Puffs of smoke are all you saw these days. The thick smell of cigars lingered everywhere I went; at the bar, walking on the streets, socializing at a restaurant. I didn't like to smoke; never have and never will! Cigars were a trend these days, especially since the war has started. At the bar you'd see fathers in deep conversations about their sons fighting in war, and of course while they held a cigar between their teeth. Women who couldn't stand being separated from their husbands for so long went out every Friday night to go smoke with a group of friends. They would say it relieved the stress and anxiety the war pressed on them. Then you had your "average Joe," which the war didn't affect in any way, but had a cigar on him at all times just to fit in with the movement. As much as I hated cigars I had learned to love them. No I still don't smoke them, but I like to observe how it affects people. To some it gave power, and they felt like they had authority over everyone else. They felt they could face any fear they had as long as they held a cigar. Those overwhelmed with stress smoked one any chance they could, and they always looked tired. They looked like they had a long night doing whatever one does at night here in the city. As an artist observing people was second nature to me. Looking at their expressions, their mood, their reactions, and how they communicated. Their eyebrows would rise; their mouths showed what mood they were in, their ears would raise up if they were happy. It was interesting to see how different they would express what they were feeling. It was even more interesting getting to see a whole different group of people each day in the big city, New York. I loved this city! There was art everywhere; the buildings, the people, the sidewalks, the streets. The sky even looked different here in New York! It was my home, and not even Paris compared to it. The only thing Paris beat New York at was having the works of great impressionistic artists like: Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet, Edouard Manet. The way they captured light, and the thematic treatment of architecture and nature interested me the most. I remember being in an exhibit in Paris, the year of 1907, and an older looking gentleman came to me asking if Picasso's work appealed to me. I looked him straight in the eyes and said "Sir, I don't know who Picasso is!" His eyes would've popped out of their sockets if he opened his eyes even wider. The abstract and cubism movement wasn't for me. The style of it just wasn't for me. The realistic view of people, and capturing what they're feeling captivated me. I love painting that moment in which everything seems still, almost lifeless, but tells a story through silence.
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My passion for art started when I was young. I always liked drawing, painting, anything that got me busy. I really had an attraction to architect. I always wanted to build and design how buildings would look. As I got closer to adulthood I decided to go to the New York School of Arts to study under William Merritt Chase and Robert Henri. They taught me everything about realism and impressionism. Mr. Henri would make us go out every day and paint the world around us in a realistic form. Mr. Merritt Chase taught us about the greats such as: Edouard Manet, Camille Pissaro, Edgar Degas, Alfred Sisley, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot and Pierre Auguste Renoir. Seeing the two different styles captivated me. I wanted to be able to see their works up close in person one day. As much as I respected my teachers and learned a lot from them, I couldn't really admire most of their work. I especially couldn't admire Mr. Henri's work. A girl in my class, Josephine Nivison, always caught his eye. I couldn't blame him she was beautiful, a sight for sore eyes! He would stare at her with beady eyes, and at times he would get distracted.
"Do you think Mr. Henri is attracted to me?" she asked me one day.
"I think every man here is." I said. She blushed a little bit, but didn't let my compliment get to her as she quickly got serious again.
"I let him paint a portrait of me." She said looking at me.
"I bet it's a great piece!" I said blatantly.
