Once a month, we got to spend the day at Arthur’s studio downtown. While the nature of the photo shoot changed every issue, there was one constant, even on the dreariest of NYC days: Arthur’s unwavering, palpable excitement, which you could feel as soon as the elevator door opened on his floor. He always had a wide grin on his face, accented by squinty eyes under his trademark thick black glasses.
Remembering: Pilates Style Photo Gallery
He would do anything to make you laugh; I can still hear his goofy giggle. He embodied a “people person,” making even the most timid subject feel confident—and making me and my fellow staff members feel like family. One time, Pilates teacher Daria Pace flew in to shoot a story about working with “real” Pilates students. (Arthur had also photographed her mother, Romana Kryzaowska, before her death in 2013.) Our model fell through at the last minute, and before we knew it, Arthur had volunteered to fill in (see photo at right). Seeing him “model” was hilarious.
He had no trouble making fun of himself to get a good laugh— and a good shot. He saved the day, as he did so many other times. Arthur was such a genuinely kind and generous soul and talent, who had a huge personality. When he was diagnosed with ALS four years ago at age 57, one can only imagine his devastation, though you’d never know it. Together with his wife Janet Coviello, whom he loved dearly, he turned something awful into something good: His line of pickles called PickALS aims to raise awareness and funds for ALS. For more information and to snag a jar, visit pickals.org. We like to think his work with us helped him as he faced this terrible illness: He did Pilates at Align Wellness Studio in Millburn, NJ, even after he needed to use a wheelchair. Arthur, thanks for making this world a better, more beautiful and more fun place to be.
