Who is the Real Art Muse?

As a NYC based real estate professional and art enthusiast Cindy is determined to inspire and motivate others to greatness. Many artists, real estate clients and friends have pointed to her as being their source of inspiration. She brings a fearless determination and 
joie de vivre to all her professional and personal pursuits.

Cindy's enthusiasm, curiosity and adventuresome spirit come through in her every encounter, from visiting art shows in the US, Europe and Asia to consulting on commercial and mixed use real estate deals in NYC and the Hamptons.

With a unique talent for quickly sizing up the situation and people, she can recognize a relevant opportunity and then make the right connections. She is drawn to aesthetic quality - whether in a person's work or in a work of art.

With this unique ability, Cindy brings the appropriate people together who have complementary goals acting as a catalyst that empowers them to help one another. 

Cindy makes a point to be out and about - taking great pleasure and pride in uncovering or rediscovering artistic talent and art venues, and is always eager to support important art and education related charities.

The Fine Art of the Muse.

Muses in Raphael's Parnassus (1511)

Artistic Inspiration from the Classical Era - Transformed for Modern Times.

The Muses come from Greek mythology. For art, poetry and literature and were the goddesses of inspiration for literature, science and the arts. They were to have personified knowledge of all the arts – as the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. Modern words deriving from Muse include Museum, Music and Amusing.

Giuseppe Blasotta

Fast forward to 2012, unbeknownst to me I found myself playing the role of an inspirational artistic force majeure, i.e. muse to contemporary artist Giuseppe Blasotta. Born in Foggia, Italy in 1972, he started his career as a philosophy teacher in Turin then went on to study of Christian archeology in Heidelberg, before he turned his full attention to becoming a painter.

I first met Giuseppe in St. Moritz, Switzerland several years ago. This apparently happenstance meeting led to yet another exciting personal and meaningful professional relationship. I initially became an admirer, then friend, finally in Giuseppe's own words “a muse to his creative inspiration.”

Guiseppe's patrons have included Hans-Georg Gadamer, a German philosopher of the continental tradition, and best known for his 1960 magnum opus Truth and Method. As Guiseppe explains – "... back in 1999 Gadamer inspired and guided me to bridge the symbolic ideals between philosophy and painting."

From the collection of Dr. Sylvie Veneny - Paris, FR

Another early supporter is Donatella Di Cesare – who in turn recently wrote a book on Gadamer: APhilosophic portrait, helping explore the concept of “philosophical hermeneutics.”  

Among other well know collectors who began to take note of Giuseppe's work was Hervé Acker. He  actively supports young artists like Giuseppe - to help them achieve recognition early on - that empowers their careers to take flight.

Blasotta, his Muse and works in NYC.

Giuseppe approached me about showing his art to more collectors, dealers and gallerists. A close friend of mine named James Goldschmidt  (who met Guiseppe with me) was able to connect him with Ethan Cohen. 

Cohen had established Kunstahalle Beacon and set Giuseppe up there as an artist-in-residence - in this upstate New York venue. An informal representation of his works has ensued.

A Muse reflects on Blasotta's art.

At a recent breakfast in midtown, Giuseppe once again looked to me as a source of inspiration as he shared his most recent works. I asked him who the woman was in one of the paintings who had a striking resemblance to me.

He exclaimed "It's you. You are Glanzrock! - a shining, and glamorous living work of art."

I found myself asking: “Is art a reflection of life or is my life reflected in art?”  

It is a-musingly both.

Black, White and Fields All Over

Irving Fields (Manhattan 2008)

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking with a vibrant American pianist and lounge music artist, Irving Fields.  I met the 98-year-young Irving Fields while playing a Gershwin medley for us at the closing party for the historical 

Beethoven Pianos shop.

Owned by Carl Demler, Beethoven Pianos is one of Manhattan’s oldest, full-service, family-owned piano stores. Carl Demler’s publicist, Debbie Dickinson organized the evening so it was also a Ronal McDonald House fundraiser. A percentage of all piano sales went towards the tireless work RMH does on behalf of families whose children have cancer.

Louise Masano and I enjoy Irving.

The building that housed Beethoven Pianos for the past 40 years was recently bought by Extell Development Company as part of an assemblage to be torn down. I think the wrecking ball was outside. Attending the closing of this treasure trove of magnificent pianos reminded me how quickly real estate can change the course of history. 

Luckily, I was able to enter this specialty shop

one last time to support The Ronald McDonald House, one of my favorite charities, while also taking in the sweet sounds of Irving Fields.

After the fundraising event, I accompanied Marty Feinberg to see Irving play at Nino’s. The last time I saw Irving play was when my Dad was alive and he would say, 

“At least I can understand him when he sings”.

Irving interacting with the audience.

That night, I was invited to his 98th birthday celebration held the following week at

Nino's Tuscany Steak House,where he has played for over 10 years, and still plays six nights a week, often times for his famous NYC friends, Tony Bennett, Barbara Walters, Donald Trump, and Regis Philbin.  

Nino’s Steak House has an old-fashioned atmosphere with it’s warm lighting, exposed brick, and hand-painted murals greeted us, and it became quickly apparent how much Fields relishes his nightly gigs at his other home, Nino’s. 

Irving and I at Nino's Steakhouse.

From soliciting requests from diners to making witty quips about Chopin and steak,  Fields always sets out to create an intimate audience-performer relationship and Nino’s creates a music-cuisine relationship as well.

Creating meaningful connections, helping others while visiting new artistic haunts, and enjoying good food are my greatest passions in life. I’d say my evening with Irving Fields touched on the journey I seek for myself and with others.

Irving at his 98th birthday celebration.

A little about Irving. “Piano” and “Forte” seem the best musical adjectives to describe Fields’ dynamic playing style (“Piano” and “Forte” meaning “Soft” and “Strong”, respectively).  Fields says his style of play is greatly influenced by his environment. 

His compositions are reflective of the time he spent in the Catskills, Miami, Cuba, and Manhattan, always resulting in an enticing and euphonious amalgamation of different styles and sounds.  

Portrait of Irving from the 1950s.

Fields’ complex arrangements carry a unique flavor that is undeniably his, and he never fails to leave the audience hypnotized and energized, simultaneously and a little New York humor to top it all off.

While doing some preliminary research on Fields, I came across a little anecdote that I feel encapsulates Irving’s musical personality.  In this story, Fields recalls one of his 1950’s shows where two couples made competing requests - one wanted Jewish music and the other, a rumba.  In response to their request, Fields said, “I got an idea, let me put the Jewish music to a rumba rhythm”.  

"Bagels and Bongos" record cover.

Irving took this Jewish-Latin fusion idea, and in 1959 recorded his most famous album to date, Bagels & Bongos for Decca Records.  Bagels & Bongos went double platinum, selling over two million copies.  Some of Irving Fields’ most noteworthy compositions to date include,

 "Miami Beach Rumba" and "Chantez Chantez."  More recently, in 2008, Irving composed the YouTube.com theme song which has garnered over 850,000 views. 

Not being one to rest on his laurels, Irving continues to stay very busy performing, singing and composing.

In my ongoing quest for some inspirational plane and beach reading, I bought Fields’ Gershwin medley and ordered his 2012 autobiography "The Pianos I have known."   I would recommend starting with Irving’s, “19 Secrets to Longevity”.  There is an

online preview for those of you with a short attention span – my shortcoming.

To be in the presence of Fields’ fearless appetite for life was an utter delight.  I will carry his inspired music and unforgettable “joie de vivre” and humor with me as I continue on my journey.

It's All About the Journey - Not Just the Destination.

Barbara Kruger – Two-Color Lithography 1989.

Maurice Sanchez:
Client. Friend. Print Maker. Businessman.

I’m one of those fortunate people who can combine a professional life [commercial real estate] with one of my passionate hobbies – the world of art collecting. This happened once again recently when I reconnected with an old friend and well-known New York printer Maurice Sánchez.

Maurice founded his printmaking studio Derrière L’Étoile (meaning “Behind the Star”) in 1978 and quickly became one of the leading printmaking studios in America.

I first met Maurice years ago at the Marlborough Gallery in NYC  where he shared with me that he was making prints for Red Grooms, coincidentally an artist I have met and followed for years.

I also discovered that he was embarking on a real estate search in NYC. As I was in the process of advising him on his real estate dealings, I came to appreciate his role as a technician that supports artists in printmaking projects.

He has created prints on behalf of such iconic American artists as Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, Barbara Kruger Sherrie Levine and Laurie Simmons. They are now being featured at a special show at the Zimmerili Art Museum at Rutgers University entitled “Stars:Contemporary Prints by Derrière L’Étoile Studio.”

Maurice at work in his Manhattan studio

Recently Maurice and I re-connected and he asked me for help to find affordable space that would meet his studio’s needs. As someone who asks the right kind of questions – I got Maurice to share what he was looking for: A large freight elevator, accessible water, high ceilings and floors that could handle the heavy load of his printing presses.

Before we went out to look at spaces in Long Island City - I had the chance to view him in action, working on prints for various artists, including Kara Walker  and observe first-hand a true craftsman at work.

Artist Painting Man – Malcolm Morley 2009

Recently the Guild Hall Art Auction in East Hampton Paddle 8 sold a Malcolm Morley print that Maurice printed for the charity.

I realized then just how fortunate I am to work on a real estate deal and in turn help Maurice with his amazing ongoing print making efforts.

Maurice and Jason inside Long Island City space.

I was able to make a connection for Maurice with a local commercial Real Estate specialist in Long Island City – Jason Auffarth from
Sholom & Zuckerbrot Realty LLC Jason helped us find some potential spaces in the area.

Another space we looked at was the Standard Motor Products Building on Northern Boulevard with Nicholas Rubicco representing the landlord from Acumen Capital Partners. 

This space fit all the requirements. And Nicholas turned out to be a great guy – and I am a big believer in working with “good neighbors” and quality building owners / operators.

View from the MTA # 7 train.

The joy of life is often in the journey rather than arriving at the destination as we looked at graffiti from the Manhattan-bound 7 train.

I believe that one must do what you love.

I discovered that meeting and learning from real estate brokers and artists (while being in the presence of talented people such as Maurice) brought out the Muse in me.