Wrigleyville, acrylic on canvas, 2008
Late last summer, I was commissioned by one of my collectors (Troy) to paint a large-scale cityscape. He already owns two of my cityscape paintings and so he knew what he wanted. This was helpful since it gave me a good idea of the colors and style he likes. The only stipulation was that Wrigley Field needed to be prominently featured.
He invited me into his home so that I could see the space where it will be displayed and to take some measurements. I also took exterior photographs of his building and the surrounding neighborhood that I used for reference. The size - 4 feet x 6 feet - is my largest painting yet. It took me over 6 months of work to finish (with a break in December due to a replacement heating system being installed in my studio building).
I periodically emailed him photos of the work in progress to make sure he was happy with the direction I was going. Along the way, he made a couple of suggestions about adding some more buildings. Then at the end, he threw me a curveball (pun intended), requesting that I incorporate a cyclist riding along the lakefront bike path. The suggestion turned out to be a good one and I think it adds a little whimsy to the painting.
Troy hasn't taken the painting yet - he's in the process of a home remodeling job so I'm able to showcase it in my studio for the time being. Once he takes the painting he will display it in his new, custom-designed living room.
P.S.> His building is the orange one in front on the lower left.