The downtown walking mall in Charlottesville, Virginia, is the vibrant center for many local events and activities. Music venues, bars and restaurants, colorful street performers, a weekly farmer’s market – there is always something to do downtown. Painting downtown scenes is a primary art activity for me. Here are some of my favorites.
The Circus is in Town
Graphite on paper, 16″x12″
One day, while I was living on the downtown mall (my apartment building entrance is visible in this scene), I came out to take some photos and found that the circus was in town. Two clowns were on the mall handing out flyers, juggling, and generally delighting the children and adults who quickly gathered. One came up and posed for me, but I love most the expression on the little girl’s face as she watched him.
At Fellini’s Bar – Reflections
Acrylic on canvas, 30″x24″
Fellini’s was a favorite watering hole which hosted a delightful variety of jazz, blues, and other music. It’s closed now due to COVID. This particular evening the scene across the bar was perfect for a painting with the theme “reflections”, for a show with the Firnew Farm Artists’ Circle.
Live Arts – Angels in America
Graphite on paper, 28″x18″
Live Arts is the premier local Charlottesville theater company. Their theater building was only a few steps from my studio back in 2005. I designed and drew this complex drawing as an exploration to see if it would be a possible way to connect my art with their theater activities. It’s by far the most complex design I’ve ever undertaken. The faces and figures come from a set of snapshots of a dress rehearsal of the play “Angels in America”, which they had performed in a very ambitious production in 2004.
Sunrise over Monticello
Acrylic on canvas, 12″x36″
Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, is atop the small hill just to the right of the rising sun in this painting. This was the view out my kitchen window one morning when I lived on the downtown mall. Several Charlottesville landmarks are visible in this scene – the Pavilion music tent, the old railroad coal tower, and, in the foreground, the Transit Center. The low ground fog in the distance made this a very pretty sunrise.
Moonrise over Monticello
Acrylic on canvas, 12″x36″
The new moon has risen, just before sunrise. This is my companion piece to the previous sunrise painting. The view is now from the rooftop deck in my apartment building, so more of the music pavilion is visible. The town is peaceful and serene in the morning darkness.
Busker at City Market
Acrylic on canvas, 28″x22″
City Market, the Saturday morning farmer’s market in downtown Charlottesville, is always fun. This particular Saturday I listened to this young woman play in front of the colorful truck of Orchid Station, a vendor of beautiful orchids. Buskers like this are on the mall many evenings, adding to the excitement of the mall scene.
