The Washington Square Arch and some thoughts for the New Year

Study for Washington Square Arch
oil on panel

6x6 inches

SOLD

One last painting to share before the close of 2019. This small study of the Washington Square Arch captures the feel of this iconic and historic meeting place in the Village.

Some thoughts as this year draws to a close. It has been in tough one on many levels. From my perspective, artists are facing many obstacles these days as the way people view and buy art has dramatically changed. Many smaller galleries have closed their doors, unable to compete with the internet where so much of the art being produced is now viewed and purchased. Social media is an important way to help an artist get their work out before a broad audience, but looking at a painting on a screen for a few seconds, if that much, is DEFINITELY not the same as viewing a work of art up close and personal, spending the time to really LOOK and appreciate what went into its creation. There are many hard working artists, giving it their all day after day, and I'm not referring to those who hang a banana on the wall with some duct tape and sell is for an exorbitant amount of money. The art world is a topsy-turvy place and trying to make a living from ones art - in whatever form - is challenging, to say the least.

I think of the many artists who never achieved much, if any recognition during their lifetimes and whose work now hang in countless museums and have found enthusiastic collectors. Imagine if Van Gogh had gotten a positive response to his work and had the opportunity to show and sell his paintings while he was still alive, how different his life might have been.

On a personal note, I just want to say thank-you to everyone who has shown their appreciation and support for my art making endeavors through the years. I decided to make a life as a painter when I was 15 years old, after working with oil paints for the first time. I've held various office jobs, working the day and then the night shifts as a way to support myself and my art. It is always a thrill to see my work hanging in someone's home or in a workplace environment where I know the work has found a home and is appreciated. Meeting and talking with visitors to my art exhibits is always a joy, and talking about the work and what inspired it gives me great pleasure.

Being an artist is a wonderful gift and I'm grateful every day that I have the chance to go to my studio and create. Here's hoping the canvas on my easel and the paints on my palette transform into some wonderful works of art in 2020.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and creative New Year.

A Sweet Spot in LIC

Zoe at LIC Corner Cafe
Oil on canvas panel
6x6 inches

This small corner cafe in Long Island City, started by local residents, is a popular spot in the neighborhood. A small slice of life moment in LIC.

Two Beauties

Study for Two Beauties
Oil on canvas panel

6x6 inches

SOLD

I always smile when passing the Gilsey House on Broadway and 29th Street. This NYC Landmark, built in 1872, is a beautiful Victorian pile that sits like a grand old lady on grand old Broadway, a bit of the past in a bustling, every changing city. The Empire State Building, built around 50 years later, illustrates the huge change in the style of architecture being built, a hearkening of things to come. Two beautiful and memorable buildings.

D.'s Studio in LIC

Study for D's Studio in LIC
Oil on canvas panel
6x6 inches

Last summer I stopped by an artist's studio in LIC for a visit. As I was leaving I heard my name being called. After looking around and up and saw my friend Donna waving from the window of the building where she has her studio. She came downstairs and we had a chance to catch up and chat. It's always nice running into fellow artists in the neighborhood and I'm reminded once again of what a vibrant arts community exists in Long Island City.

LIC Courthouse Reflections 2019

Study for LIC Courthouse Reflections 2019
Oil on canvas panel

6x6 inches

SOLD

I've been working on a series of small studies for possible larger paintings and was pleased with this one. The venerable Long Island City Courthouse sits amid a massive amount of construction and development these days. The beautiful old building, constructed in 1874 and remodeled in 1904 is reflected in a nearby new glass residental building. The Court Square area is unrecognizable as I walk around these days and I was glad to find this view which highlights the old and the new sitting side by side. Having painted the Courthouse several times over the years, I am still struck by its stately elegance.

Hudson Yards Reflections once more

Reflections on Hudson Yards II
Oil on canvas
16x12 inches

A new painting of some of the many reflections to be found in the Hudson Yards development on the west side of Manhattan.

One of my guilty pleasures is watching the television program "Million Dollar Listings New York" on Bravo. Being a native New Yorker, I'm astounded, amazed, curious and horrified all at the same time while watching these multi-million dollar listings all around town trying to find buyers - very rich buyers. High powered real estate brokers are frantically coming up with gimmicks to show and sell these properties, many of which do find buyers. Last night's episode featured several apartments in the area dubbed "SoHY" by one of the brokers - short for South of Hudson Yards. Please. Enough already. Many of the buyers of these high-end properties might live in them a few weeks out of the year as they are often bought as investments and are not permanent homes. So much for creating an environment that becomes a tight knit community.

What is interesting is that this area of Manhattan, as with so many others, also contain NYCHA projects and thankfully some really affordable housing. Housing where you find a real diversity of people, all ages from the very young to a large senior population, varied ethnicities, families, young professionals. I'm just sad that more AFFORDABLE housing has become harder and harder to find and that many New Yorker's who were born here can no longer afford to live in their hometown and are forced to relocate.

Anyway, that is the nature of real estate in NYC. I'll keep painting my hometown, always trying to find interest in both the gritty and the beautiful that surrounds us.

Award time!

42nd and Sixth Reflections
Oil on canvas
24x18 inches

When I arrived at my studio this morning a letter informing me that my painting, "42nd and Sixth Reflections" has received an award in the Allied Artist's 106th Exhibition, now on view at the Salmagundi Art Club, 47 Fifth Avenue @ 12th Street, New York, NY. The exhibition runs through September 15th and is free and open to the public. A reception and awards presentation will take place on Sunday, September 15 from 1-5pm. It is always a thrill to have work accepted into this annual exhibition and an honor to receive an award. If you're in the neighborhood stop in as the art on view is wonderful.

A moment in time on 9th Avenue

A moment in time on 9th Avenue
Oil on canvas
24x42 inches

My summer painting is finally complete. I photographed this scene on Ninth Avenue around 50th Street during this year's 9th Avenue Food Festival. The area is aptly named Hell's Kitchen as there is one restaurant after another to be found along this stretch on Manhattan's west side. Some of the older tenement buildings still dot the area with thei intricate iron fire escapes. There was a time when one would see people hanging out on them but not a sight often seen these days. I hoped to capture this sunny Saturday in May with the sun hitting the pavement and people heading about their business, just a moment in time.

Giclée prints available on select paintings

Manhattan Bistro

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer. I've been busy painting a large street scene that I'll post as soon as it is finished. At times I feel as if this blog, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms are a beast that needs constant feeding.

On another note, I've recently added several new paintings to my page on TurningArt.com. These paintings are now available as giclée prints. Link.

Gargoyles Galore!

In addition to being a painter, I also enjoy creating quilts and fiber art, often incorporating NYC imagery into my projects. I was recently commissioned to create a gargoyle themed quilt which I enthusiastically tackled as I have many photographs of gargoyles around New York and thought it would be a fun way to use them. Some of these gargoyles can be found on the City College campus, the Upper West Side and Chelsea among other locations. The three photographs below depict the full quilt, a close up section of one corner and a sample of one of the quilt blocks. Each block was created using the same pattern but I varied the way the fabrics were configured. A nice way to use up a bunch of scraps and as any quilter knows, those scrappy quilts come in handy in diminishing the ever growing pile of left over fabrics. The center of each block features a gargoyle with smaller gargoyles sprinkled around the quilt corners and on the border.

Creating these fiber art pieces is a nice companion to my paintings as I can explore the New York City themes that interest me using a very different and creative medium.

Another take on Hudson Yards

Hudson Yards Reflections
Oil on canvas
42x24 inches

Hudson Yards, a massive new development in Chelsea's west side recently opened to the public although there is still a lot of ongoing construction to develop the site.

I captured these reflections of the 1912 James Farley Post Office, the main post office in New York, overshadowed with the looming construction of Hudson Yards behind and west of it. Once again, the old and the new in the city, side by side. This new construction is massive in scale to the post office, bland glass facades, a lot of glass, as opposed to the more decorative detailing on stone buildings constructed during the early 1900's. That little pop of red of the crane really stands out.

There is has been a lot of pro and con sentiment regarding this large project but I set that aside when I decided to do this painting as I've been documenting the city and these buildings are now part of the city's architectural landscape, for better or worse. Living not far away, I see these buildings on a daily basis and I'm curious as to how they will eventually be integrated and accepted into the city's consciousness.

Hell's Kitchen Pizza and Readings

Psychic Pizza
Oil on canvas
16x12 inches

Last Spring I met friends on Ninth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen to celebrate one of their birthdays at an Italian restaurant. As we were waiting for one more person to arrive I took some photos of Two Boots restaurant nearby as I was intrigued with the colors that just popped off the facade and signage - bright reds and yellows on a gray and rainy afternoon.

Having recently completed two paintings with lots of muted grays I needed to paint a subject with lots of color and this one fit the bill. Pretty happy with the results. When I showed this painting to my friends who were with me last Spring they informed me that the Two Boots Pizza location in Hell's Kitchen had closed as well as the Italian restaurant next door. On googling I found that the pizza place had closed due to unpaid taxes. Might reopen, might not.

This painting might be added to my website under the "Gone but not Forgotten" heading, will have to wait and see.

Emily's Flatiron District Reflections

Emily T's Flatiron District Reflections
Oil on canvas
16x12 inches

A printmaker friend of mine recently shared a photograph she had taken of reflections and thought I might be able to do something with it knowing how much I enjoy the subject. She was spot on and after I cropped and tweaked the photograph I painted this view. Sun setting in the West casting golden reflections on the glass facade of yet another modern structure. An old, gold-domed building can be seen, once again emphasizing the subject of the old reflected in the new.

NY Yacht Club 175th Anniversary

NY Yacht Club 175th Anniversary
Oil on canvas
20x16 inches

One of the more whimsical building facades in Manhattan can be found on 44th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It is the home of the NY Yacht club which in 2019 celebrates their 175th anniversary. A visitor to my ChaShaMa exhibit this past August mentioned this to me and suggested it might be an interesting subject to paint. I had in fact taken many photos of this building and had painted a small study several years ago. It seemed a good time to reexamine this building subject and here is the result. I captured the light hitting the side of the building as the sun was setting in the west. The interior lights were lit casting a golden glow within, creating a nice contrast with the gray stone ship's exterior and sea creatures adorning the front of the building. As I've noted many times, they just don't build 'em this way anymore and I'm delighted when I come upon these unique and beautiful building facades.

Two Group Exhibitions to start off 2019

Happy New Year!

Starting off the year with participation in two group exhibitions.

Art From the Boros VI is a large group exhibition featuring the work of 50 artists. Two of my reflection paintings are on view in this diverse and eclectic exhibit which runs through February 2nd at the Denise Bibro Fine Arts space located at 529 West 20th Street in Chelsea. Here a link to see selected works on view.

The 122nd Annual Exhibition of the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club is now on view at the National Arts Club located at 20 Gramercy Park South, on view through January 25th. Here is a link to see selected works in the exhibit.

I've chosen my painting, "Miss Martha" for this exhibit. Several years ago, I won an award for my painting in this annual exhibition and unfortunately I had the flu the night of the awards dinner. My friend Martha stood in for me, and accepted the award with I'm sure a few pithy remarks thrown in for good measure. Martha passed away last March and I think of her often. Having this painting hanging on the wall at the National Arts Club was one way of honoring the memory of my friend.