{"id":1814,"date":"2026-11-06T20:00:28","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T20:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artbabyart.com\/artblog\/?p=1814"},"modified":"2026-11-07T20:45:19","modified_gmt":"2026-11-07T20:45:19","slug":"iamwhoiam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artbabyart.com\/artblog\/iamwhoiam\/","title":{"rendered":"I am Who I am Because of You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every artist and every person, that includes you, I have had the pleasure of meeting throughout the years has influenced who I am today. Getting to know each and everyone of you made me far more complete person. Sharing our feelings, sharing our triumphs and sharing our failures helped me get through difficult days in this crazy world. For last 25 years, these 3 artists in particular, D A Metrov, Paul Mintz and Paul Moscatt have left such enduring memories and life lessons that they continue to shape who I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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He just wanted to be known as METROV<\/a>. We initially met when this website launched in 1999. Metrov said he wanted to submit to the website a “simple” statement about art. We continued to correspond over the years till his untimely death in 2020 (Car Accident). Metrov left with me what the duty of all artists should be and our responsibility as artists to continue the fight for justice.<\/em> One of our last communications, Metrov said, “I’m glad you’re still fighting the fight.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An artist is a conversationalist, a medium for his spirit, trading symbols with others who know the talk and the passions — the splendid passions — the joys, the sorrows, the angers, the griefs, the lusts, the terrors, the loves, all the loves, all the feelings (emotion) possible, captured beneath their surface (intuition) as mere colors, shapes, movement and light (intellect). It attempts to grab at the very roots of manifestation. To reach in through the veils of three dimensional illusion and fondle the stuff in there, the universal soul, the as yet tangible energy of God-mind, whirling around in the awful ethers of creativity. METROV<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Pen Drawing of Rick Santiago by Paul Mintz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Artist and great friend Paul Mintz and I first met at an art opening in 2000. He approached me, we traded introductions and which pieces in the show were ours. After a bit more talk and drink, Paul stated, “you got a very interesting face”, even said it to the other artists within earshot. Asked if he could do drawing of me and of course I agreed. He quickly took out a ball point pen and a lined note pad and got at it. About 5 minutes later, tore out the sheet of paper, handed it to me and that very moment marked the start of a beautiful relationship till his passing 2024 at age 91!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul was one of the hardest working artist I knew. He was always and I mean always drawing on anything and everything. He never seemed to stop and just kept going with an honest energy you rarely find. Paul never backed down or slowed up. In fact we did a project at the Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD that involved a sidewalk mural style chalk drawing at the main entrance. He said he’ll do the design and layout the grid, great! About a 30 minute drive from the city, we got within a couple minutes of the stadium, and then Paul said, I forgot the grid and artwork at home! Darn, I said we’re going to have to come up with something and simply winged it. Worked out well, some of the younger onlookers started helping us out with their little bit here and there. Paul was 73 years old at the time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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