A Phoenix from the Ashes

In December of 2001, I visited the site of the World Trade center in order to pay my respects.  What I remember most vividly was the smell and the wreckage, the closed businesses.  That year, I had been working for the Racine Center for the arts and one of the artists I represented was George Pocheptsov, but better known to me as "Georgie."  Above is the cover of the book I have been working on about him for all of these years since.  He has since gone on to study medicine at Harvard.  The photo is a partial view of his painting titled "Towers of Mercy" which was inspired by the events of 9/11/2001.  He said, "The world was split in two, with both a light side and a dark side.  From the light side there is a Phoenix rising from the Ashes."  This is my first public posting ever about this book.  It seemed a suitable time to publish it, to remind people about the beauty of the world.  One of my favorite things about selling art in working for Mike and Cynthia Golonka, was that every day, I got to be surrounded by both beautiful and breath-taking pieces of art.  I dedicate this post to George's mother Dubrava.  We sure are proud of your son, and I thank you so much for all the fun times we had together!  I still have that silly Russian Blue cat that you gave to me, Gracy, among all the other gifts that you shared with me in our wonderful friendship together.  Perhaps the publishing world is ready to publish such a book.  I hope so, it has been a long time in the making, a pure endeavor of the heart.  Thank you,

Matthew Phillip Lazin