"Study for Fire Escape", 9in x 12in, Oil on Canvas

This is another color study for a larger piece I plan to do.

"City Slickers", 24in x 24in, Oil on Board

Study for "Philly Freeway", 12in x 16in, Oil on Canvas

Here is another small urban study I painted in preparation for a larger piece - probably 30in x 40in. I love the rough character of the old northern cities like Philadelphia, and the abstract patterns created by different shapes and values. This piece was painted from a photograph I took about 3 years ago out of a rental car window as I was driving into Philly. It was kind of an interesting perspective of the city, and a point of view that I probably wouldn't have noticed on foot.

"Philly at Night" (study), 11in x 14in, Oil on Canvas

This is another urban study for a larger piece I plan to do. Believe it or not, my initial inspiration for painting this was one of the opening scenes in Rocky 1! This is quite different from the shot in the movie, compositionally, but the original screen shot really plays up the contrast of a greenish-grey environment with a red fire hydrant. I wanted to capture this in my painting. I'm looking forward to painting a larger version of this!

New Sketchbook Pages

Some Sketchbook Pages and Process Work

North End Alley, Study", 11in x 14in, Oil on Canvas

This is a quick study for a larger painting that I plan to paint of the same subject. I hope to paint the larger piece 24in x 30in. The mood of this painting was inspired by a John Sloan painting "Pigeons". Sloan was part of the ashcan school - a group of painters who I greatly admire. The ashcan painters were great at capturing the gritty qualities of urban life. This is something I hope to emphasize in my own work. I initially intended to include some figures in this painting, but after deliberating and some good advice from my wife Brooke, I decided to leave it as is - with more of a sense of mystery or ambiguity.