Urban Oasis: City Night Lights

Park Point Night Light, 8x10, $100

I've decided to feature several works simultaneously for the next several days. I've made this decision for several reasons. One, I wanted people to be able to read about the works in my Urban Oasis show at Jitter's Coffee in downtown Duluth before the show comes down at the end of June. Since time is of the essence, it just makes sense to group works together. Another reason for the grouping of works is that they go together and are more meaningful when viewed together. Ultimately, the paintings should be viewed in person hanging in the show, but thanks to the internet, they can be viewed on screen. You may click on any image to enlarge also.

Snively Bridge, 8x10, $100

These works featured today are all framed in a unique presentation where the work floats within a black frame. It makes for quite a visual statement, viewing an 8x10 canvas in a large frame. What a difference the frame made, I usually present my canvases with the gallery wrapped edge painted black. But since these canvases were traditional in profile (3/4" edge), the frame made all the difference in the world.

Harbor Light, 8x10, $100

These works also feature a similar theme ... lights. Cities take on a new life at night when the buildings are all lit up, and Duluth is no exception with its historic buildings and bridges all lit up for the world to see. Many lights in Duluth have been around a long time, such as the lighthouses, and others are relatively new, like the light in my Harbor Light painting, and the light in my Snively Bridge painting, the light being a replica of what Mayor Snively may have chosen to put there back in the roaring 20's.

I'll Lead You Home, 8x10, $100

These works all have a peaceful blue hue to them, the lights playing different roles of prominence in the paintings. The blues dance across the canvas, being anchored by thick concrete walls and large stones. I really enjoy the Harbor Light and I'll Lead You Home paintings viewed together. In one work, the light is center stage, demanding your attention, while in the other the light is in the far distance, beckoning the viewer to come closer. Lights may be considered more task orientated, but for me, the lights in this show represent beauty and safety.

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You really take lights for granted ... until a raging storm cuts the power and you're left in the dark quiet solitude of candlelight, the way people lit up their world for centuries before electricity gave us something so which reminds me of childhood nighttime fears comforted by nightlights.