A Jetblue airfare sale and a quick painting trip to NYC enabled this plein air of a lovely Brooklyn brownstone in the historic district of Park Slope.
The image will be used by Phyllis Stigliano for cards at her art gallery on the first floor. The title was inspired by the large number of serendipitous events that brought Phyllis, Charles & I together, as well as the ambiance of the afternoon that I painted. The sun shone and neighbors gathered as I was challenged to capture decorative details, fleeting light and the elegant mood of this grand old building with a quick brush.
Accustomed to wide open spaces and infinite vantage points when I work en plein air, this was painted from across the street by perching on a neighbor's wall, the only spot that afforded a view between towering trees. It might have been more difficult if the recent tornado that blasted this area had not torn down small branches and many leaves to give me a better view.
This is my second longest (time) on site painting; learning the scale and proportion of protruding windows, multiple columns and solving perspective from close range was a genuine challenge that I enjoyed all day. Now that I have challenged and conquered brownstone style architecture I'll find additional opportunities to paint in the city.
8th Avenue Serendipity, 14x11 oil 2010
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