Coming to New York in search of a story is a health hazard. The stories are everywhere and they are dizzying. I have been living in Brooklyn since my arrival in NYC on a gorgeously tree-lined, brownstone street. Susan is the neighbourhood artist who I met the other day as she stood outside her house adding tiles to her extraordinary mosaic mural.
Susan gave me a small history lesson on the suburb of Boerum Hill, which is like the Elwood of Brooklyn, without the beach. She has lived in that Brownstone for 20 years and seen the neighbourhood transform from one filled with crime and violence to a now gentrified Starbucks land. Which brings me to Starbucks...thank g-d Melbourne vetoed them! They are good when you find yourself in the middle of Manhattan needing to go to the toilet but apart from that...I digress.
A mural on a brownstone facade brings joy to the street. I watched as children and old ladies walked past stopping to admire the sparkling fairyland. When she's not teaching she's mosaicing, and has been for seven years. "One day I just came outside and started it...I don't know why.." It makes me think that sometimes the most beautiful things may arise from an indescribable urge. I am trying to learn how to follow those urges without fear of the unknown.
Susan has a website: www.susangardner.com if you're ever in Brooklyn its a worthy visit.
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