I’ve made two visits to New York, and a holiday photograph was what inspired my New York Empire State painting. I’ve used a painterly style to make this piece fresh, modern and contemporary.
 
Originally as a professional photographer, I have always been interested in photographing people. I’ve always been inspired by band photographs for 1960s album covers, often with a wide-angle lens either in a studio or outside environment.
 
The face in the foreground of my painting, rather like being close up to the lens in a photograph, adds a dramatic and immediate impact to the composition, drawing the viewer in. By using loose brush marks without much detail, the walking figures are captured mid-action at the crossing.

The painting has an impressionist and loose feel, anchored by the almighty size of the burnt umber building on the left. It comes to focus at the central point of interest, where people are wandering around and enjoying café life culture.
 
Lomography has been a big influence; the use of a fisheye view seen in the curved trees and tight close up crop, make it always about and of the moment.