Carolyn with some of the artwork she helped create.(InsideOutArt)

She gives a whole new meaning to insider art.

Bronx woman Carolyn Stanford, 56, has become a part-time art dealer for inmates at prisons, helping them turn their canvases into profit.

Ms. Stanford told DNAinfo.com that she first came up with the idea while visiting her son in a California prison, where a fellow inmate offered to help her with a T-shirt business she was running at the time. The relationship developed when he started sending her full canvases instead.

She now works with around seven federal inmates in a much more beneficial exchange than prisons are used to: Carolyn sends them supplies and orders for paintings, along with the proceeds from the previous painting's sale. In return, they send her their work.

Subjects include the rich and famous. (InsideOutArt)

Once the paintings are complete, the mother of one, who has had a multitude of family members behind bars, gets to work, turning them into greetings cards or reproduction prints. She then sells them through her company Inside Out Art.

The images range from pictures of family and friends to landscapes and celebrities, one even featuring a larger than life Biggie Smalls.

"Prisoners can be very limited in their life choices," Ricki Gold, of veteran prison arts program Rehabilitation Through the Arts told The Observer. "They have this path that they seem doomed to follow. Painting allows them to think differently and consider other choices."

via PaintingLounge.com.

In a serious case of raining on hipsters’ parade, Williamsburg’s Painting Lounge was forced to suspend its BYOB art classes after the Daily News inquired with the NYPD about the legality of such “speakeasy”-style establishments, prompting an investigation.

The Painting Lounge's owner, Kevin Tarasuk, is furious with the paper.

“The reporter was obviously looking for a story and decided to investigate the BYOB policy," he said. "She used our business by name and forced everyone’s hand. She made up that 'speakeasy' bit. She created the story, in a way."

At the Painting Lounge, hip Brooklynites shell out $50 to $65 dollars for a relaxing two to three-hour session reproducing masterworks like Van Gogh’s “Wheat Field with Cypresses,” Monet’s “Sunset in Venice’ or Warhol’s “Flowers” (supplies included).

The Daily News reported that “the raid came hours after the Daily News asked cops about the legality of drinking [in] several shops across Brooklyn and Manhattan that invite customers to bring their own booze to consume as they paint, get a pedicure, or make jewelry."

Mr. Tarasuk emphasized that the police visit was not a “raid,” and told The Observer that he felt “sabotaged” by the Daily News’s investigation.

"Most of our customers have been supportive, saying it was very obnoxious, what the reporter did," he added. “People are still signing up, very few people are cancelling. We’re working towards rectifying the situation regarding the BYOB and making sure that we’re complying with State Liquor Authority regulations.”

The shop announced on its website that they will continue to offer art classes without alcoholic accompaniment. They are offering refunds for clients who can’t create without a chilled glass of their preferred vintage on hand.

An editor at the Daily News responded to the comments in an email, saying that the journalist "was doing her job as a reporter, determining what the rules are so that her story about said rules would be accurate."

A spokesman for the State Liquor Authority told the Daily News, "If the business wants to give away alcoholic beverages or allow BYOB, it needs a bottle club license. If it wants to sell alcoholic beverages, it needs the standard license."

Apparently a number of trendy Brooklyn businesses flout the BYOB policy, which states that any establishment allowing liquor consumption with a seating capacity of more than 20 must obtain a license, but enforcement is generally lax. The Painting Lounge got the short end of the stick by being called out for it. Mr. Tarasuk said that he was not aware that the Painting Lounge’s operations went against SLA regulations, and added that he was considering obtaining a liquor license, if necessary.

“The drinking part is something that gets people’s attention,” Mr. Tarasuk said, of the BYOB policy. “It’s a different way to have a night out with friends. But most of the time people leave with bottles three-quarters full because they get so involved in the classes. Take the alcohol out and the classes remain the same gratifying art experience.”

We at The Observer are torn. While we can't condone illegal activity (even when it involves a crisp Chardonnay), it's also not cool to have your sources arrested. Reporting 101.

Besties. (Getty Images)

1. Denial: According to Elle.com, Marina Abramovic is looking to make a film which explains to audiences, "'Who is James Franco?' and 'Why is he doing what he’s doing?'" Haha, that is a very good question!
... Wait, this is a joke, right? Wasn't he just involved in the documentary about HER? I'm pretty sure that's illegal. Or at least, really gauche. Very funny, you guys.

2. Anger: Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?

"I think he’s the most interesting actor of the moment," (Abramovic) said. "Why? Because he takes risks and when you take risks, you can fail. But he takes failure and risk all with the same intensity. He could just be another Hollywood actor and that’s it—like everyone else. But he’s crossing all kinds of borders and not always with great success. For him, process is more important than the result."

So basically she's calling him a huge failure, whose only claim to fame is being brave enough to be a celebrity who is willing to fail at other stuff. And somehow that's a compelling subject??? This is bullshit.

3. Bargaining: I promise I will see Spring Breakers and Oz: The Great and Powerful if respected media publications stop writing fawning blow jobs talking about how his "hardest role is playing himself." I'll even throw in a guarantee to never write a meta-essay critiquing the critiques of Lena Dunham's role as a cultural icon if you promise me that this documentary goes the way of Franco's music career. Ill even try friends' suggestions of watching Freaks and Geeks over and over, Clockwork Orange-style, until I am forced to admit that he's a passable actor. Dear God, I'll even post those "Acting With James Franco" videos on Tumblr for a month.

I'll start following Dave Franco on Twitter. Anything!

4. Despair: Why me, God?? No one in my family has a Google Alert for James Franco's name. No one at his (too) many institutions of higher learning seem to care that he's making a mockery of their institution! No one in the art or literary world seems to care that both his technique and his statements are only impressive at an eighth grade comprehension level. Why must I be blighted with this curse of caring so profoundly about our culture's complacent attitude toward Franco? Why, God, why??

5. Acceptance: At least it can't be worse than Gay Town. Or Palo Alto. Actually, why wouldn't I want to see a chronicle of James Franco's failure's as a teacher/artist/writer/student/NASCAR grand marshal/ Academy Awards host/producer/Twitterer/blogger/party ruiner/soap opera guest star? Maybe they'll just stare at each other for two hours. That wouldn't be so bad.

"Hey girl."

Hey ladies. You know, on this very special Valentine's Day, you're not looking for a dozen roses or a bear holding a box of chocolate. You're not looking for hearts, or balloons, or even a book of homemade coupons offering "I O U = One (1) Free Massage During a Screening of Crazy, Stupid Love on Our DVD Player (Your Choice, Non-Transferable)."

No girl, what really gets your motor running (pun intended) is to have artist/actor/Grand Marshal for the Daytona 500 James Franco show you the collection for his latest installation exhibit in Berlin, "Gay Town."


"This one is based on how much I hate people only recognizing me for my work in Spider-Man."

"This one is about how mad I am that Kristen Stewart cheated on R-Patz whilst filming Snow White and the Huntsman."

According to the press release, Mr. Franco's work touches on "a variety of themes that are central to Franco's artistic practice, mainly issues related to adolescence, public and private persona, stereotypes and other societal concerns such as society's preoccupation with celebrity," and that they were conceived "in hotel rooms, makeshift studios and other temporary locations whilst completing other projects, mainly motion pictures." So basically, he's doodled a bit while in between his other projects, and now these doodles get to be considered their own project--as some sort of commentary on the "metacelebrity" moment that Franco finds so compelling as it relates to himself, and apparently "K-Stew."

ExtravaDanza!

If you love throwing money at vaguely worded, half-baked Internet "performance art projects" as much as you love Who's the Boss, do we have a Kickstarter for you! Meet Louis Crisitello Jr. and Hugo Ball, the creators of the $2,100 fund-raising campaign for something called "Danza Did It."

We'll let them explain:

Also, it will be a documentary podcast thing that has a liminal relationship to Tony Danza:

It is our ambition to conduct a series of revealing interviews with celebrities, politicians, artists, and everyday Americans who have been at the center of a media storm and have had their names plastered in headlines throughout the world. As avid fans of documentary film, we are originating the term “Documentary Podcasting.” We are observing the exploitation of wanted and unwanted celebrity.

Finally, visitors to our website will have opportunities to submit original content and compete in prize-winning contests.

So wait, is Danza Did It itself an example of the exploitation of wanted or unwanted celebrity? What kind of Danza-Jörmungandr are we looking at here? We might never know ... unless you cough up the other $1,864 in the next 12 days.

If you are reticent about parting with hard-earned money, Mr. Crisitello is offers up a transparent plan detailing how your contributions will support Danza Does It:

A portion of our funds will first go to pay for and fulfill our Kickstarter rewards. In addition, we need to purchase some quality audio equipment for our podcast as well as ancillary software and hardware. Lastly, we need to purchase select art supplies to bring some of our eccentric Tony Danza related ideas to fruition. Though we plan on finding followers via word of mouth, a small portion of funding will go towards our marketing efforts. Any additional or excess donations will be put to use for the planning and implementation of our Tony Danza-themed "ExtravaDanza Convention" that we hope to make a reality.

So what will some of these Kickstarter rewards look like? Well, for only $250, you can get a promise for tickets to a convention "when and if it happens," as well as a Photoshopped picture of you hanging out with the Danza. But that's not all!

We swear to God, if this turns out to a fund-raiser for Tony Danza's mayoral bid, we will consider pledging at least 10 dollars. We just hope Danza didn't do it first!

The former Bing executive had a busy evening. First, "a little party" at the Standard Hotel from 6:30-8:30. ("Most guests didn't show up," he remarked.) When the lights went out, everyone went home, but Mr. Hadley had work to do, taking crews out to survey the destruction, including that of artist Mark Seliger's Charles St. studio, which had its front completely obliterated by Hurricane Sandy.

Added Mr. Hadley:

"Since we have such a great team of scientists and meteorologists, we have a pretty good idea of what the storm is going to be like a week to ten days out. We can really start to gear up: What the coverage is going to be like, where to send the people, how to talk to the advertising partners. For a lot of them, this is really a part of their business...we've got insurance guys, Home Depot, Lowe's. So we're really setting the expectation for them, to make sure that we communicate out the safety thing, and have our people in the right places."

Meanwhile, Hurricane King Jim Cantore managed to make it out of Battery Park, and will be on Letterman tonight.

(Photos via Eric Hadley)

Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper at 1stDibs gallery. (Patrick McMullan)

While Fashion Week was winding down at Lincoln Center Wednesday night, Diane von Furstenberg was sequestered on the 10th floor of a nondescript Lexington Avenue building. Across the giant storeroom of the mostly digital antique dealer 1stDibs, Patrick McMullan was snapping Bill Cunningham as he took a picture of a small watercolor on the wall. Nearby, Anderson Cooper hovered around his mother, who, in a stunning red kimono, greeted guests to her first solo art show since 2001.

While most people might associate Gloria Vanderbilt with her fashion prowess--her jeans commercials in the ’80s helped define a culture of denim, after all--she demurred at any questions about the fashion world that was teeming nearby. "My work involves all my time," she told The Observer, referring to her current exhibition, "The World of Gloria Vanderbilt: Collages, Dream Boxes, and Recent Paintings." With images that included a doll on a crucifix alongside bright, whimsical portraits of Angelina Jolie and Joyce Carol Oates, "The World" is open to the public starting today, and will be going till mid-October. Proceeds from donations will be going to the Huntsville Museum in Huntsville, Ala., where New York Magazine’s Wendy Goodman (also in attendance that evening) held a party for the release of her biography, The World of Gloria Vanderbilt.

"We wanted to do something nice for the Huntsville Museum in return for their warm hospitality," she said. "And what better way than suggesting the opening of my show be a benefit for the museum?" She also praised 1stDibs founder and president Michael Bruno for his attention to detail while organizing the event.

Mr. Bruno was equally deferential. "Gloria has always been very forward-thinking," he said of the 88-year-old heiress. "Ever since I went to her studios to see her paintings, I've been obsessed."

And he had put his money where his mouth was, purchasing one of Ms. Vanderbilt's paintings himself: a large, brightly colored piece called Tenacity that hung near the center of the room.

On the way out, The Observer ran into Joyce Carol Oates by the elevators. We inquired if the author had seen Ms. Vanderbilt's painting of her.

She shot back, "You mean there's only one?"

Zoe West. (via Animal New York)

Almost a year to the day after she was first arrested for participating in Andy Golub's nude painting stunt in Times Square, 5-foot-2 model Zoe West is finally getting paid by the city. Though it looks like she's been charging an hourly rate ... and has kept the meter running since she was first brought in.

Ms. West's lawyer Ron Kuby told The New York Postthat the petite beauty had settled out of court with the city for $15,000 for her false arrest late last August. (Technically, you cannot be arrested for public nudity if it's for performance purposes.)

"The beauty of New York City is a naked girl can win a nice suit," Mr. Kuby said, probably after thinking all night about how he was going to phrase it for the paper.

For her part, Ms. West is going to use the money and move to Manhattan to find a job. Hopefully she realizes that getting paid for performance art isn't something that happens every day here.

Kids draw the darndest interpretations of Mayor Bloomberg (NYT)

City Room had an adorable idea for a feature: Kids Draw the News, in which children submit artwork about current events. This could have been an overly precious concept. But from the beginning, it was clear that someone at The New York Times didn't get enough hugs as a child.

So the series started off by asking kids to draw
the New York Sports Club Brawl, in a two-part series!)

Then there was the swarm of bees, which we don't even remember happening.

Obviously, there needs to be a crayon drawing of adults punching slot machines. This is such relevant news that the article included a preamble explaining what gambling is and why people get mad at machines:

These are terrifying! Why are we putting New York's nightmare images into our children's heads? Is it because parents think that if their 4-year-old's drawing gets picked up by The New York Times, she gets moved to the top of Dalton's wait-list?

The most recent Kids Draw the News assignment isn't even news! It's just asking kids to draw pictures of beer gardens. We're assuming this is a plot by social services to pick up any child whose drawing is too spot-on. Park Slope mommies, watch out!

As Alan Moore once famously cribbed from Roman poet Juvenal: Who watches the watchmen? Today, SVA grad Skye Greenfield is papering the Lower East Side with Wanted posters for superheroes that go one step further, accusing our childhood heroes of the most heinous crimes imaginable.

"It started as a thesis project in college, when I would photograph the toys of a kid I was babysitting for," Ms. Greenfield told The Observer by phone after we called the number listed on an enigmatic poster exclaiming "Stop Superheroes Now!" after accusing Spider-Man of stalking Lois Lane.

"But the project never felt finished, and after I graduated, it just hit me. I was creating this fantasy world where superheroes are outlaws. We live in the world where we villainize and criminalize the people who are supposed to be our role models."

While not exactly a new concept--Christopher Nolan explored a similar theme in his Dark Knight reboots--Ms. Greenfield's choice of medium was interesting. Why paper the town with flyers? Was this still part of an ongoing art project?

The 22-year-old admitted that she was currently just collecting the stories of people who sent in tips to the email address she provided on the sheets.

"The best one was this high school student," she remembered. "He wrote this page-long story about all these horrible things he saw Superman do. They were ridiculous. He stole his grandmother's fake hip, and he stole a Ferris wheel with full of orphans, but he couldn't tell if the orphans were screaming or laughing. It was insane."

Though based in fantasy, Ms. Greenfield's work does have a message. "I want us to think about those bigger figures we look up to, and how we go along with whatever they tell us. From our parents to people on a podium, citizens believe whatever someone in a place of authority tells them."

Despite this credo, Ms. Greenfield claims her work isn't exceptionally political. "I just want people to join me in the quasi-fantasy world," she said, before adding, "But if someone said they wanted to put me in a gallery or make a book about me, I'd be all for it."

Click through to see the rest of the Stop Superheroes Now project.