Painting of Two Towers and Vessel

"Two Towers and Vessel", 9" x 12" (c) Barbara J. Hart

This painting is a quiet piece. It is soft in tone and mood. There was more manipulation of the surface in this painting. The top portion especially was sanded and reworked. The pattern on the right side reflects my love of textiles and I couldn’t resist working it into the painting. It has an ethereal feel, of a place once visited, perhaps a walk down a city street on an overcast morning.

Painting of Water Tower and Collage

"Water Tower and Collage", 12" x 12" (c) Barbara J. Hart

Here’s another painting in the Water Tower Series. The water tower, collage images and shell come together by association. The images coexist through abstraction. Each image serves as a symbol of an idea, an object in time. In the painting process, images emerge and disappear. Stencils are added and erased. Sometimes an image gets wiped away or sanded out to reveal underlying layers. Each object affects the other as elements shift within the picture plane. The working of the surface represents the passage of time.

Tower 'n Shell Painting

This painting is one in a series that explores my fascination with water towers.

Water towers dot rooftops with a rustic nod to convenience. Perched high above roofs, they sit on platforms on long legs and ensure adequate drinking water for the city. These humble wooden towers are true symbols of New York City.

The wooden cisterns hover above rooftops.Rarely acknowledged or noticed; the holding tanks exist on another plateau. They inspire me to look up in this city bustling with activity. In contrast to the steel, glass and concrete, these simple elevated wooden barrels are viable relics in our urban environment.

The series explores the water tower from various perspectives and associations. I combine the tower's image with painted and collage elements.