Friday, 12 December 2014
NYC Inspiration by Debbie DeWitt
NYC Broadway by Debbie DeWitt
Saturday, 22 November 2014
New York City by Tom Shropshire
The glittering lights of the city form a backdrop to the pleasure craft floating in regal style in the harbor. The yachts of various sizes are dwarfed by the colossal buildings and the night reflections add a festive mood to the painting.
?I painted this as a companion piece to "Street Life". I had so much fun painting the seedy section of town teeming with life and vitality, that I was compelled to paint it again. I added the guys with the basketball for my grandson Joey because he's a dedicated basketball player and he really liked the last painting.
"Suckerpunch Nor’easter adds to the misery of Super Storm Sandy victims." – Baltimore Sun Blog
“God hates us!” the New York Post said in a front-page headline.
These are the headlines regarding the Northeaster of November 2012. I wanted to capture the atmosphere of the unexpected snow blanketing the city of New York and see the beauty even in an ugly weather event.
This painting of a city street is completely imaginary but representative of any older run-down neighborhood in any major city such as New York, Detroit, Chicago, or Milwaukee?. People are outside on the street to escape the heat of a summer night. Graffiti painted walls are the backdrop for a police stop gathering onlookers.The old brownstones lean together remembering a grander and more genteel time and place as hip hop music blares and sirens wail in the distance.
Unless otherwise stated all the original paintings by Tom Shropshire in the following posts are for sale.
At the present time, originals are not offered for sale through the Fine Art America secure checkout system. Please contact the artist directly to inquire about purchasing an original painting by clicking on the picture links in each of the posts.
NYC by Tom Shropshire
This piece began as a class demonstration? in monochromatic painting and was later completed in the studio. I like the mood and film noir feel of the finished work. It reminds me of the opening shot for a black and white Hollywood crime movie from the 1940's or early 1950's.
The voiceover - "Corrupt cops and politicians, hookers and junkies, delinquents and gangsters ...you'll find them all on the COLD HARD STREETS. (Title scrawled across the screen as orchestra comes in)
?Rain drops and rivulets create a dancing prism of colored lights, on the window glass, against a backdrop of the city at night. ...and it's even raining as I write this!
A woman leans out of the old hotel window hoping to catch a breeze as the sounds of the rundown neighborhood drift up from the dirty pavement. The full moon shines down on the shabby buildings as traffic noise and sirens pierce the night ...down at the end of lonely street.
The tugboat is one symbol of New York. Along with its more famous icons of Lady Liberty, the Empire State Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge, the sturdy little tugs, once all steam powered, working quietly in the harbor became a sight in the city. In this painting morning dawns, and the city looms in the background with pleasure craft nearby. This working class boat chugs along, followed by a flock of noisy seagulls.
Central Park by Tom Shropshire
Outside the Plaza Hotel and Central Park in Manhattan you'll find one of New York City's favorite attractions - Carriage Rides in Central Park! Carriages, traditionally called "Hansom Cabs", are fun, romantic and create lasting images and lifelong memories. The horse-drawn carriage rides have been part of Central Park for more than a century. I wanted the painting to be somewhat timeless so that it had that nostalgic feel I was after. There is currently a move by some, and supported by the Mayor of New York City, to ban carriage rides and replace them with electric cars. They claim that it is cruel to the horses. The opposing side says they love their horses and that they are well-fed and cared for better than many people in New York. Some say it’s all about the money …could be true.
painted this for the holiday feeling. With Christmas just around the corner, I wanted to paint a snow scene of Central Park showing the snow falling and the buildings in the back ground. This is a location I have painted several other times and I probably will again.
The original painting has been sold sold
The Plaza Hotel in New York City, located at Fifth Avenue Central Park South, is a landmark and a treasure. If you want to see more of the inside of the Plaza, watch the latest "The Great Gatsby" movie. Fitzgerald loved staying there and it was featured in his novel. Many of the movie scenes were shot on the premises.
The abstract shapes formed by light and dark vertical passages and reflections are what drew me to this subject. Who knows, perhaps some day I'll stay there as a guest! But first I'll need to sell a lot more paintings ...
A wintry scene of Central Park with the glittering lights and falling snow.
This famous bridge in central park has delighted visitors from around the world. The backdrop of New York City with lights gleaming is a pleasure to paint and I have painted it numerous times.
Curving gracefully over the narrow neck of the Pond at 59th Street, Gapstow is one of the iconic bridges of Central Park. Design aficionados might notice a striking resemblance to the Ponte di San Francesco in San Remo, Italy.
The bridge offers postcard views of the surrounding cityscape. Facing south, you can see the famed Plaza Hotel and distinctive New York skyscrapers rising from above the Park’s trees. Look southward in the winter and you’ll see Wollman Rink’s twirling skaters; in the warmer months you’ll see the colorful amusements of Victorian Gardens.
The original painting has been sold sold
This iconic bridge in central park has delighted visitors from around the world. The backdrop of New York City with lights gleaming is a pleasure to paint and I have painted it numerous times.
The original painting has been sold sold
The Empire State Building by Tom Shropshire
The Chrysler Building, an Art Deco skyscraper in New York, was the worlds' tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building in 1931. This painting features the two architectural giants emerging from the mist and towering far above the crowded city below. These buildings were constructed during the Great Depression providing construction jobs for many workers and became symbols of pride for the American people in difficult economic times, (not unlike our current economic struggles).
The Empire State Building is still an awe-inspiring landmark. I wanted to capture the glittering city lights as a backdrop to this amazing building in a loose semi-abstract technique. I think the lighting gives the painting an energy that expresses the pulse of New York City at night. I remember vividly my visit to the top as a teenager and my previous trip to the top of the Sears tower in Chicago ...I think that's when my love of city lights began and my love of painting urban landscapes.
Ghostly skyscrapers tower over older tenements on a hot summer morning in the big city.?
I intentionally enhanced the greenish tint on this New York skyline as I thought about the immigrants coming to America and their first glimpse of the city. It must have seemed as strange and magical as the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz. I used thin transparent washes of color to achieve a shimmering translucence to the buildings.
Brooklyn Bridge by Tom Shropshire
This iconoc New York landmark, the Brooklyn Bridge, ranks as one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century.? The impressive bridge spans the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The bridge officially became a national monument in 1964. Part of the history of the bridge is the number of times con men sold gullible tourists the bridge, convincing them that they could set up their own toll booth and make a fortune. I would never do such a thing. If you believe that ...I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.
The Brooklyn Bridge, ranks as one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th Century.The impressive bridge spans the East river between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The bridge officially became a national monument in 1964.
The cruciform shape is a popular abstract design element. This view of the Brooklyn Bridge embodies strong horizontal and vertical lines to create dynamic tension and hopefully, a strong composition.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)