Painting in Central Park

Bow Bridge, Central Park, 2011, oil on linen, 8 x 10 inches

Here's another plein air landscape done over Memorial Day weekend, it is Central Park's iconic Bow Bridge, the inspiration of many paintings, photography, and movies. I love painting in Central Park, it is a magical place and during the first few weeks of warm weather the park has such a positive energy unlike I have ever seen any where else. People come out for walks, jogs, bike rides, picnics, and to catch up on their tan. Everyone seems to have a smile on their face, something hard to see in one place in New York City. I began painting in late afternoon, when the sun was not beating down on me, this time of day has the best light and it brings out beautiful, intense colors on the grass and trees. This is the moment I was trying to catch, a time when everything seems peaceful.