Jim Inzero

Another friend from the line was Jim Inzero. (Great name right?) He works in encaustic creating soothing sail/shore landscape paintings. He posts his work on a blogspot blog leveraging the software to create a nice personal site. The painting below is "Spring Lake" encaustic on wood panel, 15 in x 20 in. He is like his paintings—warm and laid back—and was a great line buddy.

Robert Rich Marbury

Here's the first of the "cool" artists I met in the audition line, Robert Rich Marbury. He was sewing a scout sash of some kind with entertaining pictograph badges while we waited. He hails originally from Baltimore and was in a John Waters’ film. Not surprisingly he is an explorer of contemporary culture.

I realize that I saw one of his pieces through Chashama. Marbury is also co-founder of the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists, which is an international organization dedicated to the shared mandate to advocate the showmanship of oddities. He also runs the Urban Beast Project, the taxonomy of fake and feral city dwelling mammals. Made my day!

Not ready for my close-up...

Saturday morning I think I was in a fugue state, how else can I explain it? I applied to be on a reality TV show for artists that Bravo and Magical Elves were casting. I stood in line from 6 a.m. for hours and hours. I made the first cut. I didn't meet Sarah Jessica Parker. I didn't get a spot. Even worse I had a co-conspirator, the wonderful sculptor, Jon Berge. We actually had a lot of fun schmoozing in line. I enjoyed meeting the other artists trying out and made some new friends. Especially a few who are blog worthy themselves...so stay tuned.

Even if I didn't get chosen, I'm really glad they are doing a show about art and artists. It's really the only way that people will learn that artists are serious about their art and that art is a great investment for everyone on any level. How many other things do you buy that you enjoy now and might be a winning lottery ticket later.

I have a friend who worked for Interview magazine in the old days. When they were struggling and couldn't pay her, they gave her a painting, it's a Warhol—need I say more about the lottery ticket aspect?

The best thing about the experience was that Jon Berge came to New York. He's the artist I talk with the most, Skyping him often. He's a supporter, critic, investigator, strategist and more. I value his friendship as one of the diamonds in my life box. And there you have it— I didn't win, but optimist I, rich in artistic friends, am already winning.