Empire City Iron Works

"ECIW II"
Oil on canvas
18 x 24 inches
Sold

One last painting to share for 2012.

I was commissioned to paint this Long Island City building after my May exhibit. A 3rd generation business, a manufacturer that can still be found in a Long Island City neighborhood where so many small manufacturing concerns have moved away. Since the development of the neighborhood continues at a brisk pace, the owner thought having a painting of his family's long established business would be appropriate.

I enjoyed painting the brickwork and detail in this painting and I'm happy to say that the owner was pleased with the result.

Looking forward to seeing what comes off my easel in 2013.

One more time

I've been selling some paintings on eBay and have decided to relist this painting. A scene on busy 14th Street in Manhattan.

"DSW Reflections (study)"
Oil on panel
6x6 inches
Click here for eBay listing

New and Noteworthy and on eBay!

"CCNY Gargoyle #1"
Oil on canvas panel
6 x 6 inches
Sold

The holidays are fast approaching, and I am taking this opportunity to offer six small paintings on eBay. For anyone who's ever wanted to own an original "Florin," these studies are eminently affordable. Below are the links to each of the paintings. The auctions run seven days, so please take a look.

Click below to view:

CCNY Gargoyle #1

CCNY Gargoyle #2

D's Brooklyn View

DSW Reflections

Golden Astor Reflections

14th Street Deco

Fanciful 14th Street

"14th Street Fancy"
Oil on panel
6 x 6 inches

Back to the studio and painting after the upheaval of Hurricane Sandy.

Took the opportunity to paint this small study of a faded beauty of a building I've long had my eye on. Located on a bustling corner of 14th Street and Sixth Avenue it is still scene of commerce. Cast your eyes up and wonderful terra cotta embellishments abound on the facade. This kind of fanciful ornamentation seems to be a thing of the past, so when I come upon one of these architectural detailed gems I rejoice.

Oops, think this is on the corner of 7th Avenue, not 6th :-).

Thoughts on New York and Hurricane Sandy

No paintings to post today. Have not been able to get to my studio due to the lack of subway service and lack of power in my neighborhood.

Yep, things are kind of crazy around here. No power south of 34th Street. A Con Ed station on 14th Street was flooded and housed many of the transformers to various parts of the city. It was built to withstand 11 ft. of storm surge, but this time the surge exceeded 12 ft. Who said there is no such thing as global warming?

I've stocked up with canned goods as power might not be back for 3-4 days - I hope it WILL be back by then!!!

NO subway service. A lot of flooding, especially in the tunnels under the river. Not sure when I will see my studio again :-(. The stock exchange was closed for 2 days, but reopened today.

It really is a tale of two cities. Once you head north, things seem almost normal. Lights, traffic signals, stores are open, etc. I don't think people in the unaffected areas realize how widespread this really is. Really scary and sad stuff happening in my old stomping grounds of the Rockaways and the shoreline. The Jersey Shore was decimated, my thoughts are with my Jersey friends. As with my friends living on Long Island.

All the young folk are lined up around Starbucks trying to get cell signals. Phone service has been problematical. I kept my landline and have been able to get and make phone calls. Have a battery powered radio, so at least I can keep up with the news.

So many stories will be told about this Hurricane.

I hiked up to my friend Martha's today, on the Upper West Side, about 60 blocks or so, for a hot shower and to recharge my phone. Bus service is back and was free today. But, I made better time walking, as you can imagine if you've ever taken a NYC bus.

Let's hope things are back to normal sooooooon.

A Lower Eastside Shul

"LES #1"
Oil on canvas panel
6x6 inches
Sold

Continuing to work on small studies for future paintings. This painting depicts what I suspect was a former shul on the Lower Eastside, judging from the architectural details. The head of a rabbi perhaps with Mogen David's below, carved in stone.

I have many memories of visiting on Sundays when I was a child, to shop and eat in this old tenement neighborhood of New York. My Dad was born on Allen Street and he used to love to take us to Katz's for lunch and then of course my mom enjoyed finding bargains while shopping on Orchard Street. We came home with pickles, halavah, clothes for camp, winter coats and assorted tchotkes.

The area has been greatly gentrified since I was a kid, with lots of hipsters and high-rents changing what had been one of New York's first "shopping malls". Such is the pattern of this ever-changing city.

Reflections on 14th Street

"Reflections of DSW" (study)
Oil in panel
6x6 inches

A new small study of the south side of 14th Street. Nice reflections on the facade of the building facing Union Square Park, now home to DSW's aisles of shoes. Back in the 1970's, this was the site of the old May's Department Store, yet another of the city's grand shopping destinations that are no longer around. I fondly remember other lost shopping venues - Gertz, Klein's, Abraham and Straus, Korvette's, Altman's, Alexander's... the list goes on. So happy that Macy's is still around as I've spent many happy hours shopping there with friends, enjoying some much needed retail therapy.

Astor Place

"Golden Astor Reflections"
Oil on panel
6 x 6 inches

Another small panel study today, one that I hope will become a larger painting sometime in the future. An ultra modern, undulating building sprang up on Astor Place several years ago, unlike anything in the surrounding Village neighborhood. Not sure I like this building but I do love the reflections and the changing light that plays upon this unusual facade. I have painted this building before and will no doubt paint many more as it presents wonderful and changing reflections.

I took the photo that this painting is based on at the end of the day, when the sun was casting beautiful golden tones on the older building reflected in the facade. If you find yourself at Astor Place one day, this is a building you definitely will not miss.

D's Brooklyn View

"D's Brooklyn View" (study)
Oil on panel
6 x 6 inches

I've been working on a painting that was commissioned by a collector over the summer which I've just completed. While it is drying, I've decided to work on some small studies, a nice change of pace. This small painting is the view from a friend's apartment in Brooklyn. The buildings of Manhattan are in the background with smaller apartment buildings on the Brooklyn side. This might become a larger painting one day, but for now, I'm enjoying capturing this slice of life on a small scale. Hope to paint a bunch of these little paintings and possibly offer them on eBay later this Fall.

A NYC quilt

I've discovered the wonderful world of quilting and here is my very first completed project. It's a New York City-themed quilt, hand pieced using several vintage NYC postcards that had been reproduced on fabric. The Statue of Liberty, the Chrysler building, Times Square, the Flatiron and the Brooklyn Bridge are represented. I have been learning a lot over this past year, with the help of my friend Diane, who first introduced me to the art of the quilt and to classes I've taken at the City Quilter, one of my all time favorite places.

"My NYC I"
Hand-pieced quilt
26 x 26 inches

This journey started several years ago when Diane, a wonderful quilter, invited me to an exhibit of the Empire Quilt Guild in New York. We've since attended many quilt exhibits and at the last one I was blown away by a NYC-themed quilt. Diane suggested I try making one of my own, and she offered to help. At that point I was someone who could barely thread a needle, and I'd never had a sewing class in school, so I was a total newbie. Diane helped me design this wall-hanging and started me off sewing several of the sections. After awhile she realized how little I knew about sewing and that she really wasn't cut out to be a teacher. She suggested I check out a class at the City Quilter taught by Judy, an excellent teacher. A wise move. I learned the basics of quilting by hand and soon became enamored of the various processes. I love, love, love looking at the colors and fabrics and coming up with ideas. Now all I have to do is learn the various techniques and I am doing just that, slowly but surely.

I enjoyed the class so much, I signed up for another class, all the while working on this wall hanging. My stitches improved, I could thread a needle and I was rolling along. Then, in one session, there was a technique done by machine. Now, I'd NEVER been near a sewing machine, and never intended to be. After the class, I started thinking that it might not be a bad idea to learn how to use one, as so many quilting techniques are done by machine. I mentioned this to my studio mate Tobi who just happened to have some old Singer's stored in the studio that had belonged to his aunt and grandmother. We moved one into my studio and I found a terrific place that serviced machines on the Upper West Side. The fellow came out to the studio as he was intrigued to work on the old Singer, circa 1938, and he got it running, in his words, "humming" and "working like a dream." I also purchased a new, small portable machine from his shop as I've signed up for a focus group for beginners, and will need to bring a machine with me. So, now I have 2 machines to learn how to use!

Quilting is for me, painting with fabric, and I find sewing very meditative and calming. Looking forward to the many quilting projects in my future. As you can tell from this post, I'm hooked :-).

A painting for summer

"Coney Island Daughters"
Oil on canvas
24 x 36 inches

Didn't want the month to go by without posting a new painting. Just finished this one yesterday and while it's drying I'll see if it needs more tweaking, but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

Last year I took the subway to Coney Island with 2 friends. As a child I spent many happy Sundays there with my Dad and brother, eating lunch at Nathan's and playing skeeball at Playland, but it has been many years since I've been back. Not much is left of the Coney Island of my youth. I had painted a small study last year and thought this subject of the boardwalk and the summer feel of a concession at the beach would work well on a larger scale. There was talk that this scene was slated for demolition, but they received a reprieve for another year. While working on this painting, I could almost smell those franks grilling, that sticky sweet cotton candy and the fresh lemonade, along with the feel of gentle sea breezes. Ah, summer in the city...

A Royal Collection

"Met Life Reflections"
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Sold

An interesting turn of events. I received a call from an international business school interested in purchasing one of my paintings. I had visited the school several years before to attend an art event at the invitation of a friend who works there, had met several people and handed out my business card. One gentleman remembered my work, hence the contact. I submitted several paintings for their consideration and this painting was the one that they wanted. After some back and forth on price we came to an agreement and the painting was delivered. I am delighted that "Met Life Reflections" was presented as a gift to TRH Prince and Princess of Asturias of Spain during their recent visit to New York City. The feedback I received was that they loved the painting. Where it will eventually end up is anyone's guess, but I can now truthfully state that my work is in their royal collection. Sweet!

Gargoyles, gargoyles everywhere

"CCNY Gargoyle #2"
Oil on panel
6x6 inches

The excitement and business of the recent exhibit has subsided so it is now back to the business of painting. Today's painting is the second gargoyle study from the campus of the City College of New York. I plan to be looking at gargoyles for awhile as I would like to create a whole series of these whimsical architectural details. If you find yourself uptown near the campus, stroll around and check out these wonderful figures. They are everywhere!

Recap of exhibit at Ten10 Studios, May 2012

The exhibit at Ten10 Studios in Long Island City last week-end was an absolute blast. I met so many people, young and old, from the LIC neighborhood and from many other places as well. Dan Dougherty, my collector and the curator of the exhibit went all out, working hard to make this show a success. The fun began with the reception on Thursday evening. What a spread, the food and beverages were plentiful and tasty. A guitarist added another element to the festivities. The show was installed beautifully by Dan's friends Debbie, Juan and Jorge. Hanging 50 paintings on two floors was a feat and they pulled it off. I left the reception at 10pm and they were still going strong into the wee hours. The following 3 days were spent in meeting more folks, selling a bunch of paintings and garnering some commission work. It was a lot of work for a 4-day exhibit, but it was worth the effort. Many thanks to Dan and his crew, Jesse Winter of Ten10 Studios, my friends and collectors old and new, and everyone who stopped in to see my exhibit during the LIC Arts Open 2012.

Manducati's Rustica in LIC

A new painting in my upcoming exhibit at Ten10 Studios

"Manducati's Rustica"
Oil on canvas
14 x 11 inches

My paintings are packed up and I'm ready to go. This painting is of a lively LIC restaurant on Vernon Blvd. The Manducati family has been in Long Island City since the 1970's with their restaurant Manducati's just down the block from my studio. Several years ago, daughter "Mamma Gianna" opened her own restaurant on Vernon Blvd. and it has become a very popular place. I decided to do a painting when I knew I would be having an exhibit in the neighborhood as I felt it would be a timely addition to my LIC-themed body of work.

The LIC Arts Open Festival kicks off tomorrow and I'm looking forward to not only my own exhibit opening on Thursday, May 17th and running through May 20th at Ten10 Studios, but also visiting several of the events and exhibits that will be on view. Of special interest is an exhibit of photographs of LIC artists in their studios taken by Orestes Gonzalez, on view at the Reis Studios, Experimental Space. Orestes is a terrific photographer who has been working on this project for several years.

For more info on the festival here is a link.

Hot Off the Presses

An upcoming show, a new catalogue

Gearing up for an upcoming exhibition May 17-20 in Long Island City just two blocks from my studio.

Forty-nine paintings will be on view in a former carriage house, converted to a photographers studio and gallery space. I will be exhibiting paintings depicting the Long Island City nabe as well as urban landscape and architectural studies of other places in New York City. This show was curated by Daniel Dougherty, an enthusiastic collector of my work.

In anticipation of the exhibit, I've gathered images of LIC paintings created between 2009 - 2012 and have printed a third catalogue, L.I.Changing • Volume III. This 20-page volume captures paintings of a more recent LIC neighborhood than Volumes I and II and many of them are included in this exhibit.

My exhibit will be on view during the LIC Arts Open Festival 2012. Many events are scheduled in LIC and you can view an online listing at http://www.licartsopen.org/the-lic-arts-open-guide-is-now-online/

Court Square Station

"Court Square Station Reflections"
Oil on canvas
12x9 inches

A new painting that I'm really happy with. A reflection in the window of the Court Square Diner in LIC. The light was very bright and saturated and I loved the teal of the station reflected against the chrome and red of the 45th Road side of the diner. I had done a smaller study of this scene a few months ago and I'm glad I went ahead and worked up a larger painting. Sometimes paintings just flow and this one certainly did.

This painting will be included in my upcoming exhibit in May at Ten10 Studios and I'm looking forward to it's debut.

Upcoming May exhibit in LIC

"Jesse's Place"
Oil on canvas
12 x 12 inches

Today's painting is a new one and the building depicted will be the site of my upcoming exhibit in May, during the LIC Arts Open. Jesse Winters, a fine photographer, has taken over a small, two story space as his photography studio/workshop and gallery space now named Ten10 Studios. He has hosted some interesting exhibits since coming to LIC and I'm looking forward to showing my work there. Dan, an enthusiastic collector and proud owner of several "Florins" here in LIC, offered to curate an exhibit of my paintings and everything fell into place. The show will be up from May 17-20 during the LIC Arts Open when there will be many art and theater events, open studios, restaurant specials and more in the nabe. I'll post more information about the exhibit as the date gets closer.

On another note, I started this blog around this time 5 years ago in order to share my paintings with those people interested in art of the urban environment, and in my case, the New York City scene in particular. It's been interesting to pick paintings and write something about them, adding another dimension and backstory to a work of art. After 5 years, I find I'm slowing down a bit with posting to the blog (blogger burnout does happen), but I do plan to continue sharing my art and news. Thank you to all who've been following these posts.

Old Friends

"Waiting for the Train"
Oil on canvas panel
6 x 6 inches

Today is the birthday of my "oldest" friend. Not sure she likes being introduced that way but the fact is we've been friends since we were 8 years old. Over the years we've shared many of lifes ups and downs along with a lot of memories. Just two girls growing up in Queens who are now in the throes of planning a reunion for old friends and classmates. Anyone hearing us talk would have us pegged as New Yawkers in two seconds flat, our accents don't lie.

Last year I treated her to a Broadway show to celebrate. On the way home I took this photo as we were heading in different directions on the subway. A little tweaking, a few changes, and this small painting was done as a gift.

Today we're meeting again to see another show and to celebrate yet another birthday. This year it is a big one. I've learned how important it is to celebrate the good times when they come around, especially with one's friends. They are what truly make a life worthwhile. Happy Birthday dear friend, here's wishing you many more good years to come.

Harlem on my mind

"CCNY Gargoyle #1"
Oil on panel
6 x 6 inches

A friend recently moved to Harlem and I've been enjoying my visits to her new apartment and our explorations of the surrounding neighborhood. Hamilton Heights is the site of The Grange, Alexander Hamilton's country home. It has been restored and has been moved to St. Nicholas Park and is well worth a visit. Not far away is the campus of the City College of New York and for anyone interested in gargoyles, this is the place to be. I'd heard about them for years and was very excited to finally explore the stately campus and find many of the little, whimsical figures that dot the buildings. This gargoyle painting is the first of several I plan to paint. The variety of textures of stone and the one-of-a-kind figures make for an exciting subject.

In addition to Alexander Hamilton's home, the Jumel Mansion, which has not been restored and is showing its age, is a pleasant stroll away. I believe it is the oldest building in New York. George Washington spent months in residence planning the battle of Harlem Heights.

It was fitting therefore, to find myself in Harlem on President's Day, where many of the country's founding fathers spent their days. This time I was there not to explore the neighborhood but to celebrate my birthday, a big one this year as I enter a new decade. Thank you Debbie for hosting a wonderful birthday brunch spent with good friends in your cheerful apartment. I'm looking forward to future explorations of your nabe soon, camera in hand.

I Heart New York

"I Love NY"
Oil on canvas panel
4 x 5 inches
Sold

Passed by this window a few years ago and created this very small painting. Pretty much sums up my feelings about my hometown, as if you didn't already know. Love to all my faithful readers, wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day.

Mystery solved...almost

"Abstract Reflections"
Oil on canvas
24 x 24 inches

The mystery of where this subject was taken has been bothering me as I usually can identify the buildings and sites I paint. So, I went back into my iPhoto files - and I had a lot of photos to look through - but methinks the mystery is almost solved. I took the photo that this painting is based on in December of 2009 and believe it is a building on Fifth Avenue, not far from Bergdorf Goodman. My suspicion is that it might be a reflection of St. Patrick's Cathedral, but maybe not. The only thing to do now is to head back to midtown and look around. As I've been immersed in reading the Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell series of books by author Laurie R. King for the last few months, I'm in full-blown detective mode. Hopefully the answer to the location of this painting will soon be found.

Abstraction in the city

"Abstract Reflections"
Oil on canvas
24 x 24 inches

Just finished this painting that for some reason took a long time to complete. Sometimes paintings just flow, sometimes it's just work to see them through to the end. The results are usually fine, it's just getting there sometimes. But once I start a painting, I'm determined to finish it. I honestly do not know where this photo used for this painting was taken. I liked the abstraction of the building reflection and this is indeed more abstract than usual, hence the title. Glad to have this one behind me, now on to the others that have patiently waited to have their turn on the easel.

The Woolworth Building

"Woolworth Fragment #1"
Oil on canvas
6 x 8 inches
Sold


"Woolworth Fragment #2"
Oil on canvas
6 x 8 inches
Sold


"Woolworth Fragment #3"
Oil on canvas
6 x 8 inches
Sold


I was going through some older slides today and came across these three paintings of the Woolworth Building. Several years ago, an artist friend suggested I try painting sections of a building. I thought it an interesting idea and decided to use the Woolworth Building as an experiment. These three paintings were done from a photo that I took and then divided into 3 sections. I still want to tackle a big painting of this wonderful building and I've taken many photographs over the years. All of the detailing on the facade is a tad intimidating which is why I've yet to do a painting. But, one day...

Paramount Reflections Revisited

"Paramount Reflections II"
Oil on canvas
24 x 24 inches

Fresh on the easel, a painting of the Paramount Building on 43rd Street and 7th Avenue. This particular building had millions of viewers focused on it during the New Year's Eve festivities, as it is located smack dab in the Times Square area, the "heart of the world." Having done a small study of this subject several months ago and having sold it in an eBay auction, I decided to work the idea up into a larger painting.

Starting off the New Year with several paintings blocked in and ready to go. These have been tough economic times for artists and I'm curious to see if things start to turn around this year. I'll keep on painting with hopes that the year 2012 will be a good one.