Woman gets cursed at on the street because of her storefront art

Carol McIlmurray's provocative psychedelic whirlwind of bright colors has become the talk of Nyack, NY. She got into a fight over it at a local Starbucks and cops had to be called. One resident says: "It's a shame that it's tainted the aesthetics of this beautiful town." (Journal News)

Comments

[Displaced]

While I don't really care for her painting, I am really afraid of people who want things to look as though it's 1952.

[you know me by now]

She's a renter. How is it that she is allowed to do such work on a rental property?

[dANO]

She has done her job: Art is meant to provoke (evoke) a reaction...Love it, hate it...but God's sake don't try to ban it!

you know be by now...I don't know..maybe she had it written into the contract?? You can do that "you know"?

[JayB]

I suspect this town is actually "Pleasantville" and everyone is living in a black-and-white "Father Knows Best" type of world...

..."Where's my dinner?"

[Me]

So much for freedom of speech and freedom of expression. It sickens me how much people feel they can force their opinions on others. If she has a clause in her lease which allows her to paint the store how she feels then this is a matter for her and her landlord and that's it. Don't like the look of the place then don't shop there.

[Sheila]

The reporter claims the town is liberal, etc. Gee, what are the chances of "liberals" being narrow-minded and censurious? Not all art is attractive.

[Phranqlin]

The painting is certainly generating a lot of publicity for her new store. For every person who moans and groans about it, two or three more will drop by to see what all the fuss is about.

Anyhow, I am not crazy about it but wouldn't be upset if someone in my little town painted a similar mural on their storefront. To each her (or his) own.

[petep]

L7 = Square

[Kee]

You know me by now,

I thought the same thing! She’s a renter! The window is no big deal; it washes right off. But she’s painted the façade at least twice and will paint it at least once more. The layers add up and look horrible after a while. And she's planning to sell the window for capitol and put in something energy efficient?! Doesn’t the landlord care about any of this?

[dANO]

Sheila...thus the term "Liberal Fascism"

[MONKEY JERKm]

ART IS ALWAYS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

[Torgo]

I wouldn't call it "psychedelic," I would call it "really sloppy."

This reminds me of when Hopkins Bowl painted their building raspberry colored. Ah, good times.

[nellagain]

Like I want Stabucks to set the aestetic standard for my town.

Still, it is rather unattractive. Lord knows why the powers that be asleep most of the damn time bothered to kick about it. given her business sense and the collapse of the small bookstore she'd be out of business in a few months.

[BB]

Who cares if it is truly "art"? She paints better than I do.

[Soo]

Mister has tossed around the idea of opening a small bookstore after retirement. And he's something of an artist, so maybe he can get some sound business advice from this lady.

Who am I kidding?! Replacing a window at your own expense on a building you're just renting? Why not offer to put up a new roof as well.

I'm all for the save-the-planet energy schemes, but this may be going to far.

[Charles Brobst]

I don't see anything wrong with it. It's not pretty but it's interesting. She should make some prints and sell it, now she's been given some publicity by her critics.

[Lou Sussler]

The aesthetics of the piece are irrelevant. Any issues are between her and the landlord.

I may go up there this weekend to "help" her work on it. I'm no painter but I can easily do as well as her.

I do like the fact that people are so up in arms about it. Good for her.

[kestrelmas]

I draw, and occasionally dabble in paint. I like her work. It's very organic (curvy), her colors are interesting, and I like that she's using her storefront as a changing canvas.

Reading the comments on that article, though, just reminds me of another uppity, self-righteous bunch of yuppie-scum suburb in my area. I'm tempted to email her and tell her to move here, and kick the "resident artist" who made godawful "art" out of garbage.

It still looked like garbage, just garbage covered in paint. And it was placed down by the beach! /shudder

[WellThen]

"Such reactions to McIlmurray's work may appear a little ironic for a village known as a liberal, open-minded, artist-friendly place. Though saying she was unswayed by the controversy, McIlmurray described it as 'almost hypocritical.'"

McIlmurray is being nice with the "almost". I guess "artist-friendly" means "artists we approve of beforehand" not just any artist off the street. Who do you think you are expressing yourself here? Have you ever had a gallery showing? Peon.

[Kmk/video]

This is wonderful- death to apathy ! There was a time when Marcel Duchamp caused riots over his depiction of a nude descending a staircase. Modern buildings have caused riots. The joke is on Nyack- she is holding a mirror up to the town- how you feel is how you are inside - full of hate or love- or somewhere in between. Carol is strong and deserves respect as an artist who has just found her bliss. She can take all the abuse because she has done stand up comedy for years. You don't like it because you haven't been told to like it by Art in America. There are still people who visit MOMA to curse the paintings - the guards will tell you- Nyack needs fresh blood - the place is dying. BTW she has a great story and philosophy if you care to ask-

[Carol McIlmurray]

I like this blog. I rent a building owned by a private party. My business which rents this space has all the authority and control of what said business will look like and what market it is geared toward. It is not a shop for mall consumers who want their ass kissed as they return used socks or last season party dress. It is a shop for the next generation of socially conscious and forward thinking humans.

[Zevpr]

Hey carol all is well and good with the painting but whAt's with all the false starts opening the store? How much cash can you have left to string along a store that sells nothing. Keep pumping the hype machine for all it's worth to sell that glass painting. I have no problem with what you are doing but how can you possibly call your store green if you use krylon spray paint and rely on o and r for your e energy???

[Carol McIlmurray]

Change takes time Zevpr. I dont think I used krylon. Anyway, more will be revealed in time, I did open my doors on July 4th, on July 5th I had to go to the hosipital, don't worry I am okay now. And now I go to court with the town on the 9th. I want everything to be perfect for the store, so if you want to stop by and check it out email me, and we will set up a time.