Photo 339 out of 365 – “Hollywood Hair”

"Hollywood Hair" - Settings: ISO 3200, f/2.2, 1/160 sec, 50mm lens

I took this on my way home from my portraiture class last night.  I thought it was amusing because it looks like the dog is the model “Hollywood Hair”.

Anyway, one thing I appreciate so much about having a flexible schedule, is the ability to just let the day take you where it will take you.  For example.  This morning I went to the nursing home for art class and then on my way home, I ran into my neighbor Joe Overstreet standing outside his building.  Joe is a very accomplished artist who has lived in the East Village since the sixties.  He owns a gallery space on our block where he promotes budding artists.   He opened up the gallery especially for me today so I could see the new photography exhibit on display and then we sat and had a chat… for about an hour and a half!  He was telling me all about the history of our neighborhood and how when he moved here, it was all run down and dilapidated – a playground for crackheads – and how he and his wife played a role in transforming it.  Back in the seventies and eighties he bought a couple buildings on our block, which to this day he rents out as affordable studios to artists.  De Kooning used to live there!  He told me he believes art has the potential to save the world.   We talked a bit about politics, a lot about history and it was all fascinating.

In fact, I’ve been stressing about coming up with a concept for my final project in my portraiture class and now I’m thinking I might make him my subject!  Now that I’ve gotten to know him more, I think it could be really fun and interesting to shoot him in his studio with his art as well as around the neighborhood he knows so well and is so attached to.

Anyway… you never know where or when you’ll be inspired by something or someone.