Louisburg Square

"Louisburg Square - Boston"

6x12 acrylic on canvas

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This "Slice of Life" is from Boston Massachusetts and it is what I refer to as a "re-paint." I originally painted this scene as a 9x12 version for a Virtual Paintout challenge. The original sold (rather quickly) - but I always thought it would make a great slice painting. So I always had it on that to-do list - you know, the paintings you always plan to do!

When I started planning for the 2015 Art in the Park show, I took a look at my to-do list for those scenes that I could do that would work well in a 6x12. This scene worked for me - it's the lamp post! So it was added to the list for the show. 

This painting is still available, as a 6x12, on canvas mounted on hardboard. It has a hanger on the back, along with 2 spacers, which allow this to hang & sit off the wall as if floating. It could be framed as well or stood on a shelf or small easel. 

Cityscape in Rectangles - SOLD

"Cityscape in Rectangles"

9x12 acrylic on canvas panel

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously painted in 2011, 

this painting is now on a 1-week auction at DPW

at a very affordable starting bid!

This was previously painted for a DPW challenge. We were to paint any subject, using only squares & making each square a new color or value. Quite the challenge!

Using only squares I could only think of the city buildings - not only their shape but their windows all echo the square shape. But then I mixed & remixed colors, then put down only 1 rectangle of color before remixing and applying another. It makes you think, that's for sure! 

But I think the 1 thing that makes this painting is the curved line of the street light. It's the only non-rectangle in the painting & it adds the perfect final touch I think!

Lima

"Lima"

8x10 acrylic inks, paints & wash

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This piece is for the October Virtual Paintout, which is in Lima Peru. I ran rather late this month, and although there is an hour of October left, I failed to capture the link for this location! I only did that once before, and was able to salvage it by roaming again - but there isn't time this month. If I do track it down, I will add the link here. UPDATE: I found the link again & in time: Click here to view!!

This was done in a similar style to the Bellagio piece I posted on here previously. Using acrylic inks, then using paints & washes to fill in. It's more of an illustration style, I think.

I enjoyed doing this, even if I did miss out on the VPO this month. Well, we will see where we travel for November soon - and I will make a point of getting that link recorded properly!

Denver's Sakura Square

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas panel

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously painted in 2012, 

this painting is now on a 1-week auction at DPW

at a very affordable starting bid!

I love busy street scenes and I love to paint a piece of life that is in action. No one is posed and no one is facing the camera, which is good. That would make it more of a portrait, and that is a totally different challenge for me! I did take a smaller slice of the photo for my painting and tried to focus on the shapes and colors. 

This actually took a bit longer to do than I thought it would, but there are numerous shapes and many different color shifts. But those red umbrellas - those are what captured my attention in the first place so they had to be in the painting and be prominent.

Meet Me at Macy's - SOLD

8x10 acrylic on canvas panel

Available through DPW auction/gallery

Previously painted in September of 2012, this painting is now on a 1-week auction at DPW at a very affordable price!

Macy's Herald Square - a very large store located in midtown Manhattan. Yes, there are Macy stores in the suburbs, in fact there are 3 Macy's stores easily in driving distance from my home. But the store in Manhattan, that is a true landmark located on 34th Street. It is their flagship store - built in 1901. It is well known for the Macy's Day Parade, but also for it's Holiday windows. There is also a spring flower show that is outstanding. The building itself is on the National Registry of Historic buildings.

You can also see as you look up 34th street, the Empire State Building. It was the tallest building in NYC until the World Trade Center towers were built, and now the Freedom tower has taken that title. The views from the top are outstanding. If you are ever in NYC, be sure to put both of these historic buildings on your list to visit!

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On a separate note, I need to show you what I purchased from another artist recently. I won this wonderful piece at auction on DPW - I could not resist this! Isn't it fascinating? Measuring 6x6 inches it is a kaleidoscope of colors & movement.

This wonderful piece is done by artist Tommy B. McDonell - click here for her website. And you can find her DPW gallery by clicking here.

She creates using inks and combines a blow dryer to achieve the movement in her pieces. Some are total abstracts while others have a connection to their subject. I find her work fascinating, and they are very affordable! Stop by either her website or her gallery. You will not be disappointed!

Reflecting on the Freedom Tower

Acrylic on 8x10 canvas panel

Available through DPW gallery/auction

I took a walk one lunch hour a few weeks ago. My usual lunch walking buddy could not leave that day, so I wandered about on my own. I had my iPhone in hand and just walked down to Battery Park, which is not far away from my office. 

It was a beautiful day, sun out full force but the air hadn't gotten that hot, humid summery feel to it yet. People were out everywhere - walking, talking, bicycling, skating. The tour boats were busy coming & going, giving all the tourists a view of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island.

And as I wandered out of the park that day, I was struck with the fact that I was a whole lot closer to the Freedom Tower than I had realized. Although I have to say, what looks like it would be a quick walk in NYC, is in fact, not! I find judging distance a bit difficult with the tall, vertical buildings surrounding me. 

I snapped some photos of the tower, but it is so large it is almost impossible to get the whole thing in the picture - especially when standing only a few blocks away. But I was struck by the variety of buildings surrounding the tower and the reflection of the one building on the glass of the tower itself. That is what this painting is of - that neighborhood and the reflection on the building.

And as the title of this piece suggests, a person reflects on the tower much the same as the surrounding buildings do. What the tower stands for, what it represents and all that it holds within it's walls -- what every New Yorker, as well as every American, believes in. 

Freedom!
Happy Independence Day!

For a bit of info about the tower, here is a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center

It is now called "One World Trade Center" - but to the New Yorker it is still referred to as the Freedom Tower.

79th Street Transverse - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Any of the drives through Central Park in NY is stepping back in time, traveling beneath the various arches & overpasses, trees growing abundantly, dappled light casting toned shadows & highlights on the various stones & rocks. Central Park amazes me -- that, there in the middle of this large city, is a very green & luscious park. With walkways, paths, roads, people & traffic - it's a wonderful place to visit when you are in the city. A bit of the history of the park can be read here on Wikipedia.

Working all the way downtown as I am now, I am a good 1/2 hour subway ride to the park. Nothing I can do on a lunch break. But some years ago, I worked in Rockefeller Center - and the park was a quick walk up 6th Avenue & I was at the parks southern border. Following the walkpaths in the park, you can see a large assortment of people - strolling, sitting, singing, playing instruments, artists painting, cameras galore capturing the scene, people, pets & activity. There are also quite a few sculptures to see as you walk along the pathways, as well as ponds, lakes, a zoo & even a castle! The park is by no means small - a full 843 acres, so seeing everything in the park is a bit of a challenge. 

The park also has a variety of museums surrounding it -- Museum of Natural History, the Guggenheim, and my favorite - The Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art). Speaking of which, I discovered something so wonderful in Google maps. When looking up an address recently that was near the Met Museum, I discovered that the street view of Google maps offers a "visit" inside the museum! I had no idea, but you can roam through various rooms, see art & sculpture, and see the vast architecture & design of the building itself. Click here to visit! For any of you not familiar with Google maps streetview (same street view as used in the Virtual Paintout challenges), just drag your little yellow man out onto the street map - roads available via Google will highlight in blue. Drop the man wherever you wish & a visual of the area is shown. You can then navigate by clicking on various arrows, and go room to room. You can also switch floors, and rotate 360 degrees in any one area. A great  way to visit a wonderful museum, without actually being in NYC! Enjoy your visit!

Brooklyn Bridge -SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Somedays, on my lunch break, I go out and walk over near the Brooklyn Bridge. It's an amazing bridge, beautiful architecture, as it stands tall & stretches across the river towards Brooklyn. 

A little bit of history about the bridge, taken from Wikipedia (read the entire piece by clicking here):

The Brooklyn Bridge is a bridge in New York City and is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. With a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m), it was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903, and the first steel-wire suspension bridge.

My walks near the bridge are never boring. The river is busy with it's daily traffic and sightseeing boats, and assorted helicopters fly overhead - both business taxi's and sightseeing. The area, which is not far from the Southstreet Seaport, is usually busy with tourists - many taking pictures of the bridge. 

It's a great place to walk on a nice, summer afternoon - breeze in your hair. A great place to forget the worries of the day, of the times - and just feel the sun on your face. Guaranteed to make you smile.

Rest Stop - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

One more that is part of my NYC series (and I will be painting more of these also). This is one of NY's local residents, resting on a sofa that is sitting on the sidewalk in front of W 10th street in the Village. Either the sofa is slated for garbage, or it is being moved in & is waiting it's turn  to go up the elevator to the owners home -- but it became a likely resting spot for a local homeless person.

Wearing probably most of what he "owns" and wheeling the rest of what he "has" in a borrowed shopping cart, this man probably resides throughout this neighborhood. His guitar case sits attached to his cart - bet he would play if asked, maybe for a few cents more he would sing. 

NYC is full of characters, people who create the very atmosphere of the city and add to it's rhythm. Strong & unique personalities that live, out in the open, as if the streets of Manhattan were their own living room. Some are shy, some speak only softly asking for "some spare change", others will loudly yell from the street corners that they are hungry, and still others will entertain. It's what makes New York city alive. 

West 42nd Street - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet, 
mounted on 1/8" flat hardboard

Available through DPW gallery/auction

In contrast to yesterdays painting, this is West 42nd street. This painting was done a few years ago and it is one of my favorites. The image is from a photograph from a fellow artist at the Wet Canvas website. It shows a much older 42nd street (the Loews theater is no longer there). It also is a rainy, night painting, with all the lights glowing & reflecting. If you look carefully on the sidewalk, you'll see the people as they gather & walk. And all the taxi's and cars are traveling along, blending in with the rhythm of the neighborhood.

This painting took a bit of time to do, and I may do a larger version of it one day. So many colors were mixed, and shaded to create the assorted building and shapes. And some areas were redone when dry because the color just didn't complement the ones near it (the sky for example). NYC skies at night are rarely dark - there are so many lights within the city. Add in some mist and fog from the rain, a bit of steam perhaps from the streets (and a bit of exhaust no doubt), and you have a mixture of densities that I tried to capture with the levels of blue. 

East 42nd Street -- SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

The East Side of Manhattan has a different "feel" to it - sort of a different rhythm that it lives with. The space looks different, a bit more open, not as crowded. The buildings, although still large, don't seem as imposing as some of the midtown skyscrapers do. And the people tend to exhibit different behaviors, probably due to the different rhythm the area resounds with.

This is 42nd street, on the East Side of Manhattan (side furthest from New Jersey & closest to Long Island). I have always had some difficulty with my east & west in Manhattan. Having grown up in NJ, I always say "east" as "towards the city" -- of course that all changes when you are actually "IN" the city!

This scene is facing west (towards NJ) while on the East side of Manhattan Island (5th Ave splits the island into East & West sides). And yes, that is the old Chrysler Building in the background. A bit of the history about the Chrysler Building can be found here.

FlatIron Building - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

I love to paint NYC street scenes. So many interesting areas in the city, a wonderful feast for the eyes. Whether it's the people, the architecture, the streets & traffic - or just the whole overall scene - NYC offers an artist a vast array of images to "capture."

This is a scene on 5th avenue, near 22nd street. And the building centered is the FlatIron building. A triangular shaped building that stands out from any angle you see it. I have also submitted this to the DPW challenge on street views.

Here's a little history about this building (taken from Wikipedia:
The Flatiron Building (or Fuller Building, as it was originally called) is located at 175 Fifth Avenue in the borough of Manhattan, New York City and is considered to be a groundbreaking skyscraper. Upon completion in 1902, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city and one of only two skyscrapers north of 14th Street – the other being the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, one block east. The building sits on a triangular island-block formed by Fifth Avenue, Broadway and East 22nd Street, with 23rd Street grazing the triangle's northern (uptown) peak. As with numerous other wedge-shaped buildings, the name "Flatiron" derives from its resemblance to a cast-iron clothes iron.

The building anchors the south (downtown) end of Madison Square and the north (uptown) end of the Ladies' Mile Historic District. The neighborhood around it is called the Flatiron District after its signature building, which has become an icon of New York City. The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1966, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

Windows & Wash - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Well, better late than never! This is my late submission to the July challenge on A Day Not Wasted. I knew all along, ever since Lee posted his photograph, that I would paint this image. But somehow, July got away from me and it's August already! Check out the link to see the whole photograph.

I chose a vertical format, and the tighter crop, so I could play with shapes of color. Touches of shadows, pieces of highlight - this was fun to do! And of course color - everywhere there is color. Nothing is gray or black! From the aqua tints in the shutters, the deep violet blue reflections in the glass, and the warm yellow ochre/brown of the walls -- all added to the scene, to help the colorful wash stand out.

I have to say, I really do like the way this one turned out!

Ratpakinai Road

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is my submission to this months VPO, which is Thailand. The original Google view can be seen here. 

I have a passion for street scenes ... busy street scenes. I refer to them as my "cityscapes" - as I love to paint the cities. And Google maps makes it easy to explore the cities of the world. What do I love about this street scene? The colors, the shapes, the shadows, the bicycles -- everything. Even with only 2 people in the scene, it has energy! 

Emerald City Toll Plaza - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is for The Artist Challenge #61, Return to Oz. If you're not familiar with this challenge group, they do the annual CBS Sunday Morning Sun Challenge. But in addition, they do a variety of challenges throughout the year. Some free, and some with a minimal charge. This particular challenge is a free-theme, and the topic given is "Return to Oz". This is more of a concept challenge, with artists invited to interpret the concept with their art.

Ok, what does Return to Oz conjure up for me? Maybe because I commute to work, every day, bus & subway. Maybe because I charge my monthly tickets for both because I don't have the cash to shell out for it each month. Maybe because the price of gas is going up, which shouldn't affect me because I don't drive - but the bus does - and they are already grumbling about raising the fares again. And maybe it's because, to go anywhere at all, in the Northeast section of the US, one has to spend money to get there. What is a freeway? Couldn't point to one in my neck of the woods.

That being said, when I thought of Return to Oz, I thought of what mankind would do with the Emerald City once Dorothy was gone. Well, I knew they would somehow charge money for this place - and to see the wizard would not be a girl, her dog, scarecrow, tin man & lion all walking along the yellow brick road. Instead there would be cars, and SUV's, and mini-vans - all heading to see the wizard. BUT, not without paying a toll (or two) to get there. So I put together this painting, part in fun and part in grumble, to show that we really would "pay paradise to put up a parking lot - or at least, a Thruway." Progress they say. Oh fiddle dee dee! (oops, wrong movie!).

But you'll need more than a pair of ruby slippers to get home again. Not to fret, they will not be wasted. You can always wear them when you go to the ATM machine to get the cash for the tolls on the way home. There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like the ATM!

Deadline for this challenge is Sunday the 5th, and artists paintings are posted right after that. Head over & check out what everyone conjured up. I doubt they will be as cynical as mine, but you never know! LOL

Times Square - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

This is the painting I started prior to my surgery, and today I was able to sit & finish the work on it. This is Times Square in NY, location shot taken from Google - click here for the street map view. This is a very busy scene - there is just so much energy in Times Square, so I did a bit of creative editing to simplify the shapes. I also took a bit of license on color - trying to enhance the colors of the area.

I think I am in love with painting NYC so don't be surprised if more cityscapes are done. I have come to realize that I live near, and work in, one of the most fascinating areas. There's a photo and/or a painting on every corner!

It feels so good to be back with my art. Now, if I could only put my own socks on & walk faster than a snails pace! I know, all in good time.

It Ain't Easy Being Green - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

From November of last year comes Kermit the Frog, floating down the avenue. You can read the original post here.

Every Thanksgiving day, the Macy's Parade happens & is a tradition on the East Coast - and this year will be no different.  Hoping for good weather and no wind please, or else the balloons can't fly!

Blue Shutters - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is my submission for this months VPO paintout challenge in Arles, France. The Google link can be seen here. The shutters on this building caught my attention and I wanted to play them up in the painting.

I actually painted this scene twice. The first attempt was in a more realistic style - and I hated the outcome. I tried to rework it twice, then finally tossed it. It just didn't do a thing for me.

The second attempt, which is what you are seeing here, is done in my "shapes" style, and I like the visual interest those shapes (and the blues) have added to the image. Really grabs the eye, don't you think?

Viaggiatori d'Italia

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Last weeks DPW challenge was an exercise in composition & balance. A photo was presented, and the artists were to crop, edit, add, delete elements until they arrived at a composition they were happy with.

What captivated my eye in this section of the photograph, was the almost zig-zag of the items on the vertical climb of the stairs. Both of which led you to the top door. The zig-zag I am referring to starts in the bottom right corner with the green shrub, then moves left to the person in the blue shirt. Then back again to the right to the girl sitting (with dark pants), left again to the backpack, right again to the 2nd girl, left to the plant with the red pot, then right to the plant with the yellow pot. All to lead the eye to the top door, which is painted in a rich purple to contrast a bit with the red drapes that surrounded the door in the photograph. The eye then comes back down on the right, first by the 2 breakouts in the stone wall, then the vertical Italian flag banner (which mimics the shape of the door), then down the dark door to the green bush in the corner. I tried to give the eye a variety of items to see & focus on, which hopefully holds the attention of the viewer.

Wonderful stone staircase - a perfect setting for 3 Travelers of Italy who are taking a break from their excursion!

Moon the Sun at Café Du Monde - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction 

This month the VPO goes to New Orleans, one of my all time favorite cities. I have been fortunate to have visited the city many times in the past, and I wanted to paint something that spoke about the city, not the destruction that Katrina did (and she did do a lot of destruction). One place that stuck in my mind was the Cafe Du Monde which is down in the French Quarter right near the Mississippi River. The original Google link for this can be seen here.

Known for their Chicory Coffee and Beignets (fried dough sprinkled with confectioner's sugar), Cafe Du Monde has been on Decauter street since 1862 and is a frequent stop for tourists and locals alike. It touts itself as the Original Coffee Stand - you can read about it's coffee here and about the beignets here.

When you look at the original google map for this location, you will see the people I've painted milling around. However, I had a "hole" on the left that was empty and vacant and just needed something to anchor the spot. So I thought to add the little dog - who grew into a larger dog. A happy little dog that is just raring to play. Have you ever seen a dog get down on it's front legs, hind quarters up in the air as he gets read to romp in play? Well, this little dog is doing just that - only after I finished I realized he seemed to be mooning in the general direction of the sun - and so, hence, the name of this piece. Just a little bit of humor to add to the scene.