January 20th 2022.
A day that shall live as a marker to take life as the blessing it is. Painter Daniel Levine passed away that day. I sure hope it was in his sleep.
It was that day I believe that I began receiving more likes on a photo that I had posted many years before that John Zinsser had taken of us two on our first meeting in his studio in Greenpoint Brooklyn. The first day didn't really make me wonder if something had happened, but after the third day of receiving more and more likes on it, I began researching. Sure felt like a punch to the soul when someone you've shared wonderful moments with passes on.
My first and most prominent memory of Daniel is the day I met him. I had been in NYC for a couple days doing the beginning of my interview project. I had made an appointment with John Zinsser to do what became a number of interviews with him. I remember that day so well. I had been staying at Joseph Marioni's place as he would usually let me stay at his place. This particular trip Joe had gotten sick before I left for town, I had been staying at his place in Pennsylvania and we had made a point to head to NYC together, but that day he told me to go myself, next day he told me he wasn't feeling too well and to just take care of his place while I visited. Sure was wild to be in NYC by myself in someone's home. Before this time I had only been in NYC a handful of times, so it sure felt cool to have my "own place". It was about two days before I was heading home that I had my interview with John. Heading out towards Greenpoint for the first time I made my way to the 7 line subway which connects to the G line to take you into brooklyn. During my transfer to the G train I got a phone call from Ronnie Landfield, he was calling to see if I'd like to come over today and meet. I tell ya, for a fella that a year before had known a relatively few artists, I sure was feeling excited to be getting phone calls from legends asking me to come over. I let him know what I was heading to John's place and I'd give him a ring when I got back to Marioni's place. After hanging up, I remember feeling very wanted and appreciated. Not a feeling you get often.
I had never been to Greenpoint before and at the time I didn't have a "smart phone" to help guide me around this big city, so I took to pen and paper for my navigation. At the time I didn't know just how BIG the subway stations are, and that if you go out one exit, you might be two blocks away from where you wanted to be. I ran into that a lot during this trip. So much so that it became comical.
Finding Greenpoint Avenue was a relief, only problem was I didn't know which way was which. I decided to follow the path that led to the water and that became a great idea. I found Johns place and we did our interview, as the interview concluded, he asked if I wanted to grab some food. In NYC you don't turn down a chance to eat, cause you'll be doing a lot of walking to burn all that off. I learnt that on a previous trip where I walked from Chelsea all the way up to the Japan Society, which is on 47th street. I had never walked that long before in one trip and I definitely won't be doing it again unless I have some food in my belly. I got there and had such a bad headache because of not eating that I couldn't enjoy myself. Had to leave not long after and head back to Joe's to grab a bite at the diner around him.
After our interview, John asked if I'd like to go meet Daniel, to which I replied that I had two heavy bags full of camera gear that I was walking around with, and neither bag had rollers, so they were both on my shoulders. He said we'd drive which was such a wonderful thing to hear. During the trip we spoke as painters do, about other painters. Mostly we spoke about the connections Daniel had to Steven Parrino who had recently passed in a motorcycle accident, and Olivier Mosset. Once we arrived, I knew if I had to leave on my own it was going to be an ordeal. But later Daniel told me I would have to go across the Kosciuszko bridge to get to the 7 train.
Meeting Daniel, while hanging with John was a heck of a time. It didn't take John long before he was off on his way. In the back of my head the rest of the time with Daniel I was thinking about how the hell am I gonna get back to Joe's. Daniel was very kind in showing me around his studio, BIG windows that lit up the whole room really showed me how much painters just love to have a big bank of windows to let as much natural light in as possible. John took a pic before he left.
Daniel and I spent much time talking history, especially of Brice Marden, whom at the time was the king of painting in my book. Daniel knew of my appreciation for BM and proceeded to give me papers that he had printed out of interviews with Brice and said I could keep em. I still have them, and the paper clips too. Much of that talk is a blur, you always begin one way and end at another point. I sure do look back on this day with a lot of reverence.
Once our talk had completed, we said our good-byes and I began the walk back to Manhattan. I had to first get to the bridge. I didn't think until I got there about how damn high up the bridge was. I think it took me about 5 minutes to get to the top from all those damn stairs. Carrying two heavy bags of camera gear up all those stairs was a heck of a time. But I sure felt relief reaching the top. Now all I had to do was get across it and find that subway station. It was getting toward twilight time so the views from the bridge were sublime. Getting to that station at the time felt even more sublime.
A few years later, both of us were exhibiting at the same time at different galleries, it was the thursday of his opening which was two weeks after my opening. I made sure to go and as I'm walking up to the gallery on 10th Avenue I spotted Daniel walking up toward me, we smiled and he told me he had just been visiting my show at The Painting Center. Not MY show but it was a wonderful group show with Anders Knutsson, Art Guerra, and Nils Hill. It was such a wonderful experience to meet another painter just walking up the street. One of the only places in our Country where you can do that. I went with him into the gallery he was showing with Churner and Churner, and we talked a bit about the paintings, I hung around a bit and left once the space began filling up. Such a wonderful day.
.......
If you'd like to read Russell Floersch's and painter Michael Brennan's remembrance, which is beautiful in it's story about the wonderful connection that like minded painters bring to the world. Read on...
https://www.twocoatsofpaint.com/2022/03/daniel-levine-1959-2022.html
Have a great day. Tell someone that you haven't talked to in a bit that you appreciate them. You never know when it'll be the last time you ever hear from them.
