Heard-NY Nick Cave Inspiration

A sensory performance art piece.  A visual mixture of color, music and movement. Live percussionist and harp, and dancers from the Ailey school. Creative Time and MTA Arts For Transit have joined together to present visual artist Nick Cave and his HEARD-NY.  Performances have been going since Monday and will end Sunday March 31st 11am + 2pm (get there 1/2 hour early to be able to get a seat-kids are allowed a special section).

As someone who performs in public spaces, to get a chance to witness a live (and free) performance art piece is such a thrill. The Vanderbilt Hall is an amazing place on any given day, the high ceilings the natural reverberation, but with Nick Cave's piece it comes alive with delight.

What I loved about my experience watching HEARD-NY were the multi-layered sounds as the dancers fitted under horse costumes (yet so much more than that) the materials dragged and snapped the floor all mixed in with children's voices of glee.

In the summer of 2010 I also enjoyed another Creative Time installation by Paul Rameriez Jonas' Key To The City. You can see what inspires Paul here.

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Subway Trombone Jam with Jake Handelman

Just another example of the freedom and spontaneous jamming with another musician that I experience while performing in the subway.  I had previously met trombonist Jake Handelman at LIRR station and we had a fun jam.  Here we met again at 34th st and had fun with my song Good Thing.

What Inspires Jake? "People make the world go round, without other people you can't put anything together, you can't get any new ideas. You just need to keep livin…just put yourself out there."

Good Thing words + music Cathy Grier SESAC singerfish publishing

edited by Dan Kleederman

Margie Ruddick Landscape Architect

I met Margie Ruddick Landscape Architect at the Central Park Woodlands Stewardship conference on October 5th. There I was the subway musician, amidst architect students, landscape architects and firms representing top minds in the field for a day long conversation about stewardship of Central Park. After the conference Margie and I chatted about what inspires her.

Margie designed the evocative and re-imagined Queens Plaza. She expressed, "Art helps people connect with a place and helps proprietary commitment."  As a subway musician performing in public spaces I see that first hand every time I perform.

What Inspires Margie? "Lake Minnewaska in the Catskills……..When there's unbelievable energy and you pick up on that, that's very inspiring"

I love NY and I love the Park so I was excited to attend the event. One of the presenters (Cultural Landscape Foundation) found my sustainability blog (I love search engines), I blogged about the conference. They invited me to come along and see for myself. It was held at the fantastic Museum Of The City Of New York. 

It was an truly informative and wonderful day spent with thinkers in the world of landscape architecture. I left feeling empowered and optimistic about the people out in the field working passionately every day to find solutions to better serve communities and humankind while not forgetting nature's involvement.

read more about my day at the conference on my Sustainability Blog 

Alanna Rios inspired

I met Alanna Rios, a student of landscape architecture at the City College of New York Spitzer school, during a Central Park Woodlands Stewardship conference I attended. There I was the subway musician, amidst architect students, landscape architects and firms representing top minds in the field for a day long conversation about stewardship of Central Park. During the lunch break Alanna and I chatted about what inspire's her.

"Non-conformity."

It was an truly informative and wonderful day spent with thinkers in the world of landscape architecture. I left feeling empowered and optimistic about the people out in the field working passionately every day to find solutions to better serve communities and humankind while not forgetting nature's involvement.

I love NY and I love the Park so I was excited to attend the event. One of the presenters (Cultural Landscape Foundation) found my sustainability blog (I love search engines), I blogged about the conference. They invited me to come along and see for myself. It was held at the fantastic Museum Of The City Of New York. 

read more about my day at the conference on my Sustainability Blog 

What's MY Inspiration? by NYCsubwayGirl

I created this short of my experience performing in the underground of NYC. Here are the things I see, the people I meet and the moments that turn my music in collaboration with commuters into it's own version of public art. And why I created the Inspiration Project.

Inspirations from people I meet, spontaneous jams with other artists. Life, humanity and human connection. Filmed throughout NYC subway and train stations.

words and music Cathy Grier singerfish publishing SESAC

Question Of Desire, Keep You Out, Cool Trick, Jungle,

with Bobby News Guy and featuring Inspired commuters: -Leonie- Graybar -Jeremy- Graybar-woman- Grand Central mezzo-Ruth- Columbus circle-Michael- Shuttle-Guy- Grand Central mezzo-Sonia German student- Shuttle-Richard- Col cir-Qainat- Shuttle-Jorge- Col Cir-Myah -Union SQ-Cathy- SI ferry terminal-Mustafa- LIRR and musicians, Break dancers, Poet Myah, Cathy sings duet Amacing Grace, Josjua bucket drummer,Justin sings duet-You've Got A Friend-Carole King, Ray saxaphone and Don The Shoe Dude.

what Inspires Eric Tsuchiyama?

I met Eric who stopped to listen to me performing in Grand Central Station. We chatted, what inspires Eric? "Other people's passion."

Putting him on the spot I asked him to sing, and he delivered! Singing "Someone Else's Life" by Kerrigan & Lowdermilk

What's Your Inspiration?

What Inspires Melanie Butler day 49 OWS

I met Melanie in Zuccotti Park day 49 of the Occupy Wall Street movement. She spoke to a group gathered with the amazing Eve Ensler to hear women's stories of why they had come to Occupy Wall Street. Melanie shared her excitement about the new women's safe space tent she had gone to check out and donate supplies to. It was the first day of the tent, a welcomed protected space as it was a cold and windy night.

What inspires Melanie Butler? Her female mentors @CodePink.org a women's peace organization and the activist community in NYC.

To watch and hear her speak these words "I'm just so full of hope." Well all I can say is Inspirational!

What's Your Inspiration?

what inspires Don the Shoe Dude?

I walked past Don at 47th @ 6th avenue where he sets up to shine shoes. Scrunching up his nose at all the sneakers passing by, he lights up when he gets the chance to polish some pretty spiffy shoes. I loved his passion for life and gorgeous spirit.

What Inspires Don? "To smile and see the world from a different point of view."

His philosophy? "We need bridges to shorten that gap between races, religions, political views, people will find any slight reason to oppose you….for a few minutes of the day forget all that." I showed him my sneakers apologizing for the lack of need for polish, saying I'd return, his answer "We all got to pitch in and help somehow."

what Inspires Valerie Williams

I met Valerie Williams while I performed at Grand Central Station.  A woman who lived through a horrible tragedy, and yet has found the courage to let life, song and faith inspire her.

What's Your Inspiration? 

Vo Era

Musician Vo Era walked by me while I was performing at Grand Central Station, I asked if he wanted to jam and he opened his case took out a sweet Ibanez and began riffing on one of my songs. On his way to catch a train, we only had a chance to chat for a brief moment, but I did film him a bit. I checked out his website and loved this comment: "Do I choose to do this or do I have to do this, but this you go the extra mile because it's so more rewarding."

What Inspires Vo? "Life."

what Inspires Billy, Nigel and Marvin?

Musicians Billy Maluw and Nigel Schat with friend Marvin visiting from Amsterdam, Netherlands, arrived inside the SI ferry terminal with instruments on their shoulders. I asked if they wanted to jam. Of course they said yes. They joined in and we had a great time.

What's their Inspiration? "Performing in New York City"
Billy: "love," Marvin: "go with the moment," and Nigel: "expressions of my emotions through music."

check out the clip I made of them jamming

Myah subway poet Union Square

I met Myah one afternoon in the Union Square subway station, we chatted about how God and poetry inspire her.  She's also a basketball player, the combination of poetry and sports really inspired me. I asked if she would recite a poem and she took the mic and haltingly recited her poem "Misunderstood."  Make no mistake she truly owned that moment.  These are the beautiful things that happen underground that I love to share.

What Inspires Trixie Starr?

NYCSubwayGirl chats with Trixie Starr event organizer of the Hudson NY Pride at Promenade Park during the Pride Rally.

What inspires Trixie? People coming together for the Pride festival.

Shanta Thake inspired 2011 MUNY judge

May 17, 2011. The annual Music Under New York (MUNY) auditions is such a wonderful event from every perspective. For the organizers and judges, it is a long day, but well worth the effort.  For the performers, it's a chance to perform for some pretty wonderful judges chosen from the amazing cultural fabric that makes up NY. Of course there are always MUNY artists on hand as volunteers and as judges too.  I have been a judge in the past and have found it an interesting role to play. 

What inspires judge and Joe's Pub director Shanta Thake's "Seeing people do what they love."

vimeo

Lindsay Dragon 2011 MUNY audition

May 17, 2011. The annual Music Under New York (MUNY) auditions is such a wonderful event from every perspective. For the organizers and judges, it is a long day, but well worth the effort.  For the performers, it's a chance to perform for some pretty wonderful judges chosen from the amazing cultural fabric that makes up NY. 

Here's a clip of Lindsay who's audition performing her song "Next Step," earned her a spot in the coveted MUNY program.  Welcome aboard Lindsay. 

What Inspires Lindsay? "Everything…..looking inside and outside myself."

What Inspires Graham Douglass?

I met Graham at 34th st. What inspires Graham? Humble beginnings, family who taught valuable lessons.

What's Your Inspiration?

Clown Happy, Times SQ

Life of a subway performer continued. Clowns in NYC subway March 18, 2011
Arriving at my scheduled spot to perform in Times SQuare, William Ruiz the amazing native american tongue drummer and percussionist was still performing. As he was playing along passed clowns Dolly Dimples, (Sacramento CA) and Sparky The Clown, (Lake of The Ozarks, MO aka Jackie Newton) on their way to the 2011 World Clown Convention  What inspires Dolly and Sparky? "Smiling...we have to learn to laugh at ourselves." "My grandson, and dogs..." 

Who says the subway isn't full of fun and fascinating people. For musicians, it's our office so we hang and chat. Water cooler chat subway style.

Check out William's What's Your Inspiration clip

What Inspires William Ruiz?

NYCSubwayGirl chats with Native American tongue drummer and log drummer William Ruiz performing in Times Square.  

What inspires William?  "connecting with the audience, ...I get the chills and get more into it."

Crossing The Cultural Divide

Judith Sloan performance artist, teacher and activist invited NYCSubwayGirl, hip-hop artist Abran "Aronic" Maldonado and Kathak dancer choreographer Parul Shah to peform at BAX Brooklyn Arts Exchange for a weekend of performance. A wonderful mash-up of artists who stretch the perameters of dance, hip-hop, spoken word, music and performance art.

NYCSubwayGirl created this clip of What Inspires the artists of Crossing The Cultural Divide. 

What Inspires Brenda Adams?

Brenda Adams executive director of Columbia County Habitat For Humanity chats with NYCSubwayGirl during a benefit for Women Build 2010 at the Red Dot in Hudson NY on November 7th. What Inspires Brenda? People in the community "who are engaged, energized and overwhelmed by the beauty of working together."