In the spring of 2022, I had the wonderful opportunity to create three commissioned watercolors inspired by Central Park in NYC. I spent hours wandering the park to find the images that spoke to me.
Back in the studio, I began sketching, referring to the photos I took in the park.
Side-by-side of one of the many bright floral portals of Bow Bridge and my drawing of it
I combined the natural formations, architectural features, and wildlife that called out to me to create a tryptic. I have a cousin to thank for my familiarity with the winged-creatures of the park; he is an avid bird watcher who shared his photos of egrets, ring-necked ducks, and American bitterns from Central Park with me.
Once I had everything sketched out, I started to paint and interpret the natural world with my own palette of colors.
In the studio, I explored how the natural fences made of found branches, the cobblestone walkways, and carved stone features in the park could be transformed into different colors and patterns.
Gapstow Bridge drawing and final watercolor comparison
A video of the three watercolors where they live on Central Park West
This mural spent the winter being re-painted in my studio in the South End of Boston and now it has been re-installed in its proper place at 237 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA. Thank you to George Hagerty and Justin Bothwell of US Art for their hard work moving the mural and getting it back up on the building.
Getting started on the installation.
This project was directed by Rika Smith McNally, the director of the art conservation program at the Cambridge Arts Council. I am grateful for her energy and guidance about using the proper materials for an exterior mural. It even has UV protection now, so no sunburns!
George and Justin putting on the finishing touches.
Please join me for a party on Wednesday June 24, 2015 to celebrate and rededicate the mural. We will convene right under the mural from 5 to 7 for some live jazz by saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase, food from the East Coast Grill, and good company!
The Bluefish is Good Tonight will be looking good for another twenty+ years!!
The restoration of the mural, The Bluefish is Good Tonight, is going really well. With the help of a bunch of wonderful assistants it is moving along quickly. As soon as it stops snowing the painting will be put back up at 237 Hampshire Street in Inman Square where it belongs!
Harrison Ringel, Regina Gaudette, Carla Hauck and Rachel Newsam work on the details of the mural. Two coats of acrylic paint were applied to all areas.
Carla Hauck applies the first coat of paint to a green school of fish.
It was interesting to re-work a project that I did so many years ago. My color sense has changed, and I think the new color choices will be easier to read from a distance. I had more confidence painting it this time, which made it a lot of fun. I removed a few details and worked with bolder shapes this time around.
Rachel Newsam transfers the designs from the original mural onto the newly refreshed panels.
Complimentary colors really pop!
Regina Gaudette and my new puppy Maya were both very dedicated to the project.
I remembered why I chose all of these shapes several decades ago: I used to take a ceramics class in Inman Square, so I filled up all of the empty spaces with pottery forms.
I am very grateful to Rika Smith McNally, the director of the art conservation program at the Cambridge Arts Council, for her energy and guidance on this project. She assures me that the painting will be looking good for several more decades!
Driving home on the Massachusetts Turnpike after a long day at the studio.
In 1987, with funding from the Cambridge Arts Council, I was asked to paint a mural for a building in Inman Square, Cambridge. The painting was called “The Bluefish is Good Tonight”, as an homage to the original Legal Seafood restaurant that once stood on this site. The imagery also contained references to the vibrant jazz scene in the area.
It had faded badly over the years and I was ready to have the mural taken down since it had been on display for almost thirty years. It turned out that it wasn’t so easy to remove the painting because the neighbors had grown attached to it and they still liked it, even though all of the reds and purples and much of the imagery had disappeared. I was pleased to know that it was so well-loved, and I started to hope that a plan could be made to save the mural.
Rika Smith McNally, the director of the art conservation program at the Cambridge Arts Council, was determined to find a way to re-paint the mural, and she made it happen last week! Before I could say “What is that huge thing in my studio?”, Rika and a team from USArt, George Hagerty and Alfred Zuniga, had moved the five panels to my studio.
George Hagerty and Alfred Zuniga removing aluminum panels from Inman Square building
Rika Smith McNally and Rory Beerits of the Cambridge Arts Council, cleaning the mural to prepare the surface for painting with Golden acrylics.
Rika Smith McNally and Regina Gaudette applied a layer of Golden MSA resin varnish to the surface to prepare it for painting with Golden acrylics.
I am planning to re-paint all of the background colors, and then with the help of assistants Jill Curtis, Rachel Newsam and Regina Gaudette, we will trace the shapes and patterns back in place and repaint them. On Rika’s recommendation we are using Golden 100% acrylic emulsion colors which are rated for excellent lightfastness.
Here I am painting bright colors over faded areas.
Coloful backgrounds ready for patterns to be added.
I spent the winter of 2013 keeping warm by painting three large oil on wood paintings. These pieces were commissioned for the lobby of a hospital. I was encouraged to include a few more animals than usual, hence the squirrel.
The painting above is entitled Long and Lovely. I used Ronan lettering enamel, and most areas have two or three coats of paint. Then I applied many, many dots to enliven the surfaces and make subtle adjustments to the color relationships.
I Made That!! 