Not sure if you noticed, but the site’s been down for a couple weeks. I was having it moved from an old server to a new one by my host so it’d run faster, and it took longer than expected. WAY longer! Nearly 3 weeks for it to be up and running properly again! It was terrible. It killed my online sales, traffic dwindled to nearly nothing, and you can’t imagine how frustrating it is getting emails saying “Do you still sell your magnets? You should start doing that again. They were cool!”
But now it’s back up. And it does seem to be loading faster. Do you agree?
Also, guess what. I finally got a smart phone! No kidding. Up until last week I’ve had a flip phone. One that my friends and family all made fun of. And whenever someone came up to me at the park accusing me of making money off the homeless, I’d pull it out and say “Paid for by the exploitation of the homeless!”
Anyhow, if I expect to be making videos, taking pictures, drawing pictures and putting them on the web I had to get a new phone. Which also means I can finally get on Instagram! Go see for yourself.
Art
I’m not sure how many of you know this, but I like to consider myself an artist. I’m an artist for pleasure, and for hire. There’s been a few pieces I’ve completed recently that I’m quite proud of. One of which is a job I did for IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Tammy Jones.
Portrait of female bodybuilder Tammy Jones IFBB Pro digitized in Adobe Illustrator for promotional use on her site.
A portrait for use of her up coming show. I can’t express loudly enough how these sorts of projects are my favorite kinds of projects.
Christopher Amotharis Bunny censored digitized in Adobe Illustrator
Also, I recently drew a portrait of Christopher Amotharis. I’d seen this German death metal kid online posing in some of the most bold & alluring looks imaginable. It’s a beauty I don’t see celebrated enough in this world. So I feel it’s my job to do it. There’s also an uncensored version NSFW as well. You cannot view a fully accurate illustration of Christopher unless you’re willing to go uncensored. Sorry, but it’s true.
Portrait of Lola digitized in Adobe Ilustrator
And the same goes for the gorgeous Lola. A piece also to celebrate an under appreciated beauty. Lola with the Universe in her Eyes needs to be seen up close to be fully appreciated. Soon I hope to get enough of these printed and framed to have a show of my own of some sort, somewhere. That’s always been a rarely voiced dream of mine.
Union Square
I plan to have the new postcard out next month. And of course during this time of absence from the internet I’ve busied myself taking lots of photos and videos at the Square. I’ve been enjoying the process of creating this imagery more than ever before. I just love it, and I feel like I’m doing some of my best work lately. Now if only I could figure out how people get rich off it.
Spidey telling his story like only he can
Normal Bob & Te’Devan, the Slacker Prophets
Carly in Black Flag tee
Wagon house being used by “homeless” as shelter on Broadway & 13th
Nicole in boots
Peeper Picture Peeping Legal Observer
Legal Observer legally observing a demonstration
Nicole
I’m showing you Matty’s sunburn
Matty Ice smirking
Nessa with 2 black eyes & a beer
Sasha from Paterson NJ
Sasha from Paterson NJ
Bianca & Blanch
Nessa with black eye from a fight the night before
Sasha from Paterson NJ
Christians Tom & Yo
Tabatha (Rachel) the iPhone 5 girl
Spidey won’t go away
Nicole in boots
Union Square punk rockers
Matty & Tabatha
Julie with fresh haircut
Maddy, Sid, Old School, Molly & Matty Ice in Weirdo Corner
I’m very happy to present No Your City’s final episode GET TO NO NORMAL BOB! I’m so pleased with how it came out. I’ve been wanting something exactly like this for a while, and I strongly suggest you go see the vast array of No Your City episodes on other characters you may know from Union Square, and others even I’ve never heard of before. I love Nick’s work, and I think you will too.
FAQ
As of late, it seems some of the two most frequently asked questions about me in the comments section under the videos are:
1. How do you make your money?
2. Why don’t you comment under your videos?
How do I make my money?
For quite a while now, going on 13 years I’ve made my money selling Jesus Dressup magnets, and freelance art & design for people online. The Jesus magnets sell in stores around the USA and even in several other countries. I try to come out with a new version annually so as to maintain interest and supply. Sales have been slightly down this year, but they’re still a dependable income for me.
The freelance art comes in second place. I wish I had more jobs and could charge a higher price for the work I do, but it is something I’m good at. And I love to draw, and I’m lucky there are people out there willing to pay for my talent.
And that’s it. The videos do not make money. I have no advertising on them because I hate YouTube ads, and the amount it pays isn’t worth it. $1 for every 1,000 hits or something like that. Don’t quote me. I could be way off. That’s just what I’ve gathered.
I do not have a trust fund, and I am not rich. I have a roof over my head, and I’ve never had a problem putting food on my plate, which is a kind of “rich” to be sure. But I am quickly being priced out of the neighborhoods I move to way too often, and I constantly worry that I’ll be forced to move out of New York City for this very reason.
Why don’t I comment under the videos?
At the rare times when I do want to comment under the videos for some reason YouTube doesn’t let me. I’m not sure exactly why. They’ve made it more complicated than it used to be. I swear to God, when I do try to type in a comment and hit Post, it does nothing but erase the comment and nothing else. I’ve read up a little on it and it’s something to do with me not being a Google+ member or my Chrome settings even though I’m using Safari. Quite frankly, I’m happy it won’t let me post comments. I’ve found that other people are quick to answer for me sooner or later, and it also allows me to ignore the comments and just do what I like to do. Shoot and post videos instead.
Which is exactly what I’ve been doing lately! Lots of videos, and even more that I just need to find the time to edit. There’s been a whole lot of drama at the park, and the summer’s barely even kicked off!
And Finally, here’s a collection of the photos I’ve taken since last we met.
Inna topless with Wendell Headley
Matty Ice Pranked
Megan with Bamboo Fighting Staff
Nickles & Dean
Dean, Shaggy & Greg
Shaggy photobombing Junky Joe
Inna topless with Wendell Headley
Lola plays Mandolin
Megan after just getting beaten up by a construction worker
Guy in blue called this his “Natural Bluetooth”
Nessa w/Stolen PBR
Inna Smoking
Inna exposes her breast for photo
Cute Crusty Cate
Megan in Orange w/orange juice
Joan & Man in Dress
Jenkos & I pose with a guy who sat too close behind me. Later that day I saw the stranger being arrested and put into a police van. I suspect he’s a thief and was scoping us out.
Normal Bob sits above No Your City Normal Bob place-holder
Yesterday I had an experience with a client that sent a chill down my spine. The client, who’s hired & paid me good money for an artjob told me, “I’ve got other jobs I’d love to have you working on, but you look so busy, I assume you don’t have the time for more stuff.”
In that brief instant, during a time when I’m scrambling around for money to pay bills, I imagined dozens of other potential clients saying to themselves, “Dammit! I’ve got jobs for this guy but he looks too busy to do them. I’ll go look for someone else I suppose.” Then flash forward 6 months to an image of me packing a U-Haul with what’s left of my possessions which have been put on the street by my landlord, on my way to a new life in Idaho to make some lame map of a park there that no one will ever care about.
Let me please be as clear as I know how to be. I need work. I have time for work. I LOVE to work! I also love to be all caught up on bills make-believing I can afford to still live in this city on a starving artist’s income. Please, for the love of God, if you’re out there needing art, or any other elements of my creativity, and you’re happy to pay, contact me! Prolong my stay in this expensive city! And thank you very much.
If you don’t have a job for me, but you’d still like to see me continue what I’m doing here, visit my store. That helps pay my bills as well.
I’m happy to say that after expressing these same thoughts to the aforementioned client he immediately sighed with relief and began a list of more jobs for me.
Jesus Dressup
This has been the toughest year for the magnets yet. The stores who’ve got them on their shelves have no problem selling them, but far too often I’ve been losing them because of customer complaints. It’s an ongoing problem I’ve always had to deal with (others frowning upon me profiting off the crucifixion), but I’m shocked at how many store managers as of late just don’t even want to chance it.
I’ve been dying to produce the new Batman Jesus Dressup I’ve got it designed and ready to go, but as I mentioned in the previous entry, I just can’t seem to accumulate the necessary funds to get that ball rolling. I’ve gotten a few stores recently who are very excited about Jesus Dressup in general, and it’s because of you people that I was able to find those stores and send them samples. So if there’s a store in your neighborhood you think might be interested in my magnets, please don’t hesitate to pass their name onto me. That simple act can make a world of difference.
Union Square
Things are just getting underway at the Square, and I’ve got the camera rolling. Everyone’s been asking about that hat thief kid, whether or not he’s behaving himself since then, if he’s crazy or on drugs, and anything else I might know about him. All I can say is he’s been at the park several times since and has been pretty subdued. No other excitement from him yet, and from the looks of it he appears to have learned his lesson.
I’ve avoided tracking him down and grilling him for answers simply because if he wants his space I’m happy to give it to him. Also, I always have the lingering fear in the back of my head that when we finally do talk he’s going to ask for the video to be taken down. Yes, that’s what I have to deal with regularly in this unconventional hobby.
And then today, Apr 21, 2015 he approached me having just seen the video for the first time, twenty days later. His reasons and explanations may not be what you expect.
Teddy reading Jeremy’s sign
The day I met Teddy/Wendell’s hat thief
Teddu with frisbee & postcard on the day I met him
Teddy
I got word that Chewy (Tarzan) got caught trying to sell dope to an undercover, and because he’s got priors he’s been put away for more than a few years. Matty Ice has been MIA since the last video. And there’s no sign yet of Lotion Man either.
Lotion Man (Danny Klein) dressed as Santa in June
Lotion Man in an oversized suit & flip flips high on life
Matty Ice with infected eye at the Square
Matty & Molly
The Blue Eyes of Matty Ice
Lotion Man (Danny Klein) in orange coat
Chewy (Tarzan)
Matty Ice
Lotion Man (Danny Klein)
Lotion Man lying on floor of park
Matty Ice in David Bowie makeup
Matty Ice needs Help 4 food & change
I could go down the list of everybody who’s made an appearance thus far, but it’s easier just to show off the photos I’ve been taking.
Jake perspective from shoe
Woman with ripped thong showing/Laundry Day
Shaggy & Tabatha
Met Will today who was high on weed and ran off with a girl’s $40 she gave him for LSD.
Group photo of tourists with selfie stick
Russian Drunk posing for picture
Tourist Family looking around
Grace
Inna
Russian Drunk & Nick looking at selfies
Guy with RAPE ME sign wearing fake tits & dildo
Guy with RAPE ME sign wearing fake tits & dildo
Jake profile with scarf
Jake with his head shaved, and a touch of the flu.
Jake told me not to take pictures of him because he’s sick. I took one and showed it to him, and he said “Oh my god. Take more.”
Green Graver girl in red & black stripes
Visa presents #StreetTaps where you can donate money using your credit card
Deadhead Girl in orange corcet w/crutch
Tabatha dancing at park
Tabatha (Rachel) dancing in pink
Vlad in a suit
Jake & Diana
Normal Bob sits above No Your City Normal Bob place-holder
Ali with rolling paper looking thinner, and the beard shaven off
Wendell Headley digitized in Adobe Illustrator for Amazing Strangers logo
We’re almost completely back. There’s been a few tolerable days at the park between 45 and 50 something degrees. Some footage has been shot, and almost everyone’s falling back into their designated compartments, waiting. Impatiently waiting. You can see it in their eyes. Signs grumbling through his routine not quite spritely enough to be smacking me on the back of my head and calling me a dildo butt. Roman is lurking around, but ducking out of my camera’s view. Jeremy’s annual promise that this is the last year he’ll be doing Free Hugs. Matty Ice is dizzily wobbling around in his oversized winter coat. Even Qween Amor stopped by to chat a bit. No sign of Wendell yet. The first Wendell sighting is when it’s official.
For a few years now I’ve been trying to figure out a better symbol for Amazing Strangers other than that Coney Island-like face. For some reason it was a puzzle that confounded me for a long time. What face or image sums up the Square? Then, a week or so ago it hit me. Just before I was drifting asleep, I had an epiphany. And it was Wendell. Wendell is obviously the face of Union Square! It took some time to figure out how exactly to draw that trademark hat of his, but eventually I nailed it.
The new face of Amazing Strangers. I hope he’s alright with it.
Speaking of which, I’ve also been getting inquaries from you people asking how it might be possible to donate money to specific Union Square Strangers. And I’ll tell you what won’t work. Giving me money to pass on to them. I can’t imagine what my life, the videos, and a day at the park would become if I turned into the guy for them to come to for dough. And I can’t imagine there’s any sort of charity specifically pertaining to Union residents. However, if you’ve got a workable solution, I’m open. Until then the best I can tell you is to go to Union and hand it to them yourself.
Bob Smith USA
Sasha Janegs digitized in Adobe Illustrator
If you haven’t seen the documentary I was in from 2004 “Bob Smith USA,” Neil Abramson (the director) has set up a place on Vimeo where you can watch for just $1! It’s hilarious, and strongly recommended viewing.
Right now I am at Astor Place Starbucks. It’s pouring rain outside. I’ve been doing some art. This lovable picture of my friend Sasha is some proof of that. And just like everybody else mentioned above, I too am in limbo. Impatiently waiting.
And we wait.
