REFLECTIONS OF NYC AND ARTEXPO 2012

We are home from a whirlwind week in the Big Apple and a very successful showing at the International Artexpo 2012. While David and I have been to NYC three times before for licensing shows, this was our first Artexpo and the first time that my wildflower art has been offered for sale outside of Texas.

I am thrilled to report that two paintings, "Wildflowers at Play" and "Delightful," are now in private collections.  In addition to the sales of these paintings, we made tons of great contacts and met many wonderful people who were captivated by my art. And just as exciting is that I signed with my first NYC gallery as a result of being at Artexpo! My work is now represented by Hashmat  Farooqi at his gallery, Paint Box Art and Framing, located in trendy West Village, which is bordered by Greenwich Village, Chelsea, SoHo and the Meat Packing District.

Photo of display at Artexpo 2012 at the opening of show. Two paintings shown here, the one with the blue sky at the top left ("Wildflowers at Play" 24x48) and the upright on the back wall ("Delightful" 12x36), sold during the show and are now in private collections. 

Linda and Hashmat Farooqi at Paint Box Art & Frame, NYC.

Paint Box is a small boutique gallery with a great storefront presence. We were able to visit twice, once at night and again during the day before leaving NYC. The neighborhood is vibrant and lively, overflowing with retail businesses and eateries galore. As with most of the city, people live and work there, creating a strong community. We could not be happier about having my wildflower art represented in Manhattan at Paint Box and to be working with Mr. Farooqi.

Three of my wildflower paintings are currently on exhibit at Paint Box. The one shown with us in the photo is "Sunset Serenade." We also left "Dress Blues"(which you can see in the background) and "Passion Blooms."

We arrived in New York on Tuesday, March 20, and headed straight for our hotel, Yotel, to check in. Hip, modern, cool, contemporary, clean. Yes, it was all that and more. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at, Yotel, and highly recommend it! I'm posting a few pics here but you really need to check them out online and watch the videos on YouTube.

Located at 10th and 42nd, the hotel was not only convenient to Pier 92 where Artexpo was being held, but also to Times Square! A walk of about 4 or 5 "long" blocks and we were in the heart of the Manhattan. We were also just a block off of 9th, filled with every type of cuisine you can imagine!

Callery Pear tree blooming in NYC.

I also have to pause here to mention the flowering trees. They lined many of the streets and gave a blast of spring to the cityscape and I asked at least a half dozen people what they were and no one seemed to know. Once back home, I did a little research and found out they are Callery Pear trees, which is the same family of the Bradford Pears we see blooming here about this time of year.

After a good night's rest, we arrived at Pier 92 by 9:30 a.m., ready to set up for the expo. However, they were not ready for us. Due to a glitch with the company providing the walls for the booths, set up was postponed for several hours and we were told to return after 3 p.m. Since it was out of our control, David and decided to seize the moment and explore NYC. We had always talked about doing a double-decker bus tour and the timing was perfect. We scooted back to Times Square, bought our tickets and boarded the bus. The tour took us through mid town, the Garment District, Chelsea, So-Ho, Greenwich Village and Wall Street. Out of respect for the lives lost on 9-11, they do not drive by Ground Zero, but pointed out its location and the Freedom Tower under construction. The tour looped back around and all too quickly we were back in Times Square. But just as well since we were due back at Pier 92 for set up. By the time we got back, the booth walls were up and after a wait, our crate of art that I had shipped  ahead was delivered to our booth. The rest of evening was spent unpacking and setting up, finishing around 10 p.m.

Evening of Jazz at Birdland!

The opening day of the show was reserved for trade only so it gave us a chance to talk with galleries, art reps and buyers. We met Hashmat Farooqi who invited us to come visit his gallery in West Village after the show closed that evening. Our taxi made its way to the corner of Hudson and Christopher. After a positive visit with Mr. Farooqi and his sister, we strolled the neighborhood and found a wonderful Cuban restaurant, Havana Alma de Cuba for supper. After a delicious meal, we continued to explore a few more blocks along Bleeker Street and found it to be colorful in every way!

We headed back to our home base and decided that we could get in one more activity for the evening: a live jazz performance at Charlie Parker's famous Birdland club. What a perfect way to cap off a great day!

Friday morning Artexpo opened to the public. Next door to Pier 92, the Architectural Digest show was being held on Pier 94. This gave us a chance to talk with interior designers and other members of the trade who were taking in both shows.

View from top of bus for night tour.

That evening, we had one last chance to use our 72-hour Greyline tour so we headed straight to Times Square to board the red double-decker bus one more time. The sun was setting and the neon signs glowing as we made our way down Manhattan island. An entertaining tour guide made the trip as fun as it was informative. A highlight was crossing over the Manhattan Bridge and getting to see the lower Manhattan skyline from across the Hudson River, millions of lights twinkling against the night sky. Just breathtaking!

Saturday was the busiest day at the Artexpo, just as expected. Thousands of art lovers made their way through the show, looking for that special piece of art that would speak to them. With thousands of paintings, photographs, prints and sculptures to look at, it became sensory overload for many! While not every one would stop to look at every booth, we were pleased with how many people did take the time to seriously look at my wildflowers and express their pleasure. By Saturday afternoon, a couple from New Jersey and a young woman from South Carolina had chosen my work for their homes.

Hundreds more people visited the expo on Sunday and many took an interest in the artwork, taking business cards so they could visit online. We look forward to hearing from some collectors in the weeks and months to come.

Artexpo provided an excellent opportunity for exposing my art to thousands of people over the four-day show. We've already had two follow up calls and will have more exciting news to announce soon.

David and I can't wait to return to NYC for another visit!

View of lower Manhattan at night.