Take the Picture - There seems to be a never-ending plethora of artists dabbling in the at times indulgent art of self-portraiture these days, but few ever rise to the fierce degree of established and still relevant talents like Cindy Sherman or Robert Mapplethorpe. Photographer Gregory Moon is that rare exception, and though his work is way different from the aforementioned art greats, he adds his own singular touch to his work, which veers from the ultra-sexual to the uber-sexy. Constantly revealing and evolving, he shows absolutely no fear in expressing his unique vision of himself and gives pause to those seeking only an unhealthy dose of counterfeit astonishment.

Tobie Giddio is one of the most unique and inspiring artists I have ever been lucky enough to work with during my past 25 years in the fashion biz. We first met in the late 80s when the New York club scene was ground zero for creative kids in search of an outlet outside of the mainstream media. I was about to launch an alternative anti-fashion magazine called STOP and Tobie, already a friend, soon became one of my most important and favorite contributors. From the very beginning of her career she has displayed an unbelievably polished and signature technique. Her work takes you into a gorgeously sublime & abstract world where you find yourself in an elegant, almost futuristic dream. I’ve never seen nor met another artist with her perspective and the passion she brings to her work is utterly infectious. She inspires me to always move ahead -- but in the most beautiful way possible.

Shop Till You Drop - One day as I was wandering around Williamsburg looking for random street art to photograph I literally stumbled upon the most insane jewel box of a store filled with most eye-catching hairy eyeball graphics imaginable. Everything that makes a super skate geek happy can be found at Mishka, from signature print jeans to rare collectible toys to the aforementioned hairy eyeball pillows and caps. Plus, when you need to take a shopping break, you can chill and challenge your buds to a round on the in-store video arcade or just kick back and ogle the Adam Wallacavage squid chandelier that hangs almost menacingly in the center of the store. The clientele is as captivating as the merch, and the sales staff are so laid back you might not even realize they’re there. In other words, the perfect shopping experience.

Fiercely Correct Art - Besides being a talented photographer whose alterna-persona Rosie The Clown is known for beyond-scandalous performance art shenanigans and homo-erotic photos that feature him as a bizarre clown serving up a rather, ahem, large appendage, artist Paul Wirhun a.k.a. The Eggman is also an uber-talented artist working in a medium involving eggshells and found wood. Inspired by early modernist paintings, Asian ceramics, and Japanese prints, Wirhun painstakingly arranges thousands of eggshell fragments into surreal, sensuous collage/paintings depicting everything from a young man’s curvaceous backside to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Major Music - Mixing a powerful combination of funky dance, bluesy rock, and urban pop, add in beyond-energetic live performances with a powerful fashion sense that references everything from old school punk to The Guardian Angels and fierce fast food fashion finds, and you have Farrad. His new CD is called The Time Is Now, and the song to catch first is "The Way U Do." If you are not dancing your butt off within the first few seconds, you simply have no soul. Zipper harness by Sohung Designs.

Andrea Marshall's work consists mainly of self-portraits that explore the self in relation to traditional archetypal concepts of the nature of womanhood. She visually renders this juxtaposition through a symbiotic dialogue between history and contemporary culture. Through a range of media, including both painting and photography, she examines internal psychological conflict through personae reflecting the idealistic and tragic nature of the prototypical female. Through self-portraiture syncretized with symbolic female personae, she strives to connect rather than isolate the female experience and contribute to evolving yet eternal female imagery. I totally lifted all that from her bio, but on a personal note, I first met Andrea in 2003 when we both worked for at Gallaghers, a fashion archive and gallery on East 12th Street. She always impressed me as being not only extremely talented, but fiercely wise beyond her years. Just being in her presence was daily inspiration. I'm so happy to be back in touch with her and share her extremely correct work. Pictured above, Andrea's Bananas Blowing. After the jump, a self-portrait of the artist.

Fiercely Correct Art - Maria E. Pineres showing at DCKT. I’ve known Maria since she was a brilliantly before-her-time teen rocking Sprouse & Alaia at the 80s Palladium in the Mike Todd room. She’d done many things over the years: model, muse, OCD graphic-obsessed repetitive artist, best friend to too many count, interior decorator, proud aunt to Master Schellenbach, for the past 10 years creating the most insanely yet abstractly detailed needlepoints depicting vintage 60s & 70s porn imagery mostly, but also venturing into the arenas of fashion and celebrity portraiture (her Eminem is classically correct). Her new show was a chilled-out affair of old 80s pals reconnecting and getting a chance to catch an artist so obviously at the top of her form and selling out to boot. Go girl. Plus it was a blast sneaking cigs with fellow artist painter Erika Keck, whom I’ll be featuring soon. She in the painter of her generation to watch. TRUST.

Shop Till You Drop - Patricia Field has been ground zero for forward fashion seemingly forever, but her new featured hat collection by Trivia’l raises the bar. Designed by Neon Music, the hats are fiercely futuristic, severely surreal, and at times tastelessly tongue in chic. Upside-down black crucifixes are given a couture edge, while the skull is reinvigorated by a fresh sprinkling of black plumes. There's a showgirl on acid feeling throughout, but the novelty is tempered by a polished perfection and carefully crafted finish. Beyonce is a fan and picked up a not so subtle style to wear on her current tour. These creations are for the un-faint of heart who like to make a major entrance worthy of the most dedicated diva.

Last month, San Francisco’s very own legendary performance art troupe The Cockettes staged a wonderful show at the Bleeker Theater. What made it all so amazing was the inclusion of several of New York’s own special talents, highlighting the fact that the big A is in the middle of downtown cultural resurgence the likes of which we haven’t seen since Haoui Montaug & Anita Sarko’s infamous No Entiendes cabaret at the 80s nightclub Danceteria. Two of the biggest stars to first perform there were the queen of reinvention (and lover of oxygen facials) Madonna and the undisputed queen of performance art (and pissing off the NEA) Karen Finley. While the jury is still out in terms of who the future stars of tomorrow may be, it’s safe to say that their talent and impact on a new scene is immeasurable.

There’s something going on in New York that I haven’t quite felt since the early 80s, and no, it’s not the regurgitated-to-death 80s fashion revival that has captivated indie hipsters for way too long now. It’s a sense of buzz in the air -- an almost electric current of creativity that has long been missing. Maybe it’s because of the recession; after all, NYC has always historically been at its best when times are tough and people make do with what they have and not what they can simply buy. The streets are teeming with energy that pops up not only on people's fashionable backs, but in an explosion of new shops, off-the-hook found art, and a resurgence of kooky characters that may appear insane or homeless at first -- but on closer inspection turn out to be extremely entertaining and eclectic creatures that seem to have popped out of an updated version of City of Night instead of Bright Lights, Big City.