The East Village has new addition -- the long-awaited Tompkins Square Bagels has finally opened on Avenue A. Filling a void left by the departure of David's Bagels last year, this new cafe has a strong commitment to the neighborhood and particularly to its artists.
Owner Chris Pugliese saw my art work online several months ago and asked me to exhibit my work during the first few months of the cafe's operation. The "soft" grand opening was this weekend and my daughter and I hung over 2 dozen of my pieces throughout the cafe. It's a warm and inviting place, sparkling clean and with a comprehensive menu -- and bagels made on site!
The art at TSB begins with a fantastic outdoor mosaic, created by none other than the EV's own Mosaic Man, Jim Powers --
When you enter the cafe, you'll see several of my subway card paintings on the wall to your right.
Each has been framed under glass - it gives them a polished presentation, no?
To your left, a couple more are hanging right near the front window -- sorry about the glare on this photo, but you get the idea.
To the rear of the cafe, several more paintings are hung in the seating area.
The rear wall is a virtual portrait gallery of framed watercolors, all of whom were first introduced here on The Night Shift. I'm afraid I didn't take any close ups of these paintings but I didn't want to barge in between the bagel eaters.
The space housing Tompkins Square Bagels has been beautifully renovated -- a far more inviting place to have a nosh than David's Bagels ever was. It's a big win for the 'hood!
Come by for a look and a bite -- my work should be up for a couple months or longer. Tompkins Square Bagels is located at 164 Avenue A, between East 10th and East 11th Street, just a stone's throw from the park.
All subway card paintings are available for purchase here.
