Artist Statement: The Artists

The Flatiron and Gramercy neighborhoods in New York City are not only two of the most well-known historic districts in the city but they are also some of the most photographed and painted areas of the city. New York-based artists Sharon Florin, Susan Pyzow and Emily Trueblood have come together for an exhibition entirely based on their own visual interpretations of these important and historically significant locales.

"Susan Pyzow and I met at an awards dinner at the National Arts Club," says Sharon Florin. "And as we chatted, we realized we enjoyed seeing each other's work and had a lot in common as far as artistic sensibility. Our work is realistic and our subject matter had many similar qualities-the architecture and the urban environment and landscape of New York."

Emily Trueblood, whose studio is in the Flatiron district, was then recruited as she had used her surroundings as inspiration for many of her works over the years. Trueblood's studio is on a high floor of a building on 22nd street, so she has been observing the neighborhoods for years and has been struck by several of the unique architectural characteristics of the area.

"I like the round shapes of water towers next to straight buildings and windows," says Trueblood. "I love the way the Flatiron building stands alone on the corner. I depicted it through the trees in Madison Square Park."

Susan Pyzow is a lifelong New Yorker and gets material for her work from frequent walks around the city where she is able to take in the variety of architectural structures and styles.

"Even the well-worn paths I travel each day around my neighborhood continue to present new possibilities to explore," says Pyzow. "I still find myself intrigued by the compelling architecture, the dramatic lighting, and the constantly emerging stories inherent in this geographical slice of the city."

She is also able to trace her own personal history through these structures.

"My brother was born in the hospital formerly Manhattan General, and I remember hearing Les Paul at Fat Tuesday's, which made its home for many years in Scheffel Hall,"
says Pyzow.

Sharon Florin is attracted to the city's dynamism and continual energy and sees her paintings as a way to keep history alive
and moving.

"The Gramercy Park and Flatiron districts of New York, especially the older buildings and side streets, hold a special fascination for me as
I try to capture the texture, detail and especially the light of those neighborhoods," says Florin.