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.