In just a few years, he transitioned from abstract art to graffiti, which caught the attention of de Kooning. Haze, who grew up in Manhattan, remembered how she told him that artists must listen to their creative inspirations in the moment. By the early 1980s, he joined Soul Artists, a prominent graffiti group in New York City, and displayed his work alongside Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat at MoMA PS1. He also exhibited at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery and later sold his nonfigurative paintings internationally. Instead of living a solitary artist lifestyle, he started a successful design business with clients such as the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, and LL Cool J. Recently, he has been involved in creating clothing and designing spaces for Nike and the Standard Hotel. In 2013, he tied the knot with actress Rosie Perez and led a very collaborative and social lifestyle. However, everything changed when he began his artist's residency at the Elaine de Kooning house in December. His main objective for being there was to rediscover his passion for painting. Speaking from a studio in East Hampton with a large window overlooking the desolate woods, he explained that he had painted numerous views of the studio in various shades of gray. These paintings starkly contrasted with de Kooning's colorful portrait of Haze and his sister hanging on one wall. His earliest abstract paintings, which were done in vibrant colors and created when he was a child under her guidance, were displayed separately. In the middle was his bold new portrait of de Kooning, with untamed hair and intense eyes, holding a cigarette in one hand. After spending countless nights painting until dawn, he described feeling de Kooning's presence guiding him to paint portraits of people, starting with himself. It wasn't until recently that he felt ready to paint Elaine, and he believes he has made significant progress in the past few weeks. Like many others during quarantine, he has relied on his own creativity to navigate isolation and shape his days. Many artists, writers, and composers value the opportunity to retreat to remote locations and challenging climates for prestigious residencies. However, the current pandemic has added an extra layer of isolation that can be difficult, even for the most resilient artists. Pat Phillips, who is currently participating in a painting residency in Provincetown, Massachusetts, finds the enforced isolation challenging, especially during the offseason when the town feels desolate. Despite having his wife, fellow artist Coady Brown, with him, the absence of community interactions and events has made the isolation even more pronounced. Dune walks and potluck dinners featuring local clams have been put on hold. Richard MacMillan, the executive director of the organization, noted that the residents who were once very social have now become isolated. While many residency programs such as MASS MoCA, Vermont Studio Center, Ucross, American Academy in Rome, and Watermill Center have shut down during the quarantine months, a few like Djerassi and Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts have managed to stay open with new safety measures in place. Paolo Arao, a Brooklyn artist who recently completed a three-month residency at Bemis, mentioned that the previous month had been filled with distracting news. Despite this, he felt safer in Nebraska due to the low number of COVID cases compared to his home. The Elaine de Kooning House residency, which only accommodates one artist at a time, proved to be well-suited for sheltering in place. The artist, Haze, was assisted by a single staff member who left meals and fresh-baked cookies on the other side of the building. Katherine McMahon, the director of programming, explained in early April that the arrangement allowed for minimal interactions during self-quarantine. Haze, who often worked through the night, would take breaks outside splattered in paint for a cigarette, while McMahon would wave and chat from a safe distance. Haze mentioned his intention to quit smoking once he returned home. "At the moment, I find it too distracting and it would disrupt my focus." In early April, amidst the chaos of the pandemic in New York City, the sound of birds and rustling tree branches filled de Kooning's former studio through an open door. Haze sat before a self-portrait he had recently finished, depicting his younger self leaning against a car with a cigarette, resembling de Kooning's own portrait nearby. Surrounded by Clorox wipes, surgical gloves, and an abundance of painting supplies, Haze joked about being prepared to paint through any catastrophe. His studio also featured a large painting of de Kooning painting Kennedy, creating a nostalgic reflection of the past in the present. In the vicinity, he was working on a portrait of his immigrant grandfather as a young boy. He credited his time alone in the residence for helping him vividly recall memories of various people from his past. He mentioned that Elaine had been a source of spiritual guidance during this time and that he had developed strong feelings for her. Despite planning to return home the next day, he found himself still painting a week later, even amidst the chaos. He pointed out that as Elaine used to mention, obsession is a crucial aspect of the process. This information is from around 2020 and is owned by The New York Times Company.