Charlotte Zinsser

In October of 2022, I passed by Bueno East Mart on the corner of Avenue A and East 3rd while on my lunch break. Taped to the crosswalk pole, there was a hand-drawn lottery advertisement:

“POWER

BALL

1, BILLIONS.

Hey, you never know!”

with a face drawn in the “O” of “POWER”. I loved the image, and the sentiment. I took a picture.

A few months later, I went to Bueno East Mart for an afternoon coffee, and saw that there was another lottery advertisement taped to the crosswalk pole. Printed in blue it read:

“MEGA

MILLIONS,”

And below it, drawn with marker:

“$790

Hey, you never know!

Try, your luck!”

with a face drawn in the “0” of “790”. It was clear it was drawn by the same hand that had created the previous flier. I took a picture, and a few days later, I decided to take the poster off the pole, and bring it to my studio. I felt bad taking it down, but couldn’t suppress the urge.

Almost a year later, in May of 2023, I asked the man at the deli counter who made the lottery drawings I had seen. He said, shyly, that he was the artist. I told him I started using the posters as inspiration for my own drawings, and asked for his permission to use the imagery. He was very gracious.

Shortly thereafter, I had Erin and Max of Haul gallery to my studio, and we decided this series would be the basis of the show. I felt that the creator of these initial drawings should be credited, so I went back to Bueno East Mart, and asked the man behind the counter if he would sign his name for me. He was reluctant at first, but then pulled out a ripped piece of a Marlboro cigarette carton and wrote “Perry Patel” at the top edge.

Thank you, Perry.