Jon Kalish

It isn't easy to make money as an artist these days, but three crafty New Yorkers are managing to sell their work — and make a living — outside the traditional gallery system.

Scheinman is an in-demand violinist who's appeared with Aretha Franklin, Bill Frisell and Lou Reed. She also plays classical music with string quartets and orchestras, and has released many albums of instrumental jazz. But her latest album, Jenny Scheinman, features her singing.

Fred Katz wrote for film in Hollywood, accompanied Harpo Marx on piano and taught college anthropology, all as a high-school dropout. But that was after he played with the Chico Hamilton quintet — and brought the cello into modern jazz.

Last spring, 32 previously unknown paintings thought to be the work of Jackson Pollock were found. The foundation representing the artist's estate doubts their authenticity.

Lionel Ziprin is running out of time to make good on his promise to share his grandfather's traditional Jewish music with the world. Rabbi Nuftali Zvi Margolies Abulafia was recored by famed ethnomusicologist Harry Smith in the 1950s.