Bryant Park: An Ode to the American Radiator Building

A wonderful thing about instagram is that it gives viewers the opportunity to immediately comment on whatever you're posting. I noticed soon after my very first painting containing the American Radiator Building (one of my own favorite buildings in NYC, and the subject of one of my favorite Georgia O'Keeffe paintings) garnered a unique response. Comments and private messages about the paintings I did containing the building started pouring in, containing a common thread: "That is my FAVORITE building in New York City!". Built to house the American Radiator Company in 1924, the black brick and gold accents were meant to symbolize coal and fire. It has since been renamed the American Standard Building and houses the Bryant Park Hotel. At only 23 stories, it isn't the tallest building surrounding the park, but it does have a presence unlike any other and appears to remain a much-loved New York City Landmark.

The first one I did is one of my favorite views from the park, as you get the added bonus of the Empire State Building in the background (I was happy to be able to fit the carousel into this one! More on that soon.)

For my next painting featuring a close-up of the Radiator Building, I wanted to get a little more detailed. This little guy took me all morning to draw out and paint, but I was super happy with the result so it was worth it! Would paint this view again in a heartbeat.

*All images in this post belong to Bryant Park. All of the paintings are theirs and they will not be for sale on my etsy, nor will I be selling prints. I'm hoping the park might sell prints in the future, and if they do I'll be sure to post about it!