This is the original Niagara Falls Carnegie library, commissioned by Dave Young as a gift for his sister, a 'Carnegie Library fan'. Carl worked here for many years & the location of my first Niagara Falls art exhibit when it was the Niagara Arts Council.
Ever since this was commissioned, I sought other Carnegie libraries in my travels, including a trip to Pittsburgh, home of the Carnegie University & library system. One of the best examples around here is the Art center in North Tonawanda, on Goundry Street. The center entrance has a long walk & it is in a park setting with large green space on the west side.
This was a challenge because the trees & the nearby buildings made it difficult to see the entire Carnegie. Waiting for Fall, leaves fell & the structure appeared. True to my new 'tradition' one of the big trees growing there is not painted, it covered too much architecture. I tried new paints & mediums on this painting, they took forever to dry, but I was able to develop the shadows with layers of glazes in a traditional Renaissance style of application.
Niagara Falls Carnegie, oil 8x10, 2008
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