In the last five years, I have assembled a legacy book  project that includes a brief memoir and black and white  photographic portraits of artists and friends. The portrait  sittings occurred between 1979 and 1981 in my SoHo loft at  a time when SoHo was a collegial community of artists and  art commerce.

The portraits are timeless, revelatory, and powerful. The  project is entitled The Face of SoHo Once Upon a Time to  evoke the warm and fuzzy sense of bygone days.  I began my photographic career as one of the original Soho  loft dwellers in the seventies. Previously, I frequented a  trendy art bar/restaurant called Max’s Kansas City. Although  Max’s did not qualify to be on any art school syllabus, I was  inspired and educated by this intoxicating environment.  Drinking in proximity to Andy Warhol, maybe?

After completing my portrait series, I moved to Paris for six  years, where I taught photography at the American Center  on the Boulevard Raspail. I had exciting photography  adventures including sittings with the president of France,  François Mitterand and other luminaries, aristocrats, café  proprietors, etc..

When I returned to New York, I continued making portraits.  Now I paint portraits from life. And have continued  photography in a new irreverent series called "My left  thumb" which focuses on not focusing.