I have been mostly a landscape painter and pick subjects for my paintings from what I view as the beauties of nature. I think most folks think of big cities as "grey" and not very beautiful. But, while walking the streets of Manhattan, I found the reflections in the windows and the various vistas through the street and sidewalk passages to be full of interest and color. So I hope you enjoy seeing my cityscapes.
The first two of my New York Cityscapes are from high up in our hotel tower. We were on floor fourteen, but were amused to note that there was no thirteenth floor at all, no button in the elevator for 13. So in reality, we were staying on the thirteenth floor. Thirteen happens to be a favorite number of ours because our son, Matthew, was born on Friday the thirteenth. So, that's the origin of the title for the first painting.
"View From Thirteen" by CB Woodling, c. 2008
This second painting was also a view from the thirteenth floor. As I was painting it, several of my fellow artists asked if the view was of New York...and I told them that it was actually a view FROM Manhattan, across the Hudson River, towards New Jersey. One of them replied, "No one paints New Jersey!", so that's the origin of the "unofficial" title.
"View Across the Hudson" or "No One Paints New Jersey"
by CB Woodling, c. 2008
The third painting in this series was inspired by one of my brother's favorite buildings - the Flatiron Building on Fifth Avenue. We had one of those memorable family trip moments getting to the building...having stood in line for the Empire State Building tour, missed a meal or two, and ultimately in a rush to get out of town before rush hour that evening...so we (or at least I) were (was) hot, bothered, impatient, irritable, and crabby. But that turned out to be one of the best memories of the days we spent in New York City, and I hope the painting reflects the beauty and color one can find in just a "grey old city".
"Flatiron Building" by CB Woodling, c. 2008
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