Ethiopian Angels and Paw Prints

I had a lot of fun this past week painting the Ethiopian angels on the risers of the stairs. Being quite low, I had to lie down on the sidewalk to get the right angle, for the angels. The angelic faces that cover the walls and ceilings of most orthodox churches in Ethiopia were the inspiration for the stairs. I had taken a few back with me during my many travels to Ethiopia these past two years, small wooden angels and some made out of goat hide, brightly decorated with their solemn faces set between spreading wings. Many people comment as they pass me, lying on the sidewalk painting away. It’s always positive comments and I can

feel a sense of excitement by my neighbors and appreciation for making the neighborhood a little brighter. One of my neighbors, Nick, thought there was something wrong with me as he came home from work and ran up to help me, thinking I had fainted or fell in front

of my stoop. The best comment was form some Brooklyn wise guy who walked by and said “Oh I see you do your best work on your back,” to which I replied “Yes just like Michelangelo,” missing his sly humor. It took me a moment to realize what he meant and I let out a good laugh at that. I didn’t get to finish the angels before I left for Ethiopia, but not all art must be rushed and finished in one sitting. Possibly I’ll get some more inspiration while in Ethiopia this time. Before I got on the airplane however, I took 45 minutes to unwind, reflect on leaving my house for two months and

paint some cat paws on the top of the main wall. I just needed to complete one more thing on the mural before I flew off for work to Africa. Even Lulu got to participate, leaving her paw prints on the wall. She wasn’t too excited about the whole thing since I woke her from a nap to come have her paw painted lavender. Still she managed to get some good impressions of her right front paw on the wall before I washed her paw off and let her continue her nap.

She left me with a big scratch on my palm as a way of saying “Don’t forget me.” I won’t forget you Lulu, and I’ll be back soon.

Finishing the mural June 2014

After what seems to be an unbelievably long time, aka 5 years, I have dedicated myself to finish my mural once and for

all. In the gap of five years, I have gained more inspiration, which has stirred me in to filling the dirty white spaces with vivid colours and designs from the places I’ve been. The stoop itself has two majestic birds fanning out on either side; a peacock on one side, and a firebird on the

other. The peacock represent my time spent in northern India where the peacocks could be heard from the nearby forest and the males frequently spotted in all their brightly feathered glory. The firebird is a mythical creature from Russian folklore—a vision of yellow, gold, oranges and red with a fanning tale ablaze. I’ve decided to incorporate different designs and motifs on the

stairs themselves. The sides of the stairs have Buddhist lotus flowers with Tibetan-styled clouds floating above them. The stairs will have Ethiopian angels on the risers and Senegalese print design on the stairs. There will be Kyrgyz rug design and Turkish or Afghan design worked around it (still figuring that out). Also need to add Ganesh and Hanumanji on the walls somehow. As I paint, slowly covering each bit of white, new ideas come to mind and inspiration unfolds itself like the blossoming lotus that grace my entryway. Photos and writing will continue to appear so keep checking in.