
Vast, vivid, incredibly vibrant -- New York is a city of art
lovers.  When you show in New York, you're not competing
with blown up prints of paintings in Winners or Ikea. You
are competing with artists in the 7,000 NYC galleries.

One of my favourite photos of me with Ruthie Tucker

in the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, NYC in front of my 

paintings of a Skype Interview with the artist, Henriette Sonne. 

But art is a key focus in the city, and I've almost always sold
there if I wanted to.  Ruthie Tucker, the owner and Director
of the Amsterdam Whitney gallery is a miracle worker.  There
is a fee to show, but I figured out years ago that it is less than half
of what it would cost me to show in The The Peter MacKendrick
Community Gallery at the Barns in Toronto for the same duration
(a month), and there are critical differences. Ruthie Tucker throws
 a champagne opening with delicious treats and elegant atmosphere.
Experts in Art History act as docents in the gallery full time, and
Ruthie is almost always there herself.  She is super kind, affectionate
and supportive, and on for her artists like crazy both at exhibition
openings and for the duration of a one month show.

At The Peter MacKendrick Community Gallery (a public gallery)
in my neighbourhood in Toronto, where I also love showing --
you hang your own work, sit the show yourself, host your
own opening, and pay for all the wine and treats at your
opening. Plus you pay a hefty fee to do so.

So vive la difference!  When I walk out the door of my openings
in New York City, I am in New York City -- Chelsea to be exact.
it is a super hot gallery area, and I love seeing what other artists
are doing.

Beautiful flowers are always on view at

the Met (and at the MoMA too)

But that's not all.  I love New York City.  The MoMA (Museum
of Modern Art), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, Times
Square, going for walks, meeting people -- and you always meet
people because people are so warm in New York City.

So on this busy Sunday my thoughts are frequently escaping
to dreams of New York.

Have a buying some real art day.