In a short period of time, he transitioned from abstract art to graffiti, a change that intrigued de Kooning, according to Haze, who was raised in Manhattan. She advised him to listen to his artistic inspirations in the moment. By the early 1980s, he joined Soul Artists, a prominent graffiti group in NYC, and displayed his work alongside Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat at MoMA PS1. He also exhibited at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery and later showcased his nonfigurative paintings worldwide. Instead of living as a secluded artist, he started a successful design business with notable clients such as the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, and LL Cool J. In recent years, he has created clothing and spaces for Nike and the Standard Hotel. In 2013, he married actress Rosie Perez and lived a very collaborative and social life. However, everything changed when he began his artist residency at the Elaine de Kooning house in December. He stated that his main goal was to relearn how to paint. He spoke from a studio with a large window wall overlooking the empty woods in East Hampton. Dozens of his newly painted views of the studio, done in shades of gray, stood out against de Kooning's colorful portrait of Haze and his sister on one wall. His earliest abstract paintings, done in vibrant colors as a child under her guidance, were displayed alongside his new portrait of de Kooning, featuring wild hair and intense eyes, with a cigarette in hand. After spending many nights painting until dawn, he felt the spirit of de Kooning guiding him to paint people, starting with himself. It wasn't until recently that he felt ready to paint Elaine, and in the past few weeks, he has made significant progress. Many people, faced with isolation during quarantine, have also found solace in their own creative abilities. Many artists, writers, and composers relish the opportunity to be awarded prestigious residencies in remote locations, even in harsh climates. However, during a pandemic, the additional isolation can be challenging for even the most resilient artists. Pat Phillips, currently on a painting residency in Provincetown, Massachusetts, expressed that the enforced isolation can be difficult for those not accustomed to it. While his long days are made easier by the presence of his wife, fellow artist Coady Brown, community interactions and events have been cancelled, making the experience even more isolating. Dune walks and potluck dinners featuring local clams have been suspended for now. Richard MacMillan, the executive director of the organization, noted that the residents, who were very social this year, are now feeling isolated. Despite this, the organization has decided to continue operating during the quarantine period. Many other residency programs, such as the Studios at MASS MoCA, the Vermont Studio Center, Ucross in Wyoming, the American Academy in Rome, and Watermill Center, have closed. Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, New York, also shut down. However, a few residency programs, including Djerassi in California and Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Nebraska, have been able to remain open by implementing new safety measures. Paolo Arao, a Brooklyn artist who recently returned from a three-month residency at Bemis, stated that the previous month had been filled with distractions due to the news. Despite this, he found Nebraska to be a safer place with fewer COVID cases than his home. The Elaine de Kooning House residency, where only one artist stays at a time, proved to be well-suited for sheltering in place. The director of programming, Katherine McMahon, mentioned that the arrangement of having the artist, Haze, work at night while she was active during the day was beneficial in minimizing interactions during self-quarantine. Haze, who often worked long hours on his paintings, would take breaks outside for a cigarette, promising his wife that he would quit when he returned home. “At this moment, any distractions would disrupt my focus,” Haze explained. In early April, amidst the chaos of the pandemic in New York City, the sound of sirens could be heard while an open door to de Kooning’s former studio allowed the peaceful sounds of birds and rustling tree branches to filter in. Haze sat on a stool in front of a recently completed self portrait, reminiscent of de Kooning, with a cigarette in hand, surrounded by a plethora of art supplies including paint, brushes, and cleaning products. He joked about having enough materials to last through any catastrophe. On the wall, his paintings of de Kooning and Kennedy created a reflective effect, bridging the gap between past and present. Close by, he was working on a portrait of his grandfather as a young immigrant. Being alone in his studio allowed him to remember his grandfather and other people from his past vividly. He mentioned that Elaine had been a spiritual influence during this time and that he had developed strong feelings for her. Despite planning to leave the next day, he found himself still painting a week later. He pointed out that Elaine used to say that obsession is a crucial part of the process. This information is from around 2020 and is copyrighted by The New York Times Company.