Fall in NYC

I had a lot of fun creating this piece! Yesterday morning, I spent time sketching new ideas and this piece leaped into my mind. The seasons changed dramatically from summer to fall this year and seemingly overnight the leaves have started to turn and the cooler air has blown into the city. In this piece, I envisioned colorful leaves falling over Midtown - what a lovely sight! The sky is a wash of gouache paint and the city scene and leaves are cut out from gouache-painted paper.

George Washington Bridge from Riverside Dr.

Last week when I traveled uptown, I was struck by the sweeping view of the George Washington Bridge from Riverside Drive. In this piece, I tried to capture the way the bridge gracefully hangs over Riverside Park and stretches into Upper Manhattan. The area is quite hilly and affords grand views. I created this piece with gouache-painted paper. The bridge was cut out from color-aid paper.

First Sign of Fall

Biking in Central Park this weekend, I observed that some of the leaves are already beginning to turn! With the days growing shorter and the air feeling crisper, the warm hues of autumn are nearly upon us. I love the brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows of maple trees. Here in New York City, oak trees are more common. While oak leaves usually turn brown, I took some artistic license to make them more colorful in this piece!

Orchids

I was inspired to create this cutout after enjoying the delicate beauty of an orchid plant that we bought from Ikea. I chose a plant with bright, pink flowers and was astounded by the intricate nature of each petal. I used gouache-painted paper to create this piece.

Late Summer Sunrise

This watercolor celebrates the final days of summer! When I think of the last days of summer, I envision all the bright, sun drenched colors fading into the warm hues of autumn. This is my interpretation of a late summer sunrise.

George Washington Bridge at Night

I saw the George Washington Bridge from Riverside Drive last week in the evening. The bridge has a majestic presence, gracefully spanning the Hudson River. With the NYC at Night series on my mind, I envisioned the bridge set against a glowing moon with beautiful flowers growing on both banks of the river. Here is the result of that vision!

East River at Sunrise

This watercolor portrays the East River at sunrise. The waterfront is especially pretty during the summer when all the trees are in bloom. I kept the composition loose so that the colors and forms would blend together.

Early Morning in New York City

This is a watercolor of the sun rising over the skyscrapers of Midtown. In this abstract representation, I aim to portray the brilliant colors of the sun reflecting off the skyscrapers, with the Hudson in the foreground. Using a brush loaded with pigment and lots of water led to some surprises, such as the way the green building bleeds into the rising sun.

NYC Water Taxi

One of the many sites in Lower Manhattan are the NYC water taxis that circle the harbor. The bright yellow water taxis stand out against the city skyline and surrounding parks. I love all the action along the waterfront!

Kayaking on the Hudson

When we biked to lower Manhattan last weekend, we saw people kayaking on the Hudson River. I imagine there must be a dramatic view of the New York City skyline from the water! This collage is from the perspective of a kayaker paddling near Wagner Park. The yellow building in the background has bright blue solar panels down the sides.

Wagner Park

This past Sunday, we biked downtown to Wagner Park, located on the tip of Manhattan. The park is beautifully landscaped and affords excellent conditions for jogging, cycling and walking. There are numerous wildflowers planted carefully throughout the park, including the stunningly bold, pink flowers portrayed in this collage. With cool breezes coming off the Hudson and sailboats circling the harbor, you almost feel like you have left New York City!

Westside Market

Westside Market is a local grocery store near our apartment. I love the colors of all the fruits and vegetables displayed at the entrance to the store. It's a true visual feast! The selection of produce is especially colorful in summer, which I tried to capture in this collage. The store is always crowded with shoppers and there is usually a dog or two impatiently waiting for their owner by the entrance!

Green Empire State at Night II

Last night, the Empire State building was shining with red, white and blue lights, presumably in celebration of the Labor Day holiday weekend. I created a second collage of the Empire State at night with these patriotic colors. I continue to explore the theme of city night scenes against an urban garden. Imagine if all of the city streets were lined with trees, flowers and beautiful gardens!

Summer Sunrise

A few mornings ago, I was biking in Central Park at dawn. As I rounded the bend near East 70th Street, I noticed a blazing red sun rising over the treetops of the park. It was a stunning image which I tried to portray in this collage.

Green Empire State at Night

We have an amazing view of the Empire State building from our apartment window. This collage portrays the Empire State with its "ever day" yellow lights. This piece is part of the "Green NYC at Night" series that celebrates the urban gardens throughout New York City.

Mountain Sunset II

This watercolor was inspired by the setting sun over mountains. I tried to capture the scene by using a fully loaded brush with pigment and lots of water. That is how I achieved the effect of the mountain looking as if it is springing into the sun.