Current artists: Amon Azizov, Wei Chen, Qiao Fu, Gao Min, Guo Kun Sheug, Artashes Karslian, Ji Yin Jin, Li Qun, Lin Ruo, Dean Lu, Ren Jien-Guo, Jorge Rivera, Sharif Sadiq, Peter Walsh, Xiang Yue Chuan, Dario Zapata, Zhuang Xuemin

Organized by Peter Walsh.

Monday, June 28, 2010

The Drawings So Far!

The slideshow below shows the first eight portrait exchanges, those completed by June 28, 2010. The show will be updated as more drawings are completed.

To go to full screen, click the arrows icon in the lower right hand corner of the flickr slideshow. To see info about each exchange, after you go to full screen, click "see info" in the upper right.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Photos by Deidre Hoguet from Session Three

Photos from Session Three of the Central Park Portrait Exchange, Thursday, June 17th, 2010, featuring artists Dario Zapata, Lin Ruo, Guo Kun Sheug and Peter Walsh.



Click on the lower left hand corner icon (with arrows) to get the full sized slideshow.

Special thanks to Deidre Hoguet for taking these photos.

Monday, June 21, 2010

New Article includes Portrait Exchange Photos and Quotes in Discussion of Revised NYC Park Rules

Journalist Leslie Koch's new article "Artists sue Mayor Bloomberg, NYC Parks Department over new regulations" features two photographs by Robin Randisi from the Central Park Portrait Exchange and quotes from Peter Walsh.

From the article:
"Two street artists filed a lawsuit on Friday accusing the Parks Department of violating artists' constitutional rights by restricting the number of art vendors in four popular Manhattan parks.

Artists Robert Lederman and Jack Nesbitt filed a lawsuit against Mayor Bloomberg, Parks Commissioner Benepe and the Parks Department on Friday June 18, 2010 in response to new regulations on art vendingin city parks.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe were named as co-defendants.

When the new rules go into effect on July 19, over half of vendors who sell "expressive matter" will be shut out of Central Park, Union Square Park, Battery Park and the High Line Park.

This includes artists who sell their own paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs and books.

"I spoke to more than 100 park artists the day after the rules came out. Not one expressed agreement with the new rules," said plaintiff Robert Lederman, 59, in an email.

Lederman is the president of advocacy group ARTIST (Artists' Response To Illegal State Tactics). He and co-plaintiff Jack Nesbitt, 70, have repeatedly clashed with the Giuliani and Bloomberg administrations over the right of artists to sell their work in public spaces.

Their lawsuit alleges that "the real purpose behind the Revision is to rid the parks of artists and independent written matter vendors in order to give preference to corporate vendors."

For the complete text go to: "Artists sue Mayor Bloomberg, NYC Parks Department over new regulations"

Friday, June 18, 2010

NYC Parks Department Sets New Rules, Artists Sue To Block Enforcement

From Robert Lederman, the president of the street artist group, A.R.T.I.S.T.:

"June 18, 2010 - The Parks Department has finally published the revised Park rules for artists in the City Record. There are no more hearings. It is now the law in parks. Enforcement will begin in 30 days.
[....]
A lawsuit was filed today which seeks a temporary injunction to prevent the rules from being enforced in 30 days. The initial plaintiffs are myself and Jack Nesbitt. Other artists are also planning to file their own separate lawsuits."

For the complete announcement from Lederman and A.R.T.I.S.T. go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NYCStreetArtists/message/1689

For the full text of the New Rules: http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_about/rules_and_regulations/rr_rules_regulations.html

To see the New York Times article, which makes no attempt to ask any artist their thoughts or opinions, go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/nyregion/18vendors.html

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Session Three Report

Two and a half portrait exchanges were completed today: between Dario Zapata and Peter Walsh, between Lin Ruo and Peter Walsh and between Guo Kun Sheug and Peter Walsh (A busy work day at the park stopped us in mid-exchange. We’ll complete it soon). The morning was gorgeous, cool and sunny. The effects of a light shower last night were still visible this morning in various shallow puddles and the occasional raindrop being shaken down from park trees. The drawings were done at one of the main locations for professional portrait artists in Central Park - near the Plaza Hotel and across from Grand Army Plaza at the corner of 59th and East Drive. Photos coming soon!

Comments by Peter Walsh:
“Finally we appear to have found an excellent acid free paper that has many of the drawing properties of newsprint, which is the standard paper used by many portraitists in Central Park: Zerkall Book Smooth, 100 gram, in white. Dario, who frequently does caricatures when working in the park, did a spot-on portrait on the new paper, which he described as excellent. But I struggled with completing my end of the exchange! Lin jumped in and drew me in profile while I worked on Dario’s portrait and finished much earlier than I with an excellent likeness. I completed the exchange with Lin while he ate his lunch and surprisingly finished quickly and with a satisfying likeness. Guo did a fine portrait of me in a burnt umber Chinese charcoal/chalk but as the park was getting crowded and business was good, he asked me to finish the exchange at a later date.”

Thanks go out to my lovely wife Deidre Hoguet who was on hand to take photos. A number of people stopped by to see the action including curator George Ciscle and artist Micki Spiller and her young son. Thanks to all!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Full Photo Slideshow from Session Two

A more complete set of large photos by Robin Randisi from Session Two of the Central Park Portrait Exchange have been uploaded to Flickr!

Click on the lower left hand corner icon (with arrows) to get the full sized slideshow.



Special thanks to Robin Randisi for taking these photos.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Session Three: Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Portrait Exchange Session Three:
Time: Thursday, June 17th, 2010, 9:30am -12:30pm
Artists:
Gueorgui Dimitrov, Artashes Karslian, Peter Walsh, Jorge Rivera, Dario Zapata
Location A: Northwest Corner of 59th Street and East Drive. Near the Plaza Hotel.
Location B: Wein Walk, Near the Zoo entrance. Enter the park at East 61st Street and turn right.

If you can’t find us, call 347.723.5049.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

New Pamphlet!

CPPEbrochurephoto

At each portrait exchange session, many park goers have had questions about both the new park regulations and the Central Park Portrait Exchange itself. With Louise Ma's wonderful help and design skills, we now have a new eight page pamphlet that answers many of the questions that we've heard asked.

Click here to go to a pdf of the pamphlet.