I was really excited to see photos of Lenny again and he literally did not age from the time I interviewed him 12 years ago. His museum looks just the way I remember it, though I think the cricket in the yard is new. I think there were dinosaur sculptures last time? My memory fails me. But what a character! Truly unique and the best of random NYC hidden gems.
Thanks so much for the tip, Jenna. Yes, I don't think he's done anything in the way of art since you spoke with him and for me that just made it even better!
Wow, I love this guy! I can’t believe in all my years of traversing Staten Island I’ve never noticed the 20 foot Eiffel Tower replica right on the edge of street! Definitely need to visit Lennie’s Creations before they are gone.
That's true Rob. It won't be quite the same experience when everything is crushed into a 20-foot ball.
I think you'd LOVE photographing the block the museum is located on btw. It's all auto repair and looks like no other place in the city. Rector Street between Castleton Ave. and Richmond Terrace.
I love Lenny’s outlook for business - “You pick how you want to make money in life. You can pick the hard way or the easy way," - this alone is worth a commencement speech for all the graduates out there.
It's funny how many pick the hard way, Raquel. There's this weird sense of pride and virtue. I personally prefer the easy way. Or at least the fun way.
Couldn't resist reading today. "My Weirdest Art Story Ever" is an awfully unlikely hill to climb for this Newsletter. Loved the profile of Lenny. The mantis was the best. I always wondered why people did not reference to them as a preying mantis?
Random comment re: rex & appleton >> What's an appleton -- according to estimates about 44 bushels.
I am unwilling to do the research since I am officially retired. That said, a nominal Google search says there are 47 instances of search results of your blog that use the word "artist". Some are undoubtedly multiple references to the word I suppose. There's a non-zero chance you just like the word artist :)
Another inspirational real story! I respect Lenny's right to crush his works, but I hope he delays the crushing indefinitely until we can all visit the museum! A correction: That's not a cricket, it's a praying mantis, "Francis the Praying Mantis" to be precise!
I see a few people have commented on behalf of Camp Praying Mantis! You'll laugh to know what I just googled "OTOF" to see what the acronym meant. Orthogonal Time of Flight? One Team One Fight. Otoferlin. Or, duh, @ontheotterfoot.
So good. I’d like to say that Lenny’s and your reactions were unexpected delights, but I know by now that being delighted is completely expected when reading Cafe Anne!
Well, when you go up in that Staten Island Space Shuttle, do take Katy Perry and Gayle King with you as they are seasoned!
And not to be one of 'those' people but...the "cricket" in the Snug Harbor photo is actually a praying mantis! I'm quite partial to them (and spend half my daily runs in October picking them off my running route). I hadn't seen any for years---they are like an insect unicorn (much like the walking stick) so it's wonderful to see their comeback. Might have something to do with Costco selling their eggs for natural insect control: https://www.costco.ca/praying-mantis-natural-insect-control-egg-case.product.10300216.html
I think you wrote about his book Texas last summer? And then coincidentally/cosmically I found a copy of it in one of our nearby free little libraries. I didn't realize you did a biannual read. His books are the equivalent of reading three!
This story had the best twist ever. It might be my favorite... after Dopamine Land, of course. At first you think it is going to be this nice but maybe familiar story of a blue collar guy doing his own non traditional art. But then he just STOPS. This is heartbreaking in a way it would not be if he was just the muffler ahop guy all along. But what is really heartbreaking is that he says he knew his drive would end. Lime it was foretold to him. And this should make it less heartbreaking but makes it more heartbreaking. And somehow you are left back with the boy from the jungle who just got into mufflera because it was there in front of him. For a few years he stepped outside of the paradigm of being a leaf in the wind, and then he is just back in it again lime he was never otherwise.
I thought it was heartbreaking too! And that he wants to crush everything. Noooo! The world needs folk art. And I'm so sad he's lost the urge to create! 😭
Loved your comment aa! And your summary. Except my reaction was the opposite.I felt delighted by the strangeness of him just stopping. Maybe because I really don't believe that this was actually the end. I think he's got another project in him for sure and it will be just as surprising for him as it is for us.
And BTW, I really do hope he crushes them all into a giant ball. Not with him in it, of course, but i do hope that his entire oeuvre is like a Buddhist sand mandala, taking years and years to make, and then is wiped away by his own hand. If he wants to make real $, make it an event that you pay to see live, and pay to watch online. And then i promise you and him, that giant ball would sell for a LOT of money (so that part is not so Buddhist, but whatevs)...
It was not exactly him stopping that was heartbreaking; it was the casual way he always understood that the spirit would leave him one day. It is like he had foreknowledge of his creativity's death.
I was really excited to see photos of Lenny again and he literally did not age from the time I interviewed him 12 years ago. His museum looks just the way I remember it, though I think the cricket in the yard is new. I think there were dinosaur sculptures last time? My memory fails me. But what a character! Truly unique and the best of random NYC hidden gems.
Thanks so much for the tip, Jenna. Yes, I don't think he's done anything in the way of art since you spoke with him and for me that just made it even better!
> As readers who memorize this newsletter before they print it out and eat it will recall,
Absolutely unhinged to just drop this with no warning or follow-up, I love it
*N*A*T*H*A*N*I*E*L*
Lenny seems uninhibited and bonkers in the BEST way. God bless you, Lenny, you robot-building-then-maybe-crushing muffler man!
LOL
I can't wait for the follow-up story, Justin, when I interview him from inside the ball.
Lenny is crushing it! Literally, and metaphorically 😊
I know Eric I can't even separate the two!
Wow, I love this guy! I can’t believe in all my years of traversing Staten Island I’ve never noticed the 20 foot Eiffel Tower replica right on the edge of street! Definitely need to visit Lennie’s Creations before they are gone.
That's true Rob. It won't be quite the same experience when everything is crushed into a 20-foot ball.
I think you'd LOVE photographing the block the museum is located on btw. It's all auto repair and looks like no other place in the city. Rector Street between Castleton Ave. and Richmond Terrace.
Lenny, when the time is right, please invite us all to your epic crushing party!!!!!!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
Whoa I didn't think of the party possibilities, Emily. Epic is right!
I love Lenny’s outlook for business - “You pick how you want to make money in life. You can pick the hard way or the easy way," - this alone is worth a commencement speech for all the graduates out there.
It's funny how many pick the hard way, Raquel. There's this weird sense of pride and virtue. I personally prefer the easy way. Or at least the fun way.
Me too, will definitely go the fun and easy way👍👍 Let the ones who need to prove whatever virtue go the hard way😄
I wish Lenny had been my commencement speaker! Hopefully one of the NYC universities is calling him up to arrange this right now
Couldn't resist reading today. "My Weirdest Art Story Ever" is an awfully unlikely hill to climb for this Newsletter. Loved the profile of Lenny. The mantis was the best. I always wondered why people did not reference to them as a preying mantis?
Random comment re: rex & appleton >> What's an appleton -- according to estimates about 44 bushels.
Now that I think about it, how many "art stories" have I written? This is maybe the third in three years. So the hill is not very high!
I am unwilling to do the research since I am officially retired. That said, a nominal Google search says there are 47 instances of search results of your blog that use the word "artist". Some are undoubtedly multiple references to the word I suppose. There's a non-zero chance you just like the word artist :)
LOL
I’ll have to think about that one Mr. Dolan!
Lenny is wise. I love that he knows who he is. He doesn’t force himself to create. That’s admirable. I do love his success story tho.
Welding is hard! I once took a class.
And he's totally cool with having put it aside, CK. I think others who are less wise would be torturing themselves about it.
Welding seems like a tough way to make art! Thanks for taking a class so I don't have to.
Another inspirational real story! I respect Lenny's right to crush his works, but I hope he delays the crushing indefinitely until we can all visit the museum! A correction: That's not a cricket, it's a praying mantis, "Francis the Praying Mantis" to be precise!
Oh thank you OTOF! Fixed!
I see a few people have commented on behalf of Camp Praying Mantis! You'll laugh to know what I just googled "OTOF" to see what the acronym meant. Orthogonal Time of Flight? One Team One Fight. Otoferlin. Or, duh, @ontheotterfoot.
So good. I’d like to say that Lenny’s and your reactions were unexpected delights, but I know by now that being delighted is completely expected when reading Cafe Anne!
Awww thanks Lucy! I love hearing this!!!!
Another must for your ‘ Bedside Companion ‘ when you do it. 🐰
Thank you O L O aka Kevin. Hopefully by then I can update with part 2—the Big Crush.
Fascinating profile, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed Jen. Thank you!
This is my favorite thing you have ever written about
Haha me too Leah. I love it so much and can't even say why!
Well, when you go up in that Staten Island Space Shuttle, do take Katy Perry and Gayle King with you as they are seasoned!
And not to be one of 'those' people but...the "cricket" in the Snug Harbor photo is actually a praying mantis! I'm quite partial to them (and spend half my daily runs in October picking them off my running route). I hadn't seen any for years---they are like an insect unicorn (much like the walking stick) so it's wonderful to see their comeback. Might have something to do with Costco selling their eggs for natural insect control: https://www.costco.ca/praying-mantis-natural-insect-control-egg-case.product.10300216.html
Fixed in the web version. Thank you Jules!
OMG, me, Katy Perry and Gayle King. Maybe I can just curl up with a novel in the back while they take care of the whole "mission" thing.
That seems safest all around. And you can read James Michener's 808-page novel Space. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/644949.Space
What a good idea! I'm a huge Michener fan, Jules and read about two a year. Am currently half-way through Centennial.
I think you wrote about his book Texas last summer? And then coincidentally/cosmically I found a copy of it in one of our nearby free little libraries. I didn't realize you did a biannual read. His books are the equivalent of reading three!
This story had the best twist ever. It might be my favorite... after Dopamine Land, of course. At first you think it is going to be this nice but maybe familiar story of a blue collar guy doing his own non traditional art. But then he just STOPS. This is heartbreaking in a way it would not be if he was just the muffler ahop guy all along. But what is really heartbreaking is that he says he knew his drive would end. Lime it was foretold to him. And this should make it less heartbreaking but makes it more heartbreaking. And somehow you are left back with the boy from the jungle who just got into mufflera because it was there in front of him. For a few years he stepped outside of the paradigm of being a leaf in the wind, and then he is just back in it again lime he was never otherwise.
I thought it was heartbreaking too! And that he wants to crush everything. Noooo! The world needs folk art. And I'm so sad he's lost the urge to create! 😭
(Perhaps i should not write comments on my phone just after having my eyes dilated, when i am rather blind to my own typos...)
Loved your comment aa! And your summary. Except my reaction was the opposite.I felt delighted by the strangeness of him just stopping. Maybe because I really don't believe that this was actually the end. I think he's got another project in him for sure and it will be just as surprising for him as it is for us.
And BTW, I really do hope he crushes them all into a giant ball. Not with him in it, of course, but i do hope that his entire oeuvre is like a Buddhist sand mandala, taking years and years to make, and then is wiped away by his own hand. If he wants to make real $, make it an event that you pay to see live, and pay to watch online. And then i promise you and him, that giant ball would sell for a LOT of money (so that part is not so Buddhist, but whatevs)...
Whoa brilliant suggestion!
It was not exactly him stopping that was heartbreaking; it was the casual way he always understood that the spirit would leave him one day. It is like he had foreknowledge of his creativity's death.
Oooh, yes, I hope so! A fabulous Part 2 for his creativity!