THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #26 BLUES IN THE NIGHT

I'm quite proud of this painting, and I wonder if I have the patience to do something like this now.  I don't know the exact location of this corner.  It was painted from photos I took during a weekend in NYC in 1982 or 83.

Blues in the Night

Watercolor

20x30

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #25 HISTORIC NEW CASTLE DELAWARE

Arm chair traveling is great; yesterday at this time I was looking at Atlanta GA and today I'm back in Delaware.  New Castle, located on the Delaware river a few miles below Wilmington, was on the Rockefeller "short list" of towns considered for historic restoration, but it eventually lost out to Williamsburg VA.  I'm sure there are many in the town who do not see that as a loss.

Historic New Castle

12x37

$60

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #24 PEACHES ANYONE?

I painted and published two Atlanta skylines, one for myself and one for a client.  I spent an entire day driving around the city in a rented car photographing everything and anything.  Once I returned to the studio I was able to create these compositions:

Atlanta Skyline

12x37"

Southern Jewel

12x24"

THE FOG FRIEND

In a recent post about friendship I described a categorical list of friends: the best friend forever, the spiritual friend, the friend that makes you laugh, and more.  Driving from Crossville TN to Paducah 3 days ago I discovered a new and vital friend…the Fog Friend

At 5:30 in the morning I stepped out of the hotel in Crossville into an incredibly dense fog.  Slowly and cautiously I crawled onto the Interstate just a few blocks away, unable to see anything beyond 30-40 feet.  Even though I am a Tiger, I must admit it was a little frightening as I crawled along I-40 west, grateful for the occasional respite from the fog when I could see perhaps 100 feet ahead of me.  About 30 minutes into the drive my new friend appeared, an 18-wheeler that was traveling at a speed consistent with the conditions.  I quickly fell in behind him and proceeded to be his puppy for the next 2 hours.  On several occasions another car would get between us, much to my dismay, but their relationship with the fog friend lacked the commitment of my own. As we approached the Briley Parkway in Nashville I was prepared to say goodbye, but to my delight my friend proceeded onto the parkway, and I followed him until the approach to I-24 where I lost him in another cloud of dense fog.  But from Crossville to Nashville, the driver of that 18-wheeler was my best fog friend forever.

I made it on my own from Nashville to the KY line, where the fog finally dissipated and I enjoyed a peaceful drive through Kentucky farmland bejeweled with autumn colors.

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #23 PARMA ITALY

Today's UL will take us all the way to Parma Italy, and the lovely Via Garibaldi. 

Via Garibaldi

Mixed media

20x30"

Price on request

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE - a.k.a. It's not a barn

I arrived home around 10 a.m. yesterday, and as I've done on other occasions, wondered why I ever left Paducah.  I miss it as soon as I leave.

Today we go back to the northeast to the island of  Martha's Vineyard and the town of Oak Bluff, where you can see an incredible collection of Victorian cottages.  These "doll house" like homes are situated in a circular pattern around what once was a large pavilion where church services were held.

Oak Bluff

Print  10x24" from an original watercolor

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #21 Nashville

I made it to Crossville TN before everything in me gave out.  After multiple tries I finally found a hotel room, and am now about to crash.  Since I will be in Nashville tomorrow morning...today's UL will be from that fair city to our south.  (I will post this tomorrow a.m.)

417 Union St.

Watercolor  12x18

A great place for brunch

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPEDD #20 TIMES SQUARE NYC

Leaving NJ and heading back to dear old Kentucky, only 15-16 hours away.  But none of this has anything to do with today's post.  It's time to revisit NYC and Times Square.

Times Square

Watercolor  30x40'

$900

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #19 CAPE MAY NJ

Today I will be in New Jersey visiting friends and family.  Although I won't make it to Cape May, I will be close enough to share this painting.  The nations first sea shore resort, and now a popular vacation spot for families, Cape May is famous for its Victorian architecture, almost all of it original. 
I published 7 prints of the town during the 1980s, 3 of them featuring the towns B&Bs.

Cape May Hospitality I

Print 12x37"

$50

WRITING BLUES

I’m sitting here in my study wanting to write…something - anything…but there is nothing I can find to hold my interest.  The writing gurus say one should be disciplined and write every day, even when the spirit is not there.  That is easy to say, but much harder to do.  Perhaps I’m spoiled, used to impromptu writing, where the subject grabs me and the words come tumbling out with little forethought; this has happened repeatedly, and I love it.  The only real work I have to do is the re-write. It is much more fun than sitting at the keyboard, wracking my brain for something of interest.  Besides, I write for my pleasure and enjoyment, so why should I burden myself with the rigid discipline of a professional writer?

On the other hand, even though I’m writing for personal pleasure, I want to write well, and that requires commitment and effort..  Looking at it that way, the discipline to daily writing takes on a different meaning.  It is impossible not to compare my writing experience with my art.  They both require the discipline of practice in order to achieve a degree of competence.  I read somewhere that to learn how to paint, one must paint, and to learn how to write, one must read.  That made sense to me and I began reading memoirs, essays, and other works of non-fiction by accomplished writers.  Time will tell if it has been an effective exercise.

Here is an idea;  I should keep a list of subjects I might want to write about, then periodically select one and simply begin writing, exploring the first thoughts that come to mind and letting them lead the way, with no pressure to complete a “finished” narrative.

Well I’ll be…I’ve just written 290 words about not having anything to write about.

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #18 MARKET STREET - WILMINGTON DE

I will be in Wilmington today, and if time allows, will check out a new Jerry's Artarama store on Market St.  When I lived there, Market street had been converted to an urban mall, with no vehicular traffic, an experiment that was later abandoned.  When I visit now I have to adjust to this change, as well as many others since I painted this portrait of one block of Wilmington's "main street".

Market Street

Limited Edition print from original watercolor

12x37"

$50

The elegant structure in the middle is the Grand Opera House, with its cast iron facade.  It was restored to its original beauty in the late 1970s and is a great venue for live music and theater.  My very first art show was in The Grand Gallery in 1977 located on the ground floor. (long since gone)

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #17 FOURTH STREET

Since I'm in the area I thought it only fitting that Wilmington be the subject of the daily urban landscapes for the next few days.  I loved the visual and culinary delights of Fourth Street between Market and King streets and the aroma of the cheese and olives in Colavritas' market.

Fourth Steet

Watercolor 1992

Approximately 15x30"

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #16 DELANCEY PLACE, PHILADELPHIA

This was a challenging commission, working from a stack of photographs that was sent to me.  Unfortunately they were all mixed up and it took forever for me to figure out the right sequence.  Then I had to arrange a work space to accommodate 60 inches of watercolor paper.  But it was worth the effort - Delancey Place is one block of elegant homes in center city Philadelphia.

 Delancey Place

Watercolor  16x60"

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #15 ODESSA DELAWARE

Left the hotel at 6AM only to find traffic backed up on the interstate on ramp.  Bad accident ahead.  Fortunately my hotel is just blocks from the highway and I have been able to reclaim my room and wait things out in comfort.  Thus this early post today.

I will be in or near Odessa MD today when I visit my daughter Beth.

December in Odessa

Watercolor  16x45"

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #15 CHESAPEAKE CITY MD

I'm posting this quite late since I've been on the road all day, on my way to Maryland.  Stopped for the night in Weston, WV.  It seems appropriate to share with you my painting of Chesapeake City on the Delaware canal in Maryland, a place I will be visiting soon.

Chesapeake City

Watercolor  20x30"

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #14 CAPTAIN'S ROW

Across the Potomac River from Washington DC is the town of Alexandria VA.  In the historic Old Town Alexandria is this lovely street, once the home to many of the local sea captains, thus the name, Captain's Row. 

Captains Row

print from original watercolor - 1989

12x37"

$50

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #13 PHILADELPHIA CITY HALL

This is a most remarkable structure, with William Penn standing at the top, looking out over the city he designed.  For years there was an unwritten law that no building could be higher that Willy's hat, but that was abandoned in the 1980s when the first Liberty Place eclipsed dear William.

Philadelphia City Hall

Watercolor

40x20"

Liberty Place, a work in progress

Watercolor  30x20

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #12 NYC

We're back in the Big Apple today.  Well, not "in it" so much as looking at it from some point convenient for me to create this imaginary skyline, focusing on selected, historic skylines from the early 20th century.

 

A Skyline of my own design

Pastel  30x40

Sold

Completed in the summer of 2001, this remains one of the most complex pastel paintings I've ever done.  I wonder if this is what drove me to the barns.

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #11 CHARLESTON SC

Two days in Charleston with my camera and daughter Amy in 1988 resulted in this composite of homes on the cities famed East Battery.  What a delightful city; sadly I have not been back since then.

Charleston SC

Limited ed print

12x37"

THOUGHTFULNESS

In this intense political season the term "values" is easily bantered about without much clarification, usually referring to one or two volatile public issues.  I would like to offer a specific "value" that I think is overlooked and/or ignored in our public discourse.

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THOUGHTFULNESS

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines thoughtfulness as: absorbed in or involving thought, showing consideration for the needs of other people, and showing careful consideration or attention.

Sadly, thoughtful expressions of beliefs and policies have given way to toxic diatribe and name calling, where substance is replaced by emotional and often inflammatory exclamations.  Anyone paying even the slightest attention to public media has experienced this in the growing division in so many areas of our culture.  We are now “at war”: there is a “war on women”, a “war on God”, a ”war on the 2^nd Bill of Rights”, and more.  What thoughtful dialog that does exist is drowned out by the noise of the extremists whose only concerns seem to be to discredit the opposition and rally their “base”, rather than present a well-reasoned narrative explaining their position and supporting it with facts.  The losers in this climate are truth, understanding, and we the people,

I am not proposing that we ignore our differences; that would be neither possible nor desirable.  On the contrary, we should, learn from one another by embracing them and selecting the best that each has to offer.  And this cannot happen until we learn to respect opposing viewpoints, and replace diatribe with thoughtfulness.  A Democracy representing over 300 million people cannot survive without reaching for a compromise on political, fiscal, and religious differences. 

DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #10 ST. MICHAELS BY THE BAY

Located on the famed "Eastern Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay, St. Michaels is a pure visual delight, as well as a magnet for boaters, fishermen, and tourists.  I painted the town twice, the first time from land, and the second from the water, thanks to dear friends Tuck and Betty and their boat.  (In addition to the visual delights I still remember the Red Snapper soup that Betty served us that day.)
Below is the second of the two paintings.

 

looking at St. Michaels

Limited Ed print from the original watercolor

12x37"

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #9 WILLIAMSBURG VA

Today we head south to Virginia and back in time to 19th century visiting Willamsburg.  The village has everything I like to paint - bricks and texture.  The visit resulted in 2 paintings that I published  in my portfolio of limited edition prints in the 1980s.  Each print is 12x37"  ($50.00 each or $75.00 for both)

Duke of Gloucester Street

Governor's Palace

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #8 PINE STREET

Decided to stay in Philly for one more day before moving on, but will definitely be returning.  I lived in Philly for for four years, 3 of them in apartments on Pine Street, just a few blocks from the homes in this painting.  Unfortunately they were not as elegant as these.

Pine Street

Watercolor 16x20

Circa 1984

I would walk to classes in the morning in coat and tie (Jefferson's required dress code in the earl 60s) and see the students at the nearby Phila. College of Art in jeans, sweaters, etc., carrying their portfolios, and wondered why I envied them as I did.

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #8 I LOVE PHILLY

New York is nice, but my heart remains in Philly.  Today it is back to 1982, early in my art "career", to revisit Jeweler's Row on Sansom Street in center city.  A Bit of Jeweler's Row is typical of the work I was doing with pen, ink, and watercolor, more illustrative than painterly.  I was strongly influenced by the contemporary British illustrator, Paul Hogarth. 

A Bit of Jeweler's Row

Pen-ink-watercolor

16x20?

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #7 UNION SQUARE

We're back in NYC for the second time, checking out the farmer's market in Union Square.  Like previous some of the previous urban landscapes, this was composed using countless photos taken as I wandered through the square.  It represents one the most challenging watercolors I've ever undertaken.  The original plan was to publish it as another limited edition print, but somehow that never happened.  It was painted in 1988.

Union Square

Watercolor  13x34"  framed to 22x43

$1500

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #6 NEWPORT RI

I'm thinking it will be more interesting if these posts become less predictable, so from now on we will hopscotch up and down the mid-Atlantic states, and elsewhere.  Today we will be stopping in Newport RI, a fascinating town I visited on a gray, rainy day in the late 1980s.  After shuffling through dozens of photos, I came up with this composition.

Newport RI
print 12x28" from original watercolor
$50.00

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #5 ANNAPOLIS MD

Oops!  We went from Baltimore to Washington without stopping in Annapolis, so today we back track a few miles to that lovely town on the water.  I did several paintings looking for the best composition for a print.  This is one that was rejected by the publisher, but in retrospect I think is the best of the lot.

Annapolis MD

Watercolor  23x45"

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #4 WASHINGTON DC

Continuing south, a short hour below Baltimore is our nation's capital, Washington DC.  To accomplish this painting I traveled by train from Wilmington to Union Station, and proceeded to walk my little buns off, shooting almost a dozen rolls of 35mm film before returning home.  The real fun came when I spread out the photos on my large drawing table and began the process of composing a composition that incorporated all that I wanted to include.

The result was a watercolor 18x45" that became this 13x37" print.

America's City

limited Ed. print 13x37"

$50.00

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #3 Baltimore MD

For today's landscape we will continue traveling south, about an hours drive from Wilmington, to Baltimore's Inner Harbor, a delightful mix of shops, restaurants, and museums, as well as its famous Aquarium.

The Inner Harbor

Print (12x37") from an original watercolor aprox. 16x45"

$50.00

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE

Today we are in Wilmington Delaware, standing on the steps of the old Water Works on the Brandywine River and looking at an evolving skyline.  This painting was done in the late 1980s, probably 1988.

 

From the Steps

Watercolor  20x20

I love the contrast of the old and the new, the cluttered and the clean, the warm and the cold. and the organic and the inorganic architecture

 

ANYTHING BUT A BARN

I wonder why some people think I only paint barns and farms.  Do you think posting 125  A Barn A Day pics this year has something to do with that perception?  It may be time to consider a different approach, perhaps "anything but a barn a day".  Naw...that's to vague.  It has to be more specific, like "a streetscape a day", or "a storefront a day" - or maybe  "the daily urban landscape".  That's it!  I like The Daily Urban Landscape".

I'll start with the most urban place I've experienced, New York City.

China Town - NYC

Watercolor aprox. 12x16

1982

In 1982 I spent a long weekend in NYC as a guest of my cousin who lived in Manhattan.  For 2 days I walked from one end of the island to the other with my camera, shooting roll after roll of 35mm film.  I accumulated enough photos (slides) to provide a lifetime of resource material.  This is one of my favorites from that series.