Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Gig shots by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling



Been a while since Ive posted some gig shots. Here's two. One is a pencil drawing I did at Sardi's two weeks ago. Every since watching Ed Steckley draw caricatues in Pencil at an M&M store Gig we did together, and also at Chelsea Piers for the NY Rangers, Ive always wanted to do a gig entirely in pencil but lacked the courage. After seeing the results, I can see why he loves the medium so much. Sorry to just show one pic though.... The other pic is one I drew for some guests at the Marriott Hotel last summer. I JUST developed the picture outta my camera.... talk about procrastination..

Investigative reporting can be dangerous!! CARICATURES MOST WANTED LIST




Fellow caricature artist, Mark Z man and I were both feeling good on the caricature adrenalin rush we got after working another sucessful gig at Sardi's restaurant. As was my habit I started going up and down Times Square pointing out the caricature fakes, and snapping photos. We both stopped at this particular stand of one female Asian artist who had an unusually big display with caricature styles so varied that we both KNEW she couldnt have drawn all of them herself. I recognized the Superman and The Michael Jackson as immediately not being hers, and as I started to question her, and take pictures, she quickly put her hand up in front of the camera and walked quickly behind her stand, hoping we would go away and stop asking questions. When she saw that I refused to leave and was still taking pictures, all of a sudden, she came from behind her display brandishing a BIG white stick in my Direction! LOL! " hey man, I think she's gonna try and hit you!" Mark said, in shock as we both backed away. I snapped off a shot of her, and it looks like she's got a lightsaber in her hand! LOL!!! investigative reporting sure is dangerous!


Incidentally, that SUPERMAN caricature that little Con Artist had on her stand wad done by Golden Nosey Winner, CHRIS ROMMEL. The orginal can be seen HERE http://www.chrisrommel.com/christopher_reeve.htm

Caricatures most wanted list Exposing the fakes on 42nd Street



This is the first in a series of "caricature exposes" that Ive titled, "CARICATURES MOST WANTED LIST" or "EXPOSING THE FAKES on 42nd STREET" Imagine going into a shoe store to buy a pair of size powder blue size five open toes sandles,that you saw advertized in the store window, ladies, and the salesperson brings you back a pair of size 10 waterproof black combat boots. What would your reaction be? if you've got all your marbles, you would demand that the clerk bring you the shoes that you requested right? of course, right. Would you BUY the boots in place of the advertized sandels? Lets go futher with this, what if the clerk told you that the boots were the only thing he had, and furthermore, DEMAND you pay for them since he went to all the trouble to bring them to you? Unless you're brain dead, you would leave the store in a huff, and wonder why the store advertized a shoe they had for sale that they KNOW they didnt have, and demand you pay for it?
And yet, every year, millions of people come to TIMES SQUARE and give away hundreds of dollars to these Street caricatue pimps who cant even draw flies, let alone caricatures.
These caricature con artists continue to post the work of other established artists on their displays, knowing that this bait will attract tourists who willingly sit down believing they will get a picture JUST LIKE THE ONES THEY SEE ADVERTISED! of course, they DONT get what they see advertised, and PAY ANYWAY!!! It's amazing.

After leaving my job at a recent gig at SARDI'S RESTAURANT, I decided to see who was outside hustling, and came immediately to the stand of the artist pictured here. I pointed to the John Wanye Caricature that I KNOW SEBASTIAN KRUGER drew, pointed to it, and asked him "DID YOU DRAW THIS ONE????" "yes, " he replied, nodding his head several times, "ARE YOU SURE? YOU DID DRAW THIS RIGHT?" I asked again pointing at the Kruger, to which he answered yes, I did several times. "AND YOU CAN DRAW ME LOOKING LIKE THAT???" I asked. Again he said yes, and that's when I snappeed the picture, much to his dismay. He didnt like to me snapping a shot of him or his stand but could do nothing about it, since it happened so quickly.

If you see this quy on the street, tell him the subwaysurfer is watching him....