Las Vegas, 2009

Welcome to my 'digs', where I chill out when not making art...

After spending five years in a tiny, leaky wooden shack in North Myrtle Beach, I set two priorities for my home in Vegas...LOTS of room, and two bedrooms so I could separate my work from my relaxation. I wanted a home where I wouldn't have to dodge furniture and extention cords, and where books and videos would not hem in every square foot of my life!

Sterling Park has given me what I wanted, and then some! 900 sq. feet, a fireplace, a washer, dryer, and dishwasher, a porch so big that I can hang out, two swimming pools, a tennis court, and a full gym!

This is my home!



Entering Sterling Park...

After passing by a sign that announces you're at the complex, and probably getting lost as each building looks the same, you finally reach Building 8, where my 'pad' can be found...

My door...

Be warned, though, I live on the third floor, and the four flights of steps you have to climb are not for the faint of heart!


The LIVING ROOM...

My living room is framed by a white brick fireplace and the patio door, and is big enough to really sprawl out in!

Living Room

Beneath a framed poster of "Diamonds Are Forever" (filmed largely in Las Vegas), is my entertainment center, housing my TV, DVD player and VCR, a phonograph to play my LPs, and a selection of my albums and DVD collections. On the mantle of the fireplace, I've placed a collection of busts and collectibles, dating back to 1965. Above the fireplace is a terrific Mediterranean landscape framed print...The rocking chair in the center of the room has become 'prime' nap territory (see inserts)...

Living Room

Of course, some aren't impressed by my latest mantle acquisitions...
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Living Room

Living Room

The living room couch is a (rather uncomfortable) queen-sized sofa bed, with coffee and end tables; behind the furniture is a relief bust from "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and 3 cabinets and two small bookcases filled with my DVDs, and topped by Dean Martin stuff (including autographed photos of Martin and Jerry Lewis), Vegas memorabilia, Classical sculptures, and various collectibles. Bordered by a collection of Dean Martin/"Rat Pack" photos on one side, and Robert Mitchum signed photos on the other, the centerpiece of the wall is a marquee-sized Italian "Ocean's 11" poster (featuring the Rat Pack, naturally!)...


The DINING ROOM...

Dining Room

To the right on the Living Room is the mirrored Dining Room, with a table and chairs donated by my boss, Buddy Rose. I added a 4-foot curio I found at an antique store, where I keep most of my 'toys'!

Dining Room


The autographed photos surrounding the curio are among the favorites of my collection; on one side are Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Claudia Christian, Eva Marie Saint, and Angelina Jolie; on the other side are "Star Trek" stars Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and DeForrest Kelley, and a signed, framed print of the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds, presented to me for doing artwork for them!


The KITCHEN...

My Kitchen

The Kitchen, with a framed "Viva Las Vegas" print, is a neverending 'work in progress', as I'm always collecting pots and pans, dinner, glass, and silverware...I do cook, occasionally, but still like to 'be lazy', and pop in TV dinners!

There is also a 'water fountain' for the cats on the counter, and a cooler for fresh water; as I keep the cats' food dishes on the dining room table, mealtimes are an adventure, when everybody sits down to eat!

Pi and the Fountain... Pi and the Water Cooler...
Supper time!


The PATIO...

Patio

The Porch/Patio is one of my favorite places; I found a patio table and umbrella at a really seedy used furniture place, and added two chairs from Big Lots. After a year, I finally found a chaise lounge, to complete things!


I've spent many mornings and evenings here, enjoying the best times of a Vegas day with my cats...

Pi, Kit, and Gray!

The View

Talk about a VIEW! Beautiful greenery, and mountains in the distance!

The View, Part 2

It's an amazing panorama, even in the winter!

The View The View

Sunsets here are pretty spectacular, too...as are sunrises!


The STUDIO/STUDY...

My Relief Sculptures

Walking down a short hallway, lined with relief sculptures I've purchased, over the years (including the last 'intact' Bosson head of my collection), a cool framed Tiger relief (from the West Virginia State Fair), a George Reeves/Superman tribute (featuring a life mask of the actor), and my portraits of my cats, you come to the guest bedroom that serves as my 'Studio/Study'...

My Study The cats invade the 'Puter Pi on the 'Puter


The 'Studio/Study' houses my drawing table, computer, music cds, books, favorite inscribed photos, assorted nick-nacks, even a few bottles of wine! I spend a lot of time in here, working on drawings, reading, websurfing, writing reviews and articles, or just daydreaming, while the cats contemplate ways to distract me...

My Study


September, 2008 saw the arrival of a new computer and printer (which Gray has declared as his own!)

My Study

My Study


The BATHROOM...

Bathroom Bathroom Bathroom

Well, a bath is a bath, so what can I say? I put my "Three Graces" relief sculpture in here (the third copy of it...they always seem to get broken!), and, after 5 years of only having a shower in North Myrtle Beach, it's been nice to finally have a TUB!!!


The BEDROOM...

My Boudoir

I LOVE my bedroom! I have my first KING-SIZE bed, which is wonderful, some very cool framed nude art prints and a relief statue, and LOTS of room!!!

Statue at door
Pi
Kit

And yes, I admit it...I often share my bed with a beautiful girl, and watch TV with the kids!

My chester drawers

I actually found a large mirror for only $49, to place over a dresser Buddy donated to me; as you can see, my stuffed animal collection has found a new home...

A comfy chair

Ah, there's nothing like a comfy chair to play on!


The WALK-IN CLOSET/LAUNDRY ROOM...

My 'Closet'

The washer and dryer are actually in my walk-in closet (with a reproduction of the 1836 Alamo flag, above them...which, hopefully, doesn't piss-off my Mexican maids too much!), and I have plenty of space for clothes, linens, books, photo albums, and my many boxes of autographed photos...and lots of great places to snooze...


As you can see, I share my home with my feline family...first with Candy, a brown Tabby who came with me from South Carolina, but ran away, and was eventually 'adopted' by a secretary in the Management Office; and now with three 'kids', Gray, a big, sweet-natured Russian Blue; Pi, an affectionate, chubby Calico; and Kit, a feisty but loving Siamese/Tabby mix!

Pi, Kit, and Gray!

Pi, Kit, and Gray!

The Kids really run my place, attempting to 'rearrange' everything, and keeping me on my toes!

They've even got their own website! Visit them at The CAT Page!


If you'd like to 'catch up' on my day-to-day adventures here in Las Vegas, stop by "An Artist's Biography: New Beginnings, Myrtle Beach and Las Vegas", for the latest in my continuing saga!



Hope you enjoyed your brief visit! Drop me a line, sometime, okay?

BEN BURGRAFF
2800 S. EASTERN AVENUE
APT 824
LAS VEGAS, NV
89169





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Now that you've stopped by my home, feel free to enjoy some of my ART pages...
Introduction Page / Caricature Homepage / Caricature Gallery / My Credentials / The Roxy Collection / Famous Faces Gallery / My Art on Other Internet Sites / From the Artist's Studio / My 'Shooting Gallery' / Amazon.com: So You'd Like to...Draw Caricatures!

...and pages devoted to some of my OTHER interests, too!
My Personal Homepage / My Celebrity Photo Album / My Autographed Photo Collection / My TV and Movie Reviews for IMDb / My Amazon.com Reviews and Buying Guides / My Cat Page / My MIDI Collection / SUPERMAN, Then and Now / CHARMED! / Bond, JAMES BOND! / My JOHN WAYNE Tribute Page / My A-Team Mini-Site / My Man from U.N.C.L.E. Mini-Site / My LOST WORLD Mini-Site / My CLASSIC Star Trek Mini-Site / My BUCK ROGERS in the 25th CENTURY Mini-Site / My FLASH GORDON Mini-Site / IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD / The SHARPE Saga!

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