Description
The Bijou Grille, Main Street, Buffalo, NY (2001)
Every time I rode the subway, I would always see the Bijou Grille to the left as we came above the surface. I was always tempted to paint it because of its rich array of colors. The magenta’s and teals almost feel tropical in some ways.
In order to make a painting perfect, I need the perfect photograph for reference. This photograph must be taken with the sun and shadows aligned just right. Luck was on my side this day. We arrived for the picture shoot before noon to find that the building was in shade. This forced a delay allowing for a very fortuitous event.
After killing a few hours inside the Bijou for lunch, I stepped out to find the perfect sun angle. The best part however was that a sprinkler system had just finished its cycle leaving glistening puddles in the foreground. I can’t imagine the scene without them as their abstract shapes and dark tones really perk up what would have been a bleached area of pink cement.
If I were asked to pick my favorite painting to date, it would probably be the Bijou. It was a perfect storm of color, composition and good fortune!
