Story from Brett: As some of you know,
I’m a licensed NYC tour guide (though, since I have a fulltime job, I very rarely give tours). For some time, I worked on a Christmas in New York tour, and a few years ago, I gave it to a group of my pals from the vintage community. The tour takes place mostly on Fifth Avenue, and it was early in the Christmas season so the avenue was packed with shoppers and tourists.
We attracted a lot of attention as we made our way north from 34th street (those of us
who dress in vintage style are used to this), and one gentleman followed us a good long
way, snapping pictures. He approached me after a bit and told me he was a painter and
hoped to do some paintings based on the photographs he was snapping of us. His
name was Joan Longas and he lived in Spain A few months passed, and he sent a jpg of
a painting he’d done. Only two of the dozen or so in our group that day were depicted
but it was a lovely painting.
Today, he sent another painting and this time most of the group is seen in it (even
me). I love it and wish I could afford to buy the original (I’m sure it’s out of reach for me),
but he mentioned the possibility of doing some prints, so maybe that will work out.