The Measure of Michael Anthony Pegues

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 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.

Jamel Schwartz on Having Life Back

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“Born and raised in harlem, migrated to the downtown streets of new york to cause myself some trouble and harm for about 12 years..and the past 2 years I decided to cut off everything in life that was killing me. I stopped drinking. I stopped using drugs. I stopped sleeping with random chicks. I stopped fucking people over. I stopped fucking up. I got my shit together and what I’m doing now is focusing on my art, painting. Hopefully, next month the 1st day of spring i will have my first solo show.” Jamel Schwartz , the opening clip from our conversation

Life Lessons From A Tribeca Homeless Man

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 ”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”.

What is Jem?

What is Jem?

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 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.

Kobie Brown “From Fatherless To Fatherhood” (2012 Film)

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 I along with millions of Americans have grown up “Fatherless”. And today 40% of American children live in a fatherless home raised by single mothers, aunts, grandmothers and other female caregivers. Kobie Brown’s 2012 film From Fatherless To Fatherhood explores the causes, effects and possible solutions to turning the corner on father absence. We met at Central Park for an unscripted, insightful conversation about the inspiration for the film, his family story and his goals. I love and support what Kobie is doing, solutions through dialogue.

“Before You leave this planet, it is important that you get in touch with what your purpose is and not be defined by what your job or career may be..but find out what it is you are suppose to do for the betterment of mankind and everything else will fall into place.” – Kobie during our Central Park conversation

Maxim Magazine’s Top 5 Best Dinners, #2 Spur Tree’s Oxtail Stew

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  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.

My Small Story Mix: Detroit To NYC

My Small Story Mix

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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).

Culture Critic Amy Linden on 28 yrs in Fort Greene, Rafael Saadiq & Obama

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“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.

The Blisslife of Amel Larrieux from Groove Theory & Sweetback

Amel Larrieux

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Today’s temperature was uncomfortably hot and humid but I perked up when I bumped into R&B songwriter Amel Larrieux at Broadway and 10th street. She has just returned from a vacation in the Bay area. We walk along 10th street and she shares the excitement about having her daughter in her band which comes out later this year on Blisslife Recordsr; her love of taking walks and “daydreaming in New York”; her definition of knowledge/wisdom and advice for going after dreams.

Amel Larrieux, was born in New York City’s, Greenwich Village, her mother was a dance critic and professor named Brenda Dixon Gottschild. She was always a creative minded person since a tender age, and fortunately was surrounded by talented family members and inspiring artists.

John Perry’s Hunger Strike (Day 4)

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Manhattan artist, John Perry, is on day 4 of his hunger strike @ Kenmare Sq (Lafayette/Spring St) protesting Tad Friend’s New Yorker’s article from last summer. A piece Perry says killed his reputation, hurt his art career and left him without a steady teaching job. The article, “Sleeping with Weapons,” portrays Perry as a violent stalker whose threats chased former musician and actor John Lurie the founder of legendary punk group Lounge Lizards from Manhattan. Blog Dangerous Minds is a source that has been following this situation for 2 years.
Yesterday morning I filmed John Perry’s story. I had a number of questions: Why a hunger strike? How are far is he willing to go? Does his family know? For more info visit John Perry’s website: