With this piece, I wanted to capture the towering scale, kinetic nocturnal pulse, and dramatic neon reflections of New York City after dark.
The composition rises out of a dark, shadowed base of midnight black and deep plum, pierced through the center by a vertical surge of icy teal, vibrant crimson, and a glowing shelf of yellow-green that mirrors neon-lit skyscrapers reflecting off wet pavement. Heavy, impasto brushstrokes and aggressive vertical palette knife drags carve through the dark ground, creating a soaring, architectural rhythm of shadowy spires and luminous cityscape reflections that draw the viewer straight into the heart of the metropolis.
Working in oil on paper, the absorbent texture grounds the heavy paint layers while allowing the rough, energetic tool marks to stand out with raw intensity. The Big Apple is about that restless, magnetic energy of the city at night—where shadows and brilliant light carve out iconic horizons.
