The Brooklyn Rail

This photo was taken at my thesis exhibition at the Yale School of Art in 1991, when I had the privilege of meeting Richard Serra. He responded positively to my work and asked about my plans after graduation. I mentioned that I might return to California, to which he said, “You should come to NYC—all young artists should be there.” I jokingly asked, “If I do, will you hire me?” He gave me his phone number and encouraged me to call if I made the move. I took him up on his offer and spent a couple years in his world, assisting his assistant, Allen Glatter, and working on his large-scale drawings.

Richard's generosity extended far beyond professional support. He gave my wife and me two hundred dollars as a wedding gift—quite a large sum at the time. There are many other stories of his kindness to me as a young artist, but I'll save those for another day. Although it was many years ago, the experience profoundly influenced my artistic journey in numerous positive ways. Thank you so much, Richard, with love and gratitude!