May 16, 2012
by MY SMALL STORY
Michael Anthony Pegues, a fixture of the downtown art scene and true NY icon has finally found a home at
FB Gallery to present his vision. “My small story is that as an artist I relied on a lot of things and that one thing was creating something on canvas.” The Measure of an Artist is the culmination of Michael Anthony’s life-long dedication to his art. We walk around the gallery as Michael shares the story behind some of his paintings, his story and the power of art. The show highlights the struggle, passion, and rise of a man fully aware of his unique aesthetic. His work displays child-like innocence coinciding with complex subject matter.
Since 1996 Michael Anthony has had his work consistently shown with an eye fixed on fame—his equivalent to credibility. However, this is the first large scale show to honor his vision rooted in the long New York tradition of the self-made, struggling artist. Never has he shared his story so unabashedly through not only painting, but also multimedia depictions of himself. His colorful and expressionistic strokes on canvas recount his resiliency through homelessness, theft, and ultimately his never ending hope and belief that he will be finally recognized as a true original.
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Posted in Art, Basquiat, Dedication, Do-It-Yourselfers, Entrepreneur, FB Gallery, Michael Anthony Pegues, New Yorker, NYC, Passion |
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January 26, 2012
by MY SMALL STORY
“I’ve been an artist since I was 2″ Yusef Sirius El is a a man of many talents. Painter, musician but he is known for his success as a footwear designer. Name the brand..Adidas, Nike, ENYCE, he has designed for them. Millions have worn his designs. Our conversation covers the story of Yusef, footwear designer.
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Posted in 125th Street, Art, ATL, Australia, Avirex, Beauty, Bronx, Brooklyn, Browsville, Canada, Central Park, Chinatown, CNN, Community, Dedication, Designer, Do-It-Yourselfers, DUMBO, East NY, East Village, Economy, Entrepreneur, Facebook, Fila, Forclosures, FRANK151, Fuse TV, Global, Gramercy Park Hotel, Harlem, Japan, London, Lower Eastside, Luxury |
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December 31, 2011
by MY SMALL STORY
”When I first became homeless, I use to pray that I die for 6 months…that was back in ’87″ Jerry,52, may be homeless but his mind isnt. I met Jerry in Tribeca. Our conversation is inspiring to say the least. The street lights are on a timer. They come on and off every 2 minutes. Jerry’s face begins to appear at the :35 second mark. He shares his story, a new year’s resolution, tips if you become homelsss, this favorite Bible passage and strongly suggests that everyone “diversify their finances”.
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Posted in Art, Beauty, Bowery Riots, Bronx, Brooklyn, Canada, Chinatown, Circle of Influence, Dedication, Do-It-Yourselfers, DUMBO, East NY, Economy, Entrepreneur, Europe, Global, Harlem, Housing Works Books, Jerry Homeless in Tribeca, Learning Annex, London, Love, Lower Eastside, New Yorker, Nightlife, NYC, Passion, Patience, Real Estate, Relationships, Soho, Street Culture, Street Vendor, The Bible, Times Square, Tribeca Homless |
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October 6, 2011
by MY SMALL STORY
After 4 years, Georgia’s owners Jodie Becker & Kiara Ellozy, have decided to “close in order to expand” the beauty brand. On their last day of business, I stop by to talk with both about what they have learned running a NYC retail business and whats next for Georgia. Meet Sister-in-Laws Jodie and Kiara. Part beauty store and part salon, Georgia harbors a soft spot for the frizzy-haired masses. Named after co-founder Jodies corkscrew-curled daughter, their inspiration is Harlem native Madam CJ Walker. As a manufacturer of hair care products for African American women, Madame C. J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove, became one of the first American women millionaires. http://www.georgiany.com/index.php
Georgiawas one of the first small business stories I filmed early last year.
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Posted in Beauty, Do-It-Yourselfers, Georgia, Georgia Salon & Boutique, Jodie Patterson, Kiara Ellozy, NYC, Small Business |
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August 26, 2011
by MY SMALL STORY
After walking by
Jem a number of times, I had to satisfy my curiosity. When I walked, I saw aisles and aisles of colorful fabric from the ceiling to the ground. I loved the environment. Jem is not your typical fabric store. Jem is owned and operated by a brother-sister team, Michelle Zahabian, who is 24 years old, and her brother David. Their father was the owner of Fabric Warehouse across the street. After his passing a year ago, Michelle and her brother opened JEM, continuing their family tradition and a downtown staple. Located at 355 Broadway in NYC.
When I asked Michelle to describe their first year and half in business, she said it has been ” a lot of mini-miracles along the way”. Support NYC small business.
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Posted in Art, Beauty, Children's Clothing, Chinatown, Community, Culture Fix, Dedication, Designer, Do-It-Yourselfers, Economy, Entrepreneur, Europe, Fabric Store, Fabric Warehouse, Fashion, Gallery, Global, Jem, Kids, New Yorker, NYC, Passion, Small Business, Soho, Twitter |
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July 20, 2011
by MY SMALL STORY
I was having my usual sorrel & ginger beer at
Spur Tree catching up with owner/chef Sean John and I see a Maxim magazine on the bar. The Braised Oxtail is the 2011 #2 Best Dinners in America according to
Maxim. And reggae artist
Sean Paul wrote the review “When I’m in New York, I like Spur Tree down on the Lower East Side for authentic Jamaican food. It’s a small restaurant, but the taste of the food is huge. It keeps me coming back, especially when I’m homesick. They do an oxtail Jamaican-style, so it’s braised and stewed down. The meat’s really tender, and it’s served with a really thick sauce and rice and peas covered in gravy. It’s bone-lickin’ good. I was home recently and thought, Lemme make some oxtail. I did, but it wasn’t as good as theirs.”
I coax Sean outside and ask him the small story with Maxim, new items on the menu, we happily sample the new Jamaican-asian mini-jerk steam pork buns..so good….so good..u cant go wrong. ..and where the name Spur Tree originates. 2011 is Sean’s year. He was also selected by MACY\’s as 1 of the Top NYC Chefs.
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Posted in cooking, Do-It-Yourselfers, Entrepreneur, Global, Jamaica, Jamaican Recipes, Lower Eastside, Maxim 2011 Food and Drink Awards, Maxim Magazine, Music, New Yorker, Nightlife, NYC, Orchard street, Passion, Sean John, Sean Paul, Small Business, Spur Tree |
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July 14, 2011
by MY SMALL STORY
14 NYC stories in 14 minutes. I linked snippets of conversations from stories I filmed btwn June 2010 to July 2011. A thread of conversations beginning with a new New Yorker who is proof that people move to NYC from all over the world; a man roller skating w the bottom of a mannequin on his head in soho; Freedom Bradley Dir-City Parks Foundations on what else “NYC Parks”; Founder of cleanplates.com the online healthy version of zagats; Guy wearing airtrekkers on Park Avenue; Iesha of Street Corner Resources, anti-violence teen protest @129 & Lenox; DJ Moma on going from engineer to DJ and “escaping the rat race”; Abby & Tori on the call that sent them to Haiti; Footwear designer Yusef Sirius El on 5 and 10 year business plans; Opera singer Joanna Bergin on the day she knew opera was her calling; Stylist Jason Rembert@Rocawear pop-up store on how he got his first internship at Elle; my first Yankee game, in the parking lot I get schooled on Yankee culture by my host and former Yankee exec onYankee branding..but he has a World Series ring, I LOVE NYC; Cinematographer/producer Shawn Peters on what is Weeksville.
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Posted in Activist, Art, Best Friends, DJ MoMa, Do-It-Yourselfers, Eagle Academy For Young Men, East NY, East Village, Education, Entrepreneur, Facebook, Fashion, Fort Greene, Global, Harlem, Harxest, Homeless, Iesha Sekou, Jason Rembert, Joanna Bergin, LaRon Batchelor, London, Love, Lower Eastside, Music, My First Yankee Game, Opera, Opera Singer, Orchard street, Parenthood, Pop Culture Correspondent, Relationships, Shawn Peters, Small Business, Street Corner Resources, Team Baker, The Middle Feast, The Rent is Too Damn High, Weeksville, Yusef Sirius El |
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July 12, 2011
by MY SMALL STORY
Detroit Inspired. NYC Executed. The initial stories I filmed in my hometown of Detroit have grown into over 100 NYC stories. This is a mix of clips from 12 stories I filmed btwn February 2010 to July 2011. Motown to Grotown (a conversation @Detroit hospital is the impetus for www.mysmallstory.com) , Schott Free (former LOUD a&R, think Wutang, MoBB Deep), Stacey Mckenzie (Model/Entrepreneur told she was “too ugly to be” the supermodel she is today), Steven Mark Klein (New Yorker), Georgia (Family Beauty Business), Omar Dubois (Culture writer, traveler), Beans (Music artist@Label store), Openhouse Gallery (NYC’s #1 pop up space/experimential marketing), Uplifting Men (Homeless Activist), Samia & I@World Cup (unbeknownst to us, samia is 2-3 weeks pregnant with our daughter Chloe), Hussein Warmack (Founder, Nu South Lemonade) and Amel Larrieux (music artist loved by many, I first met Amel while filming the making of GURU’s Jazzmatazz).
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Posted in Amel Larrieux, Beans, Detroit, Do-It-Yourselfers, Georgia, Homeless, Hussein Warmack, Jean Paul Gaultier, New Yorker, NYC, NYC 1960-2010, NYC Dating, Omar Dubois, Openhouse Gallery, Pop Up Park, Schott Free, Spur Tree, Stacey McKenzie, Steven Mark Klein, Street Culture, Twitter, United Beverage Group, Uplifting Men, World Cup |
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June 22, 2011
by MY SMALL STORY
“Bitchin about what Brooklyn is now is like bitchin about what Hip-Hop use to be like..aint gonna happen..Paid In Full is not coming back out again.” Amy moved to Fort Greene 28 years ago from the Lower Eastside. We have been friends since the 90′s when I lived in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill. After a stroll around my old neighborhood reminiscing about my Brooklyn days – my house parties, Brooklyn Moon Cafe, Franks, Mikes Diner, The Friendships - I met up with Culture Critic-Substitute Teacher Amy Linden at the entrance of Fort Greene Park for an animated conversation on 28 years in Fort Greene, Rafael Saadiq, Charter Schools & Obama.
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Posted in Amy Linden, Charter Schools, Circle of Influence, Community, Dedication, Do-It-Yourselfers, Economy, Education, Entrepreneur, esl, Facebook, Fort Greene, Gentrification, Global, Kids, Lower Eastside, Music, New Yorker, NYC, Obama, Parenthood |
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May 6, 2011
by MY SMALL STORY
IF you ride the NYC subways, with delays comes entertainment.The West 4th station has the best bucket-drummer in NYC – Larry Wright. And yesterday, I along with 75 other people waiting on the uptown and downtown orange line were well entertained..as will you. People cheered from platform to platform. The 5 minute delay was definitely worth it. Gotta Love NYC!
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Posted in Art, Dedication, Do-It-Yourselfers, East Village, Economy, Entrepreneur, Facebook, Global, Larry Wright, London, Love, Lower Eastside, Music, New Yorker, NYC, Passion, Soho, Street Vendor, West 4th Street |
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