3rd Ave Fruit Vendor
12x12” Oil Pastel on canvas


(This photo of the painting has a bit of glare from the camera flash. Being winter, my preference of photographing in sunlight is not easy to do!)


This painting evolved so much from what I envisioned it to be when I started.


The reference for this painting is a photo I took in NYC when I went to LI to say goodbye to the family homestead.

The vendor in real life was on a busy street corner.
See the reference photo at right.

I liked all the visual activity of this busy scene but as I began painting I found that the busy background was too distracting.
But then a plain ground and wall were too, well, plain! So I added the torn sign on the wall and the trash can in the foreground.

I am happy with the way this painting turned out but I am still intrigued by the photo. Maybe I’ll make a series of paintings seeing how else I can depict this street scene…