August 19, 2025
Location, location, location.
Whether it’s the Paris of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, the New Mexico of Georgia O’Keeffe, or the Tahiti of Paul Gauguin, a particular place has often served as an artist’s Muse. For Len Cicio, that place is Inwood. The Gazette crossed Len’s path on Saturday at the Farmers Market on Isham Street. There, under a blazing hot Sun, he stood alongside a table displaying some of his art in the form of tote bags, calendars, and teeshirts. Familiar sights including the Cloisters, the elevated 1 train tracks, and the Nature Center inspire his work. The paintings he’s created since moving up here 3 decades ago comprise an extensive survey of “Upstate Manhattan,” as seen by an artist trained in textile design at FIT and drafting.
Len took a break from art for a few years while making a name for himself in the real estate business. He returned to it awhile back and is hard at work putting it out there now. His first public showing up here was at the Indian Road Cafe, which is now the Inwood Farm. His work can be seen in the lobby of a new apartment building on Seaman Avenue, and he’s planning to invite some friends and neighbors to his studio in September. Len’s art reflects not only this place, but the artist’s experience of it. “The 1st thing I chose to draw was the subway because it’s where I spend my life.” Next time you’re at the Farmers Market, stop by and say hello to Len Cicio and support his art.
