Artist:Thomas Kinkade
Title: Times Square
Edition: S/N Plein Air Canvas Edition
Image size: 9" x 12"
From Thomas Kinkade: Every great city has its own distinctive spirit. New York is assertive, sophisticated, even a touch overwhelming. When I'm there, I feel energized, tuned in; my heart beats to the jazzy rhythms of the city.

Times Square has become synonymous with the constantly active, neon-lit "city that never sleeps." When I set up my easel to paint this world-famous entertainment district, I wanted to look beyond the cliché; to see past the glitz and glamour of the theaters and restaurants. I wanted to catch Times Square in a more reflective mood.

I painted my Times Square in the morning, when New York's store front lights flicker on with the dawning rays of sunlight. The sky is clearing after a rain; the wet streets reflect the dance of auto headlights on their mirror surfaces. A relative handful of pedestrians, just emerging after the storm, scurry on the sidewalks, but the streets are filled with cars. The rush of traffic within the canyon formed by skyscrapers makes the city resemble a fantastic futuristic machine. As I worked, my progress was watched by millions of people on the Good Morning America show and the energy of the crowd seemed to fuel my brush like a jazz musician playing before an enthusiastic crowd.

-Thomas Kinkade