How a Homeless New Yorker Became a Local Celebrity

(Knock, knock) – Ah-ha-ha! How are you? – Hoo! He-he-he! – Come on in! – How are you, mister? – I'm good. – Mister Mosaic man! Why is your name Mosaic Man? – Well, I've been building these pretty wild mosaics for about 30 years, and.. You know, paying tribute to things, people, streets, you know, friends... – That's beautiful! – Very good friend, Julie Powell. – You become kind of a local celebrity or even New York celebrity from this? – Yeah. – Yes! Congratulations on that! How, how, how did you find your talent doing this? – Well, I started out doing, after I got out of the service, wanted to do a lot of work to burn my stress off, I started doing stone work and then ended up, you know, doing the light poles and stuff, which have become quite famous now in the city. – Which area can you see your work? – This is the Astor Place area. – OK? – And.. So they're planning on doing a whole bunch of work here.. – Right! – ..Putting to work right in the center. So, you know, that and... It's been a struggle all the way along. – Yeah. But you also had struggles, like, earlier in your life, with being homeless? – I.. I.. I have been homeless for many years. – How long did you... Like, how long were you homeless for? – I was homeless 25 years. – Wow, how did you survive it? – Yeah, it's a long time.. You don't survive, you just hope hopefully get through it all. – But do you have something that reminds you of your time as being homeless? – This is an artifact from.. – Oh? Nice. – ...From many years ago. I wore it down to David Dinkins' open house. – Yeah! – And, you know, got to.. He was.. He was a very nice man because when I had been living in Woodstock, he sent me a letter up to Woodstock, and thanking me for bringing a tile sank(?) save New York City. – Wooow! – And out of the blue he sent me a letter to Woodstock on the anniversary of Woodstock, why would the Mayor even do that? – That's a compliment! – Nice man, nice man. – Do you have something from a Mayor or some other.. Someone else that's been recognizing your work? – The proclamation's on the wall there, from Mayor Bloomberg. – Oh, really?! – Yes. Hall of Fame award.. – Yeah? – And.. I have a Hall of Fame, I got a Hall of Fame thing from City Awards, to try and subway talk (?) – Uh, you- – I know you're timing is... Yeah. Hall of Fame award. – Can I ask, because you say your master plan is to draw the anxiety out of the city with beauty? – Yes. – Is there too much anxiety in New York? – There's nothing but! – He-he-he. – You have a lot of people living here that don't maybe have a lot of social life. – Right. – They go in, they're watching TV or something, so I'm outside working and become part of the neighborhood. – Uh-huh? – In fact, after 9/11, I deliberately went out the next day with a big giant flag just to be seen outside. – Wow. – To calm people. But no, my, the work definitely uplift the spirits and it's... They're gonna have a lot of catching up to do. To put it that way. – But your work is spirit, and it's colorful and it's joyful. – And it's out there- – It is! – In the greatest neighborhood in the world: The East Village! – Why do you love New York? Very fast, before we leave! – Best people in the world here. – Thank you very much! – OK! – Now, enjoy your rest of your day! – OK! – Bye-bye! – Ha-ha-ha