Caricature Express

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com

Celebrity status? Well, I’m wondering - what degree of papparazzi does a person have to have in order to claim Celebrity status? How many times need we be written up in the media both with and without our knowledge (all for free). There must be some sort of degree of Celebrity status - like some people are Over-the-top, but others are still ‘in the limelight’.

What got me thinking about that was because I was called by a writer from the New Rochelle Review this morning. He had seen me drawing at last night’s First Night Celebrations, and he wanted a little more information. So I guess he’s writing about me.

And I was on the radio during that event last night.

And I remember one time about 15 years ago
when I was drawing at a Father’s Day Event
at a very exclusive club in East Hampton
when somebody took pictures and said they would be printed in some paper that’s distributed out there.

And there was the time when I was drawing at a Harry Potter Opening
at a Borders Book Store in NJ - I was subsequently sent a newspaper clipping which had a very big picture of a child holding up the Caricature I had drawn of her.

And the Baldwin Public Library - I draw there every year for a special Library Day - at least one year I remember someone saying that they wanted information about me because they write for a paper out there.

All sorts of vague references to things like this
pass me by. These are just the ones I’m recalling just now -

Oh yeah - I just remembered about wishing I had stopped to talk to the guy from the radio one year when I was rushing to get set up at Dan’s Kitefly (Bridgehampton) - another event that I work at every year - - - He wanted me to stop, but I don’t remember if I came back to him or not…..

So I was saying - these are just some of the instances that I can recall off the top of my head - I’m sure there are plenty more, and there are even more than that which I never even know about.

So does that give me Celebrity Status? Well, is there such a thing as a ‘Small Celebrity’? I’ve been ‘in the news’ for many years already.

Oh yeah - I’m remembering a time when I was drawing at Mitch Modell’s (owner of Modell’s Sporting Goods) older daughter’s party. And she asked if I was famous…. apparently had the idea that I was…..

And on. And on.

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com

Well - It seems like the only way to Get indoors
is to first go Outdoors to get there.
Yeow - there’s been a steady snow coming down all morning,
and I have to drive to a Party from Long Island to New Rochelle
this morning. I’m going to go out to shovel so I can leave right away.
I never arrive late to a gig.

So many places to get Indoors this Winter.
I think scarves are the new fashion.
I wanted to post some pictures from some of those Winter Events,
but this is all I’ll have time for just now.
These pictures come from a batch I drew at a recent Community Event.
Hello:

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com

Upscale Corporate Holiday Party. I was glad I brought my lights. (It was very dark in there). Good set-up. Yes.

But I was needed to walk the floor - roaming Caricatures for some of the time. Roaming Caricatures in the Dark. Now, Roaming Caricatures are a little different than seated Caricatures - because I draw them while standing up and holding all my supplies. So they’re usually simpler black/white pictures.

Since this party needed constant ‘adjustment’, I sure am glad that I’ve had a lot of experience. So I was able to
go with the flow.

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com

December - Party Party and Party. Everybody wants to be invited.
And we all had Fun.

I’m part of a big national campaign for Balvenie Scotch.
Did 3 gigs for them in less than 2 weeks.
While waiting for the first event to start, I played around with the bottle:

Whew - I’m busy. It’s all good. It’s all wonderful.
Like, like yesterday - First I did face-painting for a woman who’s hired me 5 times already. And while I was at her Little Chefs party, one of the guests asked if I remembered working at that guest’s party - You remember - Caricaturing on the balls…. “Yes! That was the only time anyone had ever asked me to Caricature on balls. I remember being outside by the swingset….” And other one of the guests asked if I remembered working at another guest’s party too…. Then, in the evening, working at a liquor store for Balvenie Scotch, one of the customers was excited to see me - “I still have that Caricature you drew of me at the party on Wall Street….” Me: “Yes! I remember that party - I was in the middle of the room - Really drawing wildly that day….” And another customer: “You drew at my party - Remember….
I touch so many lives
under such good circumstances.
I’m so happy.

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com