Ask a New Yorker: What do you think of this sculpture behind us?
Tamara: I love it. It’s beautiful. It’s huge and really monumental.
Ask a New Yorker. That it is. Do you have a creative edge?
Tamara: Well I’m an art therapist. I make lots of art. I just graduated actually from NYU two months ago.
Ask a New Yorker: Congratulations. Very cool. Pray tell. Explain.
Tamara: Well it’s pretty much a bridge between Psychology and art. You work with various populations. Mostly therapy sessions, talk therapy but they have the opportunity to make art during the sessions. That’s me in a nut shell.
Ask a New Yorker: I think this priest next to us could use some art therapy. Another student film I see.
Tamara: Well there are always lots of things going on in this park which is why I usually like coming here. You never feel alone because there are so many things going on. (Tamara giggles)
Ask a New Yorker: Your right this park definitely shakes. Pardon the pun, but the Shake Shack line is ridiculously long.
Tamara: The food is really good. But it depends on how much tome you have and if your willing to wait. Sometimes it’s worth it depending on how hungry you are.
Ask a New Yorker: You’ve had the burger?
Tamara: I have. I usually just get the shake burger. Sometimes I put cheese on it. I usually don’t like to wait in line.
Ask a New Yorker: I just don’t get the line. 1-10 rate the burger.
Tamara: I’d give it a 7. It’s pretty good.
Ask a New Yorker: Are you a native New Yorker?
Tamara: Yes, I am. I grew up in Brooklyn New York. I live in Williamburg. I commute to the city everyday to go to work. Yea, I’m a New Yorker.
Ask a New Yorker: Where the hipsters live?
Tamara: I don’t know if I’m a hipster. But I definitely love Williamsburg it has a really cool feel to it. It really feels like the lower east side no. I like that a lot. I live near the south side where there’s a very big Hasidic community. I really think that’s what makes this city great, so many different cultures to explore and different food. It’s just great.
Ask a New Yorker: Do you dream at night?
Tamara: That’s a very interesting question? I actually don’t remember most of my dreams unless it’s a nightmare.(giggles) I presume we all dream at times but I don’t remember most of them, unfortunately.
Ask a New Yorker: My next question, as I stumble articulating it. You can probably read my mind.
Tamara: Yes I can. I have a bone condition which has made me short in stature. I sound much younger then I really am. I’m 26. I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta. It’s very similar to Osteoporosis only being this is sort of a genetic mutation that happens at birth
I’ve definitely face many challenges just because people usually initially aren’t sure if I’m a child, am I alone do you need help? I do love that about human nature and the human spirit that we’re all willing to help one another. So my challenges is just presenting at the professional. You know I’m o.k. (giggles) I know where I’m going and know what I’m doing. But I do appreciate everyone’s help.
Ask a New Yorker: Regarding the terms handicap and disabled. There’s seems like there’s a stigma attached ….what’s the most appropriate description?
Tamara: Actually nowadays I really just wish to be called Tamara which is my name. But honestly I think disabled is more of a modern term and probably most appropriate right now. I’m sure in the next ten years it will be something else. So for now disabled is fine.
Ask a New Yorker: I’m really happy I stopped you and said hello and gave you my card the other day.
Tamara: Thank you. I meet a lot of really interesting people in New York City. Sometimes I meet really nice people, very friendly people. And sometimes I meet some weirdo’s.
Ask a New Yorker: Would you say that New York is a wheel chair friendly environment or not.
Tamara: Yes I would say that about 95% of New York is really accessible, really accommodating. There are some places that are sort of grand fathered in. So for historic reason for some buildings and so forth they don’t have to make it adaptable. But that is not as common. So I don’t have much trouble getting around the city.
Ask a New Yorker; How about the new controversial taxis fleet not being wheel chair accessible.
Ask a New Yorker; How about the new controversial taxis fleet not being wheel chair accessible.
Tamara: It is. I’ve taken quite a few accessible cabs before and I really like the idea. My only thing is that just myself being able to flag down a cab is just not doable (giggles) because no one sees me. I love being noticed with my light up there. But it wouldn’t work for me. But if there was a way to sort of maybe phone in a cab or maybe a button you could press to dispatch the cab to you that would be much easier.
Ask a New Yorker: Let’s weave back to your creativity. (At this Point Tamara asks if I would take out her sketch book which are in the back of her wheel chair) these are very good sketches. What artists have influenced you?
Tamara: My favorite artist is Rembrandt. I like Gorky. I also like Edward Hopper. A lot of the greats, Monet, Chagal but Rembrandt is definitely my favorite.
Ask a New Yorker: Tamara you have such a beautiful upbeat attitude. How do you keep so positive?
Tamara: I think it is really important to stay in the positive. I think if you think positive thoughts and feel positive you’ll sort of be generated by positivity and that’s sort of what I live by.
What do you think of the idea Ask a New Yorker?
Tamara: I think it’s a great idea because I feel that a lot of us get tunnel vision and are just always on the go, go, go that we forget that we’re in a city with so many other people. It’s really important to interact with people. I think it’s a great way to do so.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002540/
