East Side NYC View

East Side View of Manhattan, 60x60"  Acrylic  SOLD

 This is a commission project I was hired for recently, from a city couple who saw one of my paintings on a magazine cover, and wanted their Manhattan East side view painted for display in their Florida apartment. They gave me the exact size to paint  it 60x60", a square, altho the entire view was completely horozontal (see below)The first thing I had  to do was figure out how to squish and stretch and cut and do whatever, to turn the format into a square. Closeups are attached too. It is signed, sealed and headed for sunny florida!

Work in progress

 I just fished this painting out of a pile of old flops that I have been storing forever, knowing that there are problems I have to deal with someday - or just trash it. I had painted a largish figure on the left  walking towards me, and a smaller figure crossing the street. I didn't like either of them for a number of reasons. So... time to paint over them and wrestle with 'now what do i do'. 

The first obvious idea was to cut the panel down to 18x24 now that both focal points are gone.  But panels are so hard to cut and... jeez, what a cop out!  So I stared at it and thought - ah - a biker! I put one in and now the piece is feeling like it has some potential. The reference looks like it was from 19th street and 6th ave - where the old Bed Bath and Beyond was - or still is? Other than the biker, the city reference is long gone, so I will just keep staring at it, keep wondering 'what do i do now" , try out some ideas, and hope for the best!

Look for the peppers...in art stores near you!

"Pepper Party"  8x10, Acrylic  $295  Click for Info

My recently posted pepper painting was commissioned by Strathmore Paper Company, for the front cover of their new product, black canvas paper pads, which you can find in retail art stores. I could not reveal that information until they officially introduced the product on their website.  Nor could I offer the painting for sale because they needed the actual artwork to photograph. It arrived back today, and is available for any would-be collectors.

BTW If you've never worked on a black surface, try it, you'll like it. The colors really pop!
Click here to read more about Strathmore 300 Series Black Canvas Paper.

Chelsea Building, New York City

"Chelsea Fire Escapes"  Acrylic 14x14"  Click for Info

Lately I am working with old paintings that were started but never finished. In this case I barely got the painting going when apparently life got in the way and it got shuffled to some uncommon place, not to be seen for years. Who knows what reference I was using, a sketch? a photo? whatever, it's gone. It can be freeing to work out of my head when no reference is available, and give myself permission to make fresh decisions about how to make the piece work. I decided to work in a triad color scheme - tried and true red, yellow and blue.

Times Square Intersection

"Comings and Goings"  10x10"  Acrylic  SOLD

I've painted this image many times, it's from a photo I took at a Times Square intersection. I like to experiment and use the same reference to take paintings to a new place, try out new ideas. Here's a new place...

Crosswalk at Franklin Street, NYC

"Crosswalk" Acrylic  10x10"  Click for Info

"Crosswalk" Acrylic  10x10"  Click for Info

Way back in August of '2000, I sat at Franklin Street in Tribeca, sketching the view, thinking I might do a painting of it. I never did, but recently ran across the photo and sketches (below). I decided to give it a try, and to my surprise the painting took on a colorful life of its own.

 

23rd Street Watertowers, NYC

"23rd Street Watertowers" Mixed Media 15x15" SOLD

33rd Street Watertowers, NYC

"33rd Street Watertowers"  Acrylic  15x15"  SOLD