Urban Expression

Urban Expression, oil on gessobord, 5x7 inches

When I was a young painter, fresh out of college, I loved scouring the older sections of my city, especially the alleyways and blocks of abandoned, turn-of-the-century brick structures.  I would take black and white photos, develop them with boosted contrast, to emphasize the grittiness of some areas of Louisville 30 years ago.  From there, I created a series of drawings and paintings that, for lack of a better comparison, assimilated the German Expressionist's printmaking styles.  I have retained that interest in urban industrial decay scenes, and often find myself staring down alleyways, framing up a photo/drawing/painting in my head.  This little scene was just that.