I just had a verified Peter Tunney experience in New York City.
It all started on 5th Avenue in the Village, and ended in his studio in TriBeCa.
Here’s what happened.
10:10am
Joe Coffee in Union Square.
I leave my apartment to go get some decaf coffee at Joe Coffee on East 13th St, near 5th Avenue.
I’m talking to my mother while I walk.
I’m wearing my Museums Are F***ing Awesome shirt, which my company Museum Hack sells.
10:15am
Someone yelled at me.
“Hey, Nick!” Someone yells from an Uber-looking VIP SUV on 5th Avenue and West 12th Street.
Peter Tunney is an enigma.
It is Peter Tunney in the car.
He is driving.
I met Peter Tunney in Miami a few years ago at a BREAKOUT event… Peter Tunney is an enigma. I have a lot of respect for him.
I say hello, and I invite myself to ride with him downtown.
Because it is Peter Tunney. And he seems like he’d be OK with that.
He says yes, I hop in, and we go racing down Fifth Avenue.
This is Peter Tunney, an NYC visual artist, magician, former trader.
10:25am
Not actually Peter Tunney’s child, but similar. And with clothes on.
Peter pulls the car over on the side of the road to show me pictures of his 2-year-old son running naked through a farm upstate. My favorite was one in a kayak on a crystal clear river.
Peter Tunney’s actual son, source: @petertunneyart on Instagram
10:35am
His GIANT Polaroid camera.
We arrive at Peter’s giant semi-secret Polaroid studio in TriBeCa. Andy Warhol stories, special space, etc. Hard to describe but very cool.
10:40am
NYPD is fast on the draw.
Peter Tunney gets a parking ticket.
I text my friend Ari Meisel asking about the commercial license “hack” for gallery owners.
Peter Tunney tells me, “Quit that right now. I had commercial plates before you were born.”
10:45am
Chuck Close, credit: Talking Simian
Chuck Close arrives to use the studio. I am in awe, more so than before.
Chuck Close, credit: Art Now and Then
I got to shake his hand!
10:50am
I took this picture today in Tunney’s main studio in NYC.
We go to Peter Tunney’s main studio, The Peter Tunney Experience.
83 Leonard St in New York City. Peter Tunney’s Studio.
The Peter Tunney Experience is three floors of his studio located at 83 Leonard St in New York City.
View from inside Peter’s studio in TriBeCa.
I spend the next 90 minutes exploring, watching Peter make art, looking at some favorites, rifling through drawers, and finally – handling the art and carrying some large paintings around.
Flat file drawers. You know it’s a stock photo because the women in his studio were not at all dressed like this.
He also has a big gallery space at the Wynwood Walls in Miami, Florida
Inside Peter Tunney’s main studio, I really liked these!
12:20pm
I leave.
Peter gives me the gift of a screen print.
Peter gave me this at the end of my visit.
The end.
I went home, reminded of the magic random moments that living in a large city filled with dynamic people. Thank you Peter Tunney for the energy that you bring and the art empire you’ve built.
Want to join me for a tour of his studio? I think I can get back in, and we can explore and I’ll share some of the stories I heard. Email me!
Peter in front of some of his artwork, photo I found online.