In Kansas City there is a wonderful urban district known simply as "The Plaza". It includes a rich mix of shops, restaurants, apartments, offices, museums and park amenities, but interestingly, no central public open space.
The original developer, J.C.Nichols, had traveled extensively in Europe prior to 1922 when he began the development. He was especially taken with the architecture, scale and materials of Spanish and Italian cities. To his mind, Seville captured many of these qualities, and he worked to establish the sister city relationship that endures to this day.
Those who know the Plaza will recognize that I have relocated and recombined many familiar landmarks in new compositions and imaginary relationships. Although almost none of my paintings depict the Plaza literally, I have tried to infuse my work with the special qualities of light, scale, and street life one finds in this remarkable place. |
