Rough Sanctuary |
Chromolith |
A vehicle to display my work; talk about influences on my work; talk of others' works that get my attention - Prints of some of my work on sale at https://www.artpal.com/Willbrady/
At the last moment.
I was a
neophyte visitor to Amsterdam, unknowing of the wiles of city life, much less
that of a foreign port. I came with a group of forty men on a flying road tour
but stayed aloof from the others, not wanting people to think me a tourist; so
I spurned their invites to roam about the red-light district. I was better than
that, I thought. Yet, like it or not, I was a tourist nonetheless.
I found out
how much a tourist I was after leave-taking from my acquaintances. Wandering
through the streets solo, I also wanted to try out a marijuana café, stopping
into a tobacconist for a pipe and rolling papers.
Not far down the road I spied such an establishment and ventured inside. It was poorly lit, with serving counter to one side with a couple of stools, all occupied.
The men on the stools, and the counterman, all looked like the cast of a B-grade film about dirty, violent bikers. At the bar’s end was a sign – in English – “More seating upstairs”.
I was hesitant,
realizing right then my hotel key, passport, money and all my identification
was in a bright blue pouch hanging around my neck, yet I was about to make a
step toward going upstairs.
At the last moment I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned. Before me stood a tall, impeccably attired, muscular African man, hand outstretched, saying “You dropped your cell phone on the ground” and sure enough I had.
Just as quickly, in an urgent tone, he said “What are you doing here? Get out. Get out of
here NOW!’ and motioned me to follow him. Without any hesitation, I did and
we both rushed down the street to civilization and safety.
I was challenged to come up with a list of 15 films that changed my intellectual DNA. At first it was tough to come up with more than 6, but it ended up being more difficult to winnow out other films I found of import in my life.
On top of it, I shared this list with my partner Bruce, who came up with a list of his own. My list is annotated for the first 15; his list follows in paragraph form; then I've added a list of other films I've found memorable.https://www.museoguatelli.it/en/
Night Scene NYC |
My second time in New York City was the first time I’d seen
it by myself.
On invitation of a stranger, I’d gone for a weekend of
debauch but he was a no-show. I stayed anyway.
It was the summer of 1967. I’d gone to get away from a
convulsed, confused scenario living in a house of drag princesses and a heroin
addicted male housemarm whose grandmother thought I was fourteen. Coming to NYC
was a liberation though I did not yet know this.
That first time I strode out the Port Authority Bus Terminal
doors, walked down Eighth Avenue searching for Greenwich Village, a place I’d
long ago wanted to see.
I refused to look up or stare at tall buildings, not wanting
to appear a rube. Instead I admired them from a distance, but I was in awe!
Crossing Thirty-Fourth Street, the Empire State Building,
with its needle-like spire jutting into the sky, like a syringe taking in the
atmosphere to imbue the city with life.
Going south, passing Fourteenth Street, the streets no
longer on a grid, I knew I’d reached “The Village”.
Sauntering down Greenwich Avenue I found an eatery known as
“Mama’s Chick-n-Rib” (infamous as a pick-up joint where boys and their admirers
planned illicit assignations). Smug in my ability to find it, I went in and
ordered lunch.
Inside it was impossible to discern the hunters from their
prey; those coy young lads or the older men seeking them. One thing was sure,
there were no innocents here.
I set my eyes on the cook, an elderly gent of maybe 35 years.
He invited me to the Stonewall Inn. I said, “I’m only 17.”
“No matter; it’s a
private club.”
That night turned out to be another first time – but that’s
a different story.
watercolor and ink on paper |
In Memory of
Ken Brady 1953 - 2021 / Bruce Pfau 1938 - 2017 / William Pelletier 1954 - 2013
Curtis Jarvis / Bruce Parkes / Lynn Pfau / Herb "Buddy" Smith / Robert Bagwell
Marie Jassey / Peggy [Margaret Buterbaugh] Brady / Robert "Bob" Hankal
Brian Cockarille / William "Bill" Brady 1927 - 1995 / Hubert Crowley 1991
https://www.facebook.com/EHSunflowerpower/
Dak To
Atop a beaucoup hellish hill
Ghost Dance Mask
I painted this on a visit to the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, a memorial to the life of the man Sequoyah – father, soldier, silversmith, statesman and creator of the Cherokee writing system
Find out more about this National Park at http://www.sequoyahmuseum.org/