Audrey Code
1972-now
Still live at 70 Grand St.
The Grand St. Artists Coop 64-66-70Grand St
and The Wooster Group 31 Wooster
I am a painter as was my late husband Alan Kleiman
who passed away in Dec. 2016.
The spirit of early Soho-there were only a few of us then-and most of us knew each other.
We could let our dog Commando out without a leash in the evening when all the trucks were gone.
I miss the quiet streets at night after a raucous daytime with trucks and workers everywhere. And the commaraderie of artist neighbors.
There were few stores here then-and the closest was Grand Union. So it was a trek even if all you needed was a quart of milk and bread.
So many memories-we used to have home grown street parades,the stuff that was thrown out in the street and we'd collect treasures. Probably the camaraderie of neighbors helping each other is what I really miss.
Having shows in early galleries-Hansen Gallery on Wooster St. and Frank Marino Gallery on Broome St. where Gourmet Garage is now.
I loved Saturdays when galleries were all open and we would see old and new friends at openings.Our coop THE GRAND sT artists COOP is still alive and well as well as THE WOOSTER GROUP which is part of our coop
Early Soho had few kids- our daughter Andrea Kleiman went to school in the Village and had only a few friends her age in Soho.
We've seen Soho change so much from an artist and manufacturing community to an upscale area of NYC.
I thank Sean and his committee for keeping Soho free of tall buildings and commercial stores. I just wish city politicians weren't so hot to spoil our community.