Typical Nasty Weather.
A lot of what I do is try to capture the moment in paint: "Have easel--will paint!" I painted this painting from my hotel room window; from the Lowndes Hotel, London, one blustery night. It was my first night in London since my world trip in 1986. I came to London on my way to Iceland, after receiving my latest commission from the novelist, (and patron), Robert Eringer. The objective was to paint the purity of the night sky in Iceland.
As my patron Robert Eringer, (the Mysterious), had a secret meeting downstairs in the hotel bar, I felt a need to satisfy my desire to paint. So, opening my window to the cold damp air, I got quickly to work. This was cool (literally), looking down from my room with the window wide open. I found it interesting; looking down on people walking on the street, each in their own world; completely unaware they are being observed. I was like a voyeur.
Because they were moving, the challenge for me was to capture their gesture rather quickly, and then work from memory in the studio, to make sense of their form.
The Master Artist Charles Hawthorn said, "It is a higher art; to take a subject that is boring and/or mundane, and paint it in a way which is more interesting and beautiful."
Keeping this in mind, I look at it as creating for the sake of creating; for creating art for art's sake.
On my world travels, I carried a panel box where I fit my pre-sized and prepared panels. My easel and oils were streamlined which allowed me to make quick sketches at a moment's notice.
Whenever I am painting a nocturne and the subject includes warm, sodium vapor lights, I under paint with a transparent Thalo Green. This creates an interesting contrast and, "Pop" to the painting.
London Rain, January, 2002 14x10 oil/panel
Painting subject to prior purchase
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