A Date on Canvas

A Date on Canvas

There have always been certain things I wanted to paint in my career as an artist. A list starting with:

1. A famous piece of architecture with all its intricate design details
2. A person of recognition emanating their strength through
3. A relaxing landscape
4. and a representation of beauty taken from each culture

These are just a few of the subject matters I would like to portray on canvas or perhaps wood. However, the ones that I most want to paint I have already started. It is for a series I call Letters to My Loved Ones. A series in which I plan to paint myself in a scene with each one of my grandparents. The first of this series is a piece entitled Night at the Palladium.

This work was inspired by an old photograph of my grandfather. He died before I was born and I always wondered what he was like. Since I never had the opportunity to meet him in real life, I set a date with him on canvas. I imagined if time and place were not an issue, what would we do. I thought of what his life was like, having been a Puerto Rican that emigrated to New York during the 1940's. My mind was flooded with imagery of music, dancing, laughing and suits with feathered hats as many who came to New York at that time sought out places that had a familiar feeling of home where they could relax and let loose. Of course one of the most popular nightclubs at this time was The Palladium. And with a love of salsa music myself, I imagined what better way to have a date with my grandfather than to have him take me there and see the legendary Tito Puente and Celia Cruz!  This is how Night at The Palladium was born.

I have since started on the second piece in the Letters to My Loved Ones series and hope that my grandparents look down and read each and every one..