I'm set to give Prohibition cool a new twist - by showing New Yorkers how to make their own miniature pop-up speakeasies.
I'll be teaching this 'craft and cocktails' class at the glamorous Ace Hotel New York Lobby Bar on Sept 23, 2018.
I’ve made it so that those who think they have no artistic ability at all can make these pop-ups and have great fun doing it.
Pop-ups like these originate from the European craze for toy theaters in the late 19th century where families would put on their own productions and replicate popular shows of the day in miniature.
I’ve switched the era from Victorian England to 1920s New York, and although these creations look very delicate, the speakeasies fold completely flat – because we all know how much space-saving New Yorkers have to do in their apartments!
Those taking part even get to decorate the artwork so that it has their personal stamp on it. Each one will be a unique tiny work of art.
I first discovered Manhattan’s speaks when I was a music manager in the city nearly a decade ago.
Managing jazz musicians meant I spent a lot of time at gigs in speakeasies. Now I’ve returned to being an visual artist, I wanted to pay homage to my favorite hideouts by making an evocative pop-up that people could have fun creating.
As with all my work with the public, my aim is to show that art is a learned skill – anyone can do it and enjoy the feeling of achievement and relaxing benefits from it.
The class is two hours long and costs $45. To book, just go to the 'classes & commissions' section of this site.