Walking through a downtown area miles away from home, taking in the smells of coffee and pastries from a nearby cafe. You round a corner to see cigarette smoke coming through the limbs of a tree, you walk into the sound of park bench conversation which disappears as quickly as it arises and is replaced by the less-than-subtle screeches of John Coltrane issuing forth from the neighborhood vinyl shop, a Dead Kennedy’s poster brazenly adorns the window. After a brief pause-in-gait to hear the crescendo of a great sax solo your eyes are drawn to movement across the street, a particularly translucent-almost-opalescent pigeon takes diagonal flight from the sidewalk upward taking your eyes directly to a print of Picasso’s “Old Guitarist” in the gallery window, children with brightly colored backpacks are walking to school. Nothing obviously spectacular is happening, but life seems to be imitating art on this morning.

Here are my top 10 favorite artists. Favorite is NOT meant to be synonymous with “best,” just to be clear. Oh yeah, don’t be shy! Read on »