Thinking pink

CLWAC 111th Annual Exhibit

"Holiday Bait"
Oil on canvas
18 x 24 inches

Here is a recent painting of Live Bait, a restaurant on 23rd Street. Passing by last winter, I was enchanted by the shimmery, sparkly, pinky holiday-decorated window - it had a good feel. "Holiday Bait" will be on view at the National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park from October 2-26 in the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's 111th Annual Exhibition. A benefit reception for the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be held on Friday, October 12 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. The show is open to the public so if you're in this historic neighborhood, stop in. Some trivia - the show is held in the main ballroom, the setting of the dance scene in Martin Scorcese's movie "Age of Innocence".

A Works on Paper Show

A wonderful building on the LES

Eldridge Street Synagogue
Oil on canvas
30 x 24 in.

I did a painting of the Eldridge Street Synagogue several years ago when an extensive rehabilitation project was first begun. The work on the building is nearing completion, and it is truly one of the most beautiful buildings on the Lower East Side. A giclee of this painting is on view as well as several other prints of some of my reflection paintings in a gallery show. The press release is posted below.

For Immediate Release: September 15th, 2007

POWERFUL PAPERS

September 13th – October 25th, 2007

Franklin 54 Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of works on paper by select gallery artists. Paper is an amazing and magical surface – it can be drawn, printed or written on; shred, torn, dunked or wet into a ball of mush. It can have a rough textural or sleek surface to lend to the artist. Whatever its use or the techniques in this show, these artists greatly respect it with their process, completed visual images or the meanings behind them.

Mary Felton’s black and white charcoal drawings grab every tooth on the paper in her bold renderings and variations of the medium; “Order Up” is crisp and clear and 2 new Iris drawings are becoming more abstract with extremes of contrast. Laura Duggan’s pastel portraits grab the paper in a different warm soft way providing an easy balance. Katherine Radcliffe respects her paper in a number of ways, one being she has been an expert marbler for years creating incredibly beautiful designs that draw the viewer in deeper and deeper. These are the backdrops for her new works of acrylic paintings on her hand-marbled paper resulting in heavenly imagery.

Carl Posey’s photograph of rows and rows of tobacco leaves is worthy of any paper and here he has chosen modern technology with a digital archival print from a high resolution for his image. The texture of each leaf shows well here like skin or the linings of a membrane – a still and powerful image. James LoParo adds 2 Poetry Works “Enchantment” and “Transgression” that are a combination of his smooth flowing words embossed on heavy paper and visual constructions that are strong and honest on handsome paper that reflects the show’s title.

Louis Kunsch combines ink and watercolors on paper that transform out of his layering process into wonderful surprises; Sharon Florin’s giclee’s of Fifth Avenue Reflections and the Eldridge Street Synagogue are a print version of her skillful yet varied architectural paintings and Ann Woodward’s collage pieces are intricate incorporating various papers & drawing. Siri Berg gives us 2 of her pulp paintings that bring us back to the beginning – though made through a difficult process, they are monotone and uncomplicated in their finish – they show us the strength of the paper with little embellishment.

The exhibition will be on view through October 25th, 2007
FRANKLIN 54 GALLERY
181 Christopher Street
(between Washington & West Side Highway)
(#1 train to Christopher St/Sheridan Square)
New York, NY 10014
Gallery Hours: Thursday-Sunday 11-6
212.627.8690 franklin541@verizon.net
www.artnet.com/franklin54.html

A painting in a show

Audobon Artists 65th Annual Exhbition

Holiday at Carmine's"
Oil on canvas
18 x 24 in.

Walking in the theater district on a cold winter's night, I saw this welcoming window of Carmine's Restaurant and the thought of warmth, soft lights and pasta was more than a little inviting. This painting is currently on view at the Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, through September 28th in a juried exhibition of the Audubon Artists. I will have a number of paintings on exhibit in several juried shows during the next several months and will post them on the blog, so keep checking in!

9/11 Remembered

Six years on

Union Square Memorial #2
Oil on canvas
36 x 30 in.

Hard to believe that six years have passed since the tragic events of 9/11. Like so many New Yorker's, I found myself drawn to the makeshift memorials and the community of mourner's who congregated at Union Square Park in the days and nights following 9/11. As an artist I needed to paint something and found the memorials an expression of what I was feeling. This painting is the second of three that I completed. The events of 9/11 will not be forgotten.

A quiet little spot on 6th Avenue

Behind the gate

"Milligan Place"
Oil on canvas
7 x 5 in.

Amid the noise and traffic on 6th Avenue there is a quiet little mews behind a wrought iron fence. Located in Greenwich Village, so easy to pass by. Looking inside one sees small apartments and flowers and trees, a little oasis indeed and a stark contrast to the big, boxlike, indisguishable buildings going up everywhere these days.