Some of the artists I admire most are those that specialize in a certain subject and work tirelessly to perfect it. The quest to paint the perfect sunset, the ideal arrangement of a still life, the elusive lights and darks of a landscape or the perfect abstract composition can be a life-long pursuit.

My challenge is the opposite. I have attention deficit disorder when it comes to choosing painting subjects. I really don’t like to paint the same painting twice. From a creative standpoint, this isn’t a problem, as each new canvas is a new beginning. From a commercial perspective, it doesn’t’ exactly promote sales. I suspect that my potential buyers can be confused by the diversity of my subjects.

So recently I’ve settled on a theme that allows me to explore some common elements while keeping things fresh. I’ve started to explore the local landscape, urban and rural. I select subjects that are familiar and try to make them “new.” I love watching my buyers connect with a painting and share their individual memories of being in the place or time that the painting depicts.

One of my most popular paintings is Midtown Clock. The “Clock of the Nations” was the main attraction of Midtown Plaza in downtown Rochester, NY from the early 1960's to 2008. Many people fondly remember waiting for the clock to open on the hour and half-hour to display scenes of dancing marionettes from 12 nations.

I also recently took a new look at a local skyline landmark Statue of Mercury, created in 1881. In 1951, the factory on which it was originally placed was demolished to make way for the Rochester War Memorial. The statue was in storage until 1973, when it was rediscovered and re-installed atop the Aqueduct Building, (Now home to Constellation Brands) one block north of its original home.

Then, there’s Jines! In 1971, George Gines opened this Park Avenue restaurant and called it Jines. For over 40 years (now managed by George’s son, Peter), Jines has been a favorite community gathering place on Park Avenue.

Abbott’s Original Custard stand in Charlotte by Ontario Beach Park looms large in my childhood memories. For this painting, I found a vintage photo that shows a variety of dressed-up people enjoying their custard. I surmised that it’s an “after Mass” crowd from the local Catholic church, so I call it “Sunday at Abbott’s.”

As you can see, these are very different paintings, but they all relate to people’s memories of their community. I like to think that the essence of visual art is to create an emotional connection between the viewer and the art and in a sense, mission accomplished!