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I was asked to participate in The Kalopsia Project by a friend. The project involves getting artist to complete 137 portraits of people living with AIDS in the US.  This number signifies the fact that 137 people contract HIV every day in the United States alone. This exhibit is to create a visual of the daily impact of HIV and AIDS that still exists.  I said yes, that I would love to participate and help bring awareness to an epidemic that I admit, I haven’t thought of in years.

Thus began my search to find someone living with AIDS that would participate and have their portrait done by me. I Googled “living with HIV/AIDS in New York City” and found a New York Times article from 2013. It portrayed a diverse spread of people. They were the people I had in mind; a sister, grandmother, a friend or co-worker.

One man caught my attention immediately, from the photograph in the article. Head held high, huge smile and staring straight into the clear blue sky from a Manhattan high-rise balcony. I would be so happy to have just painted that picture.  His name is Steve Schalchlin, and I starting to hard-core stalk him online. This wasn’t difficult since I found his presence everywhere. He is super accomplished, a contributor to humanity on many levels, and an open book.  Steve is a singer, songwriter, actor, teacher. His blog on living with AIDS is renowned, it has helped and supported people nationwide. Steve then wrote songs..which in turn  became an Off-Broadway musical about the subject.  He teaches students to be talented composers.  His endeavors have help people who are victims of bullying and violence. Seriously!! For instance, he happened to borrow John Lennon’s piano to play a song he wrote to a family who lost their son to a gay-bashing incident…..he performed it on their front lawn. There needs to be 8 million copies of Steve.

So it came, I got to meet the wonderful Steve Schalchlin.  I met him at his apartment where he lives with his partner, Jim Brochu. I was there to sketch, take photographs, and also get a feel of how I want his portrait to be.  Walls painted deep red, framed playbills and posters, autographed photos from Barbara Streisand, and Lucille Ball (omagaaaahhhh!), his apartment is like walking though the halls of an wondrous theater on Broadway. I see the rich, exciting life that they have built.

                                  

Steve showed me his studio, where he composes and creates. I even got a free private concert…and a fashion show.

I decided to compose the portrait of Steve with the red walls behind him, and with purple orchids he had on his table (that someone gave them). Of course, I had to buy myself orchids as reference.

In the portrait I put him in a suit, with an oriental silk tie that has jacquard dragons…Jim had brought him this tie from Indonesia.

As I always choose different albums to listen to when I do a project, I downloaded Steve’s music from iTunes.  Steve is the strongest inspiration I have to live life to the fullest, to put everything into my art and projects, and stop being a lazy sack.  Everyone should know Steve Schalchlin.

Links to Steve’s work and blogs:

Link to the Kalopsia project: