Daily Archive

Jim Power’s new digs, originally uploaded by Lorcan Otway.

Last Saturday, the police and sanitation department came and took away Jim’s tent and threw out some of his possessions. He moved into a work site, where he is doing a mosaic front for a restaurant. I have seen the drawings and beginnings of the new work, it is really wonderful. Jessie Jane is well and happy. It is a good temporary place for him.

Team Power, originally uploaded by Lorcan Otway.

Mosaic man, Jim Power with one of his mosaic posts in NY

Jim Power, “Mosaic Man” was named NewYorker of the Month, Jan. 2005, for more information on Jim http://askanewyorker.com/newyorker.php?page=Jan05 

Jim Power - Blue Grout, originally uploaded by Lorcan Otway.

blue shirt, blue cup, blue ten, blue fingers… latter, blue all over Jim’s face… all the same blue…

Jim patches the tent for the rain, originally uploaded by Lorcan Otway.

Homeless Mosaic Artist Jim Power repairs his tent in the rain, on St. Marks Place. In the forground are some of the planters on which he is working. His mosaic lamposts are in most NYC guidebooks.

Jim at work, Jessie at rest…, originally uploaded by Lorcan Otway.

Jim Power was born in Ireland, Wexford or Waterford, forget which one, I will have to ask him. He came to the us in his mid teens, and joined the US army to get his citizenship by fighting in Vietnam. he was a waist gunner on a helicopter, and is sure his bad eyesight kept him from killing anyone, on any particular side…
I began to notice mosaic covered lamposts several decades back… Jim was creating his mosaic mile. That began a battle between Jim and the city, Jim armed with bits of plate, stone and glass, and the city with gray paint and scrapers. So far… Jim’s winning.
He has been a squatter on St. Marks Place, for all the time I have known him. Recently he was removed from his squat, and many believe he was the last squatter on St. Marks Place, once the Haight Ashbury of New York, the center of Hippie culture.
I am not sure how old Jessie Jane Power is, his better half. She is the kindest dog I have ever met. I have only heard her bark to invite other dogs to play. She now lives with Jim in a blue plastic tent in front of the building in which they squatted and from which they were removed.
Jim’s work adorns table tops in many of the cafe’s and restaurants in the neighborhood. He has done store fronts and signs in mosaic for local businesses.

Jeannie Linam, originally uploaded by savinca.

This is the only person’s name on the mosaic bench, so I’m thinking that it is the artist’s signature. Houston, Texas

Bench in the Galleria area, originally uploaded by savinca.

There is only one person’s name on the bench, Jeannie Linam, so I am assuming that it is the artist’s signature. Houston, Texas