Saturday, June 21, 2008

"Pike Street News"

10-1/2 x 14"
oil on masonite
sold

My precious internet access is back. After being out of sorts all week, I'm myself again. It's a small inconvenience compared to other calamities, true, but it is a large part of my world. This new painting was done on a day when I was in the studio at 8 am, with a guy working inside my house and no internet and leaving was not an option. High motivation to tackle a tough painting.

I usually start these more complicated cityscapes with a lack of confidence. It's not important to me to render the photograph as much as it is to capture the atmosphere and the place. Stay loose enough to feel as if you're there and life is moving around you - but make sure the buildings don't look as if they're falling in. It's a challenge. And I'm really not convinced that I pulled it off until I see the light - the rim glow around the people, the sky, the street, the shadows. Then it becomes real - full of life.

The place is on the corner of Pike Street and 1st Avenue, in Seattle - on a brisk, bright, February morning.

Please click here for a larger view.


6 comments:

Justin Clayton said...

Well, it certainly looks challenging Karin. With or without calamities, the painting turned out great. I really love the combination of accuracy and looseness in your work and this painting is no exception.

Holly Van Hart said...

Karin, what a great painting. looks detailed but on closer look it's wonderfully loose.

Rohit Kulkarni said...

this is wonderful... reminds me of another piece you had done that you sent to a competition... you caught the moment perfect...

Deb Kirkeeide said...

first words when I saw this ... "oh wow!" This one and little miss sunshine - absolutely fabulous!

Jo Castillo said...

Wow is right. I love the non detail details. Heh. Great feeling and gesture to this.

Jason Waskey said...

As a Seattlite, I can confirm that you managed to capture place and time quite deftly. I recognized it right off the bat (before I read the title)!