“We all play the leading role in our own situation comedy, but occasionally it’s fun to play the goofy friend in somebody else’s.” – Robert Brault, whose dates I quote from an email earlier this week: (DOB: 11/7/1938. DOD: Under Negotiation)
I’ve known Victoria Camille Bengochea (31 Jan 1996 – ) daughter of good friends William and Carmen Bengochea, since she was just over a year old, when her dad and I worked together at the Garland of Letters bookstore on South Street. She’s the little tyke
behind me in this 10-year-old selfy that includes her first cousin Angelo Torres (23 Jul 1993 – ) and her older brother Will (24 Dec 1986 – ). Recently Mille as she is affectionately known, has been coming to visit me, taking occasional breaks from her studies at Arcadia University. She has known
and been a fan of my work from a very early age, developing a talent for drawing on her own, which she nurtures. Sunday afternoon, she brought her first cousin Angelo, aka Ange, along with her. I’d only met him once about a decade before when I took the photo above around the Christmas holidays. They
were children/adolescents at the time; now they’re young adults. The three of us had a great time together discovering our inner children and the common ground we share despite the disparity in age; it’s always interesting to see how various people react to the unique experience that I’ve
created here at 717 Federal Street, this 3-story row-house that serves many functions: studio/gallery/
emporium/castle/sanctuary/
and storage-unit, as well as HOME; plus being the major museum housing my art. One of the highlights of our afternoon was ascending a ladder to the top roof from
which there’s a spectacular view of the city. While up there I captured lovely atmospheric portraits of Mille and Ange, plus several playful photos of them soaking up the sun on this splendid spring day. Later on in the afternoon, in the kitchen, we shared some quiet moments watching
Mille exercise her hand at a delightful small cartoon.
“Most of us don’t need a psychoanalyst as much as a friend to be silly with.” – Robert Brault
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