Waiting for Barry

[simon levenson]

hello gang i am exploring new forums so I thought I would put this one into the plein air forum...

[DLGardner]

o my goodness!
Those colors are incredible. Please, if you would tell us your palette. This is beautiful. Such detail.

Where is it?

[LarrySeiler]

*whew! tryin' to find a neutral spot for the eyes to rest. This is one busy pup! Yet, enough interest in those buildings that is kept simple...it seems to work. Works, because by comparison you have so much more suggestion of detail elsewhere. Quite an undertaking! A smorgasbord of color.

Curious to the size of this piece, and...did you do it alla prima; go back another session; or start...take a photo and finish in studio? My questions are not an inference as to there being a right or wrong way, but one born of curiosity. I'm trying to imagine some of the unique things that face cityscapers.

Also, the linear look of precision in those gate railings...did you do this in acrylics?

Larry

[Phyllis Rennie]

Nice to see you in here, Simon! Beautiful painting.

[walden]

Beautiful painting! It brings up a question that I've been mulling over for some time-- does every painting need a focal point, and if so, how strongly stated does it have to be? I find this painting (and many other paintings I like a lot) have a lot to see, and they keep my eye moving around in the space-- I suppose here the man is the nominal focal point, but for me, anyway, my interest doesn't stay with him for long. And, sometimes even in a really good painting I can't even identify the focal point, but I keep looking at the painting for a long time and like it a lot. I think I'm more attracted to great light, beautiful color, and a pattern that keeps my eye moving, sort of like a kaleidoscope. Is that just me and I'm weird that way, or am I just failing to identify focal points, or what?

When you painted this, Simon, were you intending the man to be the focal point?

I would be very interested in hearing what everyone has to say about focal point.

[DLGardner]

For this painting, because of its subject matter it seems very appropriate to have a dancing focal point like it does. Its a cityscape and a very creative one at that. I see the artist expressing himself here...how he feels about the city. The business, the complexity of shapes and shadows and how they intrigrate themselves in everything; the weaving in and out of light; the natural and the manmade woven into a beautiful tapestry. Its all here. Very expressive.

[CarlyHardy]

Is it me or do things seem to be leaning to the left a bit?

Love your color...so intense but still realistic! Like spring in Maryland.

I'm interested too....how much time at the scene? One like this would take me several days!
carly

[djstar]

So Barry is still lost?!!!
SEE what I mean? You just GOTTA get out of the house! Great. This is ultra simon and I want more!!!
YOU are the one I get upset when you miss a chance to paint a tree or a building for some mere mortal. Your BUILDINGS breathe air! You give them all life.
Sorry it got so hot, but IF WE can survive the heat, you can give it a try too....
Thanks for reminding me!
dj*

[simon levenson]

d_garden at the time I painted this I had a much fuller paller than I have now. From white to deep purple. White, Naples yellow, , naples yellow pink, Cad Yellow, Cad orange, two other oranges that I don't know the names of, cad red, alizarin, burnt sienna, kings blue light, kings blue, curilean bluem ultramarne blue, three greens I am not sure of like permenant green, pthalo green, windsor green, purple... uhhhh I never have gone through it like that... When you ask were is it do you mean where in New York or where is the painting now? It is called "the little church around the corner" it is on like 29th street between fifth and madison ave tucked in there. It is currently in the home of the people who live in the skyscaper across the street from it... they bought this and then the following painting. That is the beauty of painting outside (fresh clients).

Larry this is in oil. Hate acrylics but that is something I can be treated for with therapy and medication (haha). I worked on this on site for almost two weeks. The trick in New York is making friends right away with the ups and fedex guys and somehow asking them to move their trucks when they park in front of you. You would be surprised how often they do move. The size is 18"x24"

Walden here is my non painter answer, a painting i snot SUPPOSED to have anything in it. It is a painting and each one is unique and so it succeeds on it's own is the point. Ok now the painter answer, paintings can be more Powerful (which is not the only thing a painting needs to seek, when they have a focul point. They also can work with the viewer in a more specified way by the artist when they intend a certain direction. They can be limited for that reason too. I think someone like Maurice Prendergast, had a more over all focul point, also i think impressionism to a large degree says, the painting is the focul point. OK also there are a lot of ways to make a focul point and some of them have nothing to do with focus in the sense of clarity, you can hace a compositional focul point or a color focus or a narrative focus (though more obscure). I think what I have learned is this: don't listen to anyone who tells you what you are supposed to do and also a focul point can improve and simplify the work of the artist as we are painters and all...
Oh yeah, no the guy had nothing to do with the painting until way late into the game. Maybe ten days into it and it must have been a weekend becuase there is nothing obscuring my view of him. I asked him if he would like to see the painting because he was in it and he said no, he had NO interest in it at all. I think more than the focul point he may be more of an anchor and no I am not really sure of the difference between the two...

CHClements everything I paint leans to the left. Must be because I am a liberal New Yorker...

[walden]

Simon, thank you very much for your response-- you've given me a lot to think about. I went to look at some of Prendergast's work, & I see what you mean.

[pampe]

Simon

this is SO DELICIOUS :cat:


I love the rhythmn that runs me all over this to catch the purples and yellows making nice together!


Pam