Spike Lee: Meeting an Icon at his Brooklyn Stoop Sale
Spike Lee is a renowned American filmmaker known for his provocative and socially conscious films that often explore race relations, urban life, and political issues. He has directed and produced numerous critically acclaimed movies, including "Do the Right Thing," "Malcolm X," "BlacKkKlansman," and "Da 5 Bloods." Lee's distinctive style, characterized by vibrant colors, energetic cinematography, and a jazz-influenced soundtrack, has made him a prominent figure in American cinema. His films have garnered numerous awards and recognition, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation.
I’ve been an ardent fan of Spike Lee since I saw “Do the Right Thing” in 1989 with my brother, Rob (who is a huge movie buff and an even bigger fan of Spike Lee than I am). Like most celebrities I paint, I follow Spike on Instagram. One day he had a post that said he was having a stopp sale at his 40 Acres and A Mule production company and that he would be taking pictures and signing autographs. I replied to the post and told him I was going to come in from Wisconsin to be there. I told him I had a gift of art for him; I am not sure he believed me. The very next thing I did was pick up the phone and call my brother: “Do you want to meet Spike Lee?”. It was immediately on. I packed up the van, drove to Connecticut to pick up my brother, and then drove down to Brooklyn to meet one of our cinematic idols.
The day of the sale it was so hot. We were waiting in line on the sidewalk with a ton of other people to meet Spike. It was worth both the drive and the wait. Spike was pretty pumped about the paintings and ended up taking the portrait based on an image of him when he won the Oscar for “BLACKkKLANSMAN”. In fact, I had incorporated gold into his contemporary portrait to reflect his Oscar wins. He is one of only a few people that has asked me to sign the portrait he kept on the front (Usually I sign on the back of the canvas). He gave both Rob and me one of his photo books that has some great images and stories about his career. In fact, that photo book inspired me to make one of my own!
Check it out! Rob and I also ended up being in Brooklyn Magazine’s feature on the event!
