Elstabo's Canvas

I first met Angelique at a poets gathering through a mutual associate on a rainy NewYork night. I didn't know it then, but she would end up being a very influential person in my circle. As I got to know her a little better, I came to appreciate and value what she brings to our friendly relationship. She can be sweet and calm at one moment and explode with fierce conviction at another. This specific painting is of a moment we had together creatively which just flowed out like a magic spring. She was submissive but yet dominating in her presence while helping make the process manifest. She is one of my favorite muses to work with and it would be no surprise to see more of her in the future of Elstabo's Art.

(oil on canvas  12x24) Beautiful women being catcalled or ogled in the street is a given in the city and in Latino culture. Even as young age,one of the things I noticed was how men reacted to a beautiful woman as she walked by. I remember how my mother would tease my father about being careful not to "lose his eyeballs" as a sexy woman would walk by. I also had an aunt, who was a very beautiful woman. I would tag along with her and her kids on occasional walks through the barrio and almost every time, she would get these low hisses and comments from the men standing around on the sidewalks. At first created for complete shock value, the painting is also my take on the concept of catcalling and women dealing with men "losing their eyeballs" when they walk in the room. I respect the way women handle the ogling and catcalling with such nonchalance, such indifference, such absolute coolness. It was the above experiences of my youth...

"Karina" My good friend suggested I should talk about of my pieces, so the first piece I picked is one that I think is worthy to talk about because of the subject of the piece. A few years back, I was introduced to Karina who at the time was a coworker of one of my brothers in the fashion business, working on graphics. At the time, I was just starting to paint portraits for my "Spanish Fly" series. Our interaction was brief and shortly after creating the piece, I lost contact with her. The last thing I heard was that she was involved in the adult business. Years passed by. I was already living in Virginia and had begun to put my "Spanish Fly" series into a collection  to make the book. While scouting for poets to be included in my book, I happened to befriend a woman who was a writer/spiritualist and as I found out much later a private investigator. She was going to write about one of my paintings in the book and chose ...