Along Ave. A Drawing

I scour the city streets for that most temporary body of water - the puddle! As subject matter for painting, what could be more ordinary than that. Just like those visitors that find NYC entertaining and a fun visit, but not a place to settle down, puddles are here today, gone tomorrow. But some can linger, like a house guest that is no longer welcome. They begin to stink, collect garbage and are a general nuisance - something to avoid, jump over or step around. City puddle water is totally gross! But in that puddle I see the universe, in that flotsam, subject matter, in that reflection, content. By looking downward we see that which is reflected upwards. We also see a surface which distorts and twists what is reflected. Along with the debris, there is the rich array of plants and weeds growing in the fountains, reflecting ponds, and along city streets. Many of these places are never even seen being so ordinary and normal we forget to even look. In their upside-down, reflected views of the city, my paintings can also destabilize or puzzle the viewer as I pick and choose what to include or leave out.  I ask viewers to momentarily reorient their relationship to the urban environment as they piece it back together, to see it with fresh eyes. By painting places reflected in puddles, I hope to have recorded a fleeting moment condensed into a timeless image.