On view through Oct 11, 2025 at BronxArtSpace is This Will Be My Method, an exuberant exhibition showcasing works in varied media by Bronx-based artists from ArTech Collective, AHRCNYC‘s progressive art studio.

The beguiling patterned image featured above, “Color Will Be My Method,” was fashioned this year by Frances Riordan with acrylic paint on canvas. A small sampling of artworks currently on view in this vibrant group exhibition follow:

Gisela Montalvo, “A Tropical Forest,” 2025, Acrylic paint on canvas

Mixed-media artist Earl Jaugu, “Untitled #3,” 2025, Wallpaper collage and acrylic paint on canvas

Mixed-media artist Delvis Sandoval, “Nicholas,” 2025, Buttons, fabric, felt, thread and fiberfill

Multi-media artist Cory Tyler, “3D Effect Feel ‘N’ Touch Environment,” 2025, Acrylic paint on canvas

Multi-media artist Jaime Armah “Family, Us,” 2025, Thread, fabric, found objects & wire

Eddie Carella, A Rendition of Alexis Montoya’s Naranja, 2024, Acrylic paint on canvas.

Located at 700 Manida Street (Entrance on Spofford Ave.) in Hunts Point, BronxArtSpace is open Thurs.-Fri., 2-6pm and Sat.,12-5pm. Admission is free.

Photos of images: Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

Following a seven-year “creative hiatus,” the distinctly talented multidisciplinary artist Issa Ibrahim is today releasing his 20th recorded effort. After listening to it with great anticipation, we posed a few questions to Issa:

The songs on this album were written between 2004 and 2012. What spurred you to record and release this album at this particular time?

I am reclaiming a part of myself that had been dormant since 2015 — when Trump first announced that he was running for President. Although these song were written back then, they are as timely now as they were years ago.

How long did it take you to produce the album?

I had 12-15 notebooks filled with songs. Once I decided which songs to include, I spent 9-10 months layering the tracks on my computer.

Can you tell us something about the album’s title? Why “God’s Radio?”

When I go through a psychotic process, I feel like I’m riding a current beyond myself. And it comes out exactly the way God intended.

All of your songs are so catchy! We loved listening to them. Who have been some of your musical influences?

Among them are: Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Brian Wilson and Elvis Costello.

Who is your perceived audience? What would you like your listeners to walk away with?

With both my art and my music, I try not to have any expectations regarding my audience. I don’t want to be disappointed. But I would love my audience to appreciate the music and walk away with a feeling of hope.

Several of your songs are rife with social commentaries on racism, greed, corporate America, pretension and more. Are there any particular messages you are intent on conveying?

Inclusion, anti-capitalism, enlightenment and, particularly, maintaining hope in these desperate times.

How can folks listen to your new release?

It is being released today, September 12, on all platforms including Spotify and Apple. And you can check out new videos from the album dropping every week on YouTube.

Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky with questions by Tara Murray; paintings by Issa Ibrahim, 3 & 4 photographed by Lois Stavsky

A fair supporting and showcasing artists with disabilities, Open Invitational features a rousing range of works in varied media from seductively raw art to meticulously detailed compositions. The dazzling image of the Brooklyn Bridge pictured above is the work of Brooklyn-based LAND Gallery artist Robert Latchman. What follows are several more images of works by artists served by the studios that participated in this uplifting fair, co-founded by NYC gallerist David Fierman:

Center 4 Creative Works Philadelphia-based artist Billy Bolds, “Untitled,” 2025, Colored pencil on paper

ArTech Collective NYC-based artist Rayed Mohamed, “Untitled,” Markers on paper

Community Access Art Collective Brooklyn-based artist Cynthia Stickler, “People’s Party,” 2020, Conté crayon and ink on paper

Progressive Art Studio Collective Detroit-based artist Ronald Griggs, “My Family,” 2025, Pen and watercolor on paper

Creativity Explored San Francisco-based artist Andrew Li, “Untitled,” 2019, Ink wash and marker on paper

Living Museum Queens-based artist Nyla Isaac, “Untitled,” 2025, Acrylic on canvas

Studio Route 29, Frenchtown-based artist Katie House, “Portrait,” 2025, Acrylic on found photograph

Creative Growth Oakland-based artist Peter Salsman, “Sunset in Hayward…”, Rug

Located at 356 Broadway in Tribeca, Open Invitational continues through 5pm tomorrow, Sunday, September 7.

Photo credits: 1 & 3 Tara Murray; 2, 4-9 Lois Stavsky

The curious characters featured above were fashioned in 2018 with mixed media on paper by the wonderfully talented self-taught Virginia-based artist JJ Cromer. What follows are several more artworks created largely by self-taught artists — seen in a range of settings from galleries to art fairs.

Norwegian self-taught artist Trude Viken, “Blue Scene 5,” 2024, Oil on canvas

12-year-old, Cologne-based painter Mikail Akar, “Untitled,” Acrylic on canvas

Minnesota-based painter Alma Realm, Untitled painting (seen at this year’s Outsider Art Fair; no additional information provided)

Japanese self-taught artist Koichi Sato, “Heaven to Hell,” 2025, Colored pencil on paper

The prolific Argentina-born Neo-Expressionist artist Alejandro Caiazza, “Red Balloon,” 2024, Acrylic, collage, found objects and mixed media on canvas

Photos of images by Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

A visual ode to Fountain House Gallery‘s 25th Anniversary, “Life’s a Party!” celebrates the Fountain House community and the magical joy life can bring, despite its many challenges. Under the curatorial direction of two-time NBA All-Star Joakim Noah and Fountain House Gallery artist Judith Berman, over 70 intriguing celebratory artworks — representing a multiplicity of styles and mediums — currently grace the gallery.

The expressive image featured above, Dia De Los Muertos — inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead festivities — was fashioned with mixed media by the beguiling Brooklyn-based artist Michael Kronenberg. Several more images captured on our recent visit follow:

Multidisciplinary artist Mark Dendy, “The Soirée,” 2025, Acrylic and acrylic pen on canvas

Self-taught artist Maxx Reith, “The Entertainers,” 2025, Chalk pastel with gel matte medium & acrylic paint

The distinctly imaginative Elizabeth Borisov, “Joy Ride,” 2025, Acrylic on canvas

Multidisciplinary Queens-based artist Issa Ibrahim, “Party Girl,” 2025, Acrylic on unstretched canvas

NYC-based Puerto Rican fiber artist Alyson Vega, “Cool Cat Party,” 2025, Found paper collaged and sewn on layered drop cloth and tulle. Framed in a reused frame adorned with tulle

Self-taught mixed media artist and painter Angela Rogers, “Pamela,” 2018, Wire, yarm, fiber, paint marker and shoe

Multimedia artist Barry Senft, “Colors 1,” 2016, Acrylic on canvas

The exhibit remains on view until August 16 at 702 Ninth Avenue at 48th Street in Manhattan. Fountain House Gallery hours are: Tuesday 12 – 6 p.m., Wednesday 12 – 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday 12 – 6 p.m. and Saturday 1 – 7 p.m.

Note: Fountain House Gallery and Studio provides an environment where artists living with mental illness can express their creative visions, exhibit their work, and challenge the stigma that surrounds mental illness.

Photos of artworks: 1, 2 & 6 Tara Murray; 3, 4, 7 & 8 Lois Stavsky & 5, courtesy Fountain House Gallery

OPEN STUDIO, a new gallery dedicated to building the careers of artists living with disabilities and increasing the visibility of the studios that support them, opened earlier this month on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Founded by Rachel Carle Cohen of Shelter Gallery and David Fierman of Fierman, it is currently presenting two exhibits: Lozenges, a solo show of paintings by the hugely inventive John Tursi at 127 Henry Street and Introducing Open Studio, a delightful survey of works by over two dozen artists at 119 Pike Street.

The untitled image featured above was painted with acrylic on canvas by Queens-based artist Nyla Isaac, who maintains a studio space at the Living Museum on the grounds of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. Several more images that we captured while visiting the opening of Introducing Open Studio in both spaces follow:

Self-taught Fountain House Gallery artist Maxx Reith “Club Gemini,” 2024, Mixed media on paper

Brooklyn-based LAND Gallery artist Michael Pellew, “Taylor Swift,” 2025, Acrylic on wood

Luca Treppiedi, “The Beach,” 2024, Acrylic on canvas

Living Museum artist John Tursi, “Untitled,” Acrylic on canvas

PASC Detroit artist Chantell Donwell, “A Diversity of Cultures,” 2025, Pen and watercolor on paper

Living Museum artist James Kusel, “Ego,” 2014, Ink on paper

The artworks can be viewed Tuesday through Friday from 12-6pm or by appointment (david@fierman.nyc) until August 9.

Photos of images: 1-5 Lois Stavsky 6 & 7 Tara Murray

The striking abstract expressionist portrait pictured above, Hour of Incence, was fashioned with “acrylic, oil stick, oil pastel, Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, and the Holy Spirit” on canvas in 2022 by the largely self-taught devotional artist Genesis Tramaine. I came upon it last week while visiting “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960” at the Hirshorn Museum in DC.

What follows are several more images of faces — created by self-taught artists in a range of styles and media — as seen in a variety of settings from art fairs to galleries and museums.

Self-taught Norwegian painter Trude Viken, “Woman 3,” 2024, Oil on canvas

Oregon-based artist Anne Marie Grgich with Sandy Combes, “Florence Giving Flowers Quilt,” 2024, Sewn fabric collage

New Jersey native and Vietnam veteran Gregory Van Maanen, “Untitled,” 2025, Acrylic on board

The late Alabama-born artist Thornton Dial, “A Shadow of Life,” 1994, Charcoal on white paper

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Showcasing a mesmerizing selection of Australian First Nations art—ranging from the seemingly simple to the richly intricate —  SIGNIFICANT remains on exhibit at D’Lan Contemporary on Manhattan’s Upper East Side through July 3.

The image featured above, Rockholes Near the Olgas, was painted in 2008 with synthetic polymer paint on linen by the late Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri, a Pitjantjatjara artist from Central Austrlia. Renowned for his vibrant dot paintings depicting his people’s rich heritage, Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarr first began painting on canvas at age 85. What follows are several more images we captured while on our recent visit to SIGNIFICANT:

The late Aboriginal Western Australian painter and printmaker Paddy Bedford, “Twenty Mile,” 2005, Earth pigment with synthetic binder on linen

The late Australian Aboriginal abstract painter Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurrayi, “Two Old Men,” Synthetic polymer paint on compressed fibreboard

The late Naata Nungurrayi, a leading woman artist in the Western Australian desert art movement, “Karrilwarra,” 2004, Synthetic polymer paint on linen

The late Western Australian Aboriginal Artist Ngarra, “A Suite of 9 Paintings,” 2004-2006, Synthetic polymer paint on paper

The late Aboriginal painter and ceramic artist Pepai Jangala Carroll, “Yumari ,” 2019, Synthetic polymer paint on linen

Located at 25 East 73rd Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, D’Lan Contemporary is open Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm.

Photos by Tara Murray & Lois Stavsky

We first came upon Nicolaus Myers‘ artwork at  Fountain House Gallery, where we were immediately drawn to his distinctly raw expressionist aesthetic. After further viewing his paintings at the Outsider Art Fair and then at Culture Lab LIC, we had the opportunity to meet up with him and pose a few questions to him:

When did you first start painting?

Although I’d always been into music, I came late to art. And even though my grandmother was a folk artist, I never did anything until I took a painting class in college.

What was that like?

I didn’t like the class. I couldn’t follow instructions, but I discovered that I loved to paint.

What inspires you to keep creating art?

Everything. I love owning a piece of my life that doesn’t have any rules.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

I love Tom Waits — both his music and his photography. I also like the late Chuck Close, and I am a fan of Basquiat. I also love the Spanish artist Salvador Dali.

What about your cultural influences?  Can you tell us something about them?

I come from a family of carnival folk and prostitutes. My mother told me that her great great-grandmother came to the US from Wales. And because she needed money, she started a brothel. She, herself, then got pregnant and her child became a circus performer.

Is there a central or overall theme that ties your work together?

Absolutely! It reflects a world I don’t understand. Stories of folks who live really rough lives.

How has your artwork evolved in the past few years?

I’ve gotten much better at telling a narrative story — either mine or someone else’s.

Have you a favorite piece of what you’ve created?

Yes. “Where Fear and Hope Converge” — I painted it in 2023 with acrylic on burlap and exhibited it in the recent Fountain House Gallery exhibition Meticulous Markings.

How long do you usually spend on a piece?

Generally around four weeks. When I’m off from work, I can paint 14 hours a day straight.

What percentage of your time is devoted to art?

About 40%. When I first return home from my “day job,” I spend time with my family, and then I return to my painting. Luckily, I don’t need much sleep!

What are some of your other interests?

I play the guitar and I love music — everything but polka!.

We’ve seen your paintings at Fountain House Gallery, at the Outsider Art Fair and just recently at Culture Lab LIC. Have you exhibited elsewhere?

Yes! In a range of places — from alternative spots to established galleries. About 40 in total, including spaces in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

How important is the viewers’ response to you? Is it important to you that others like your work?

Yes and no! I’d like them to like it, but it’s more important to me that my work is honest and that I can feel proud of it.

What are your favorite media to work with?

Oil paint.

What is your main source of income?  

My work as a psychiatric nurse.

How does your family feel about what you do?

My wife is amazing! She and my son are great about it.

What do you see as your role as an artist in society?

My role as an artist is to share a world most people don’t know about.

Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky with Tara Murray; photos of artworks by Lois Stavsky