A painting of The Standard on the High Line in New York City

The Standard on the High Line, New York City

The site I have chosen for this painting The Standard hotel on The Highline in New York City.

As I made my way to the site the clouds became a mite dark and by the time I got on location it was raining pretty hard. That said, the gods of art were on my side as the buildings in Meatpacking have large, covered walkways, so I could shelter from the rain whilst I got my initial ideas in place.

The Standard looks like something from the 50’s or 60’s but, in fact, it was completed in 2009. It’s built in the style of Le Corbusier and sits 17 meters about the street on five piers which straddle the Highline elevated railway. Halfway along, the building it pitches at a shallow angle in a sort of arrow, causing the light to play differently across the glass facade. I was keen to make a note of this. It looks incredibly futuristic for something retro.

As I worked on my inital drawings, I noticed the bars beneath. This idea was conceived to “create a living room for the neighbourhood.” Here hotel guests and locals could mingle and eat at the Standard’s restaurant, The Standard Grill. It creates a sense of community, so I was keen to put this in place – and don’t forget those yellow cabs!

The Meatpacking District, New York City

The old Meatpacking District which runs from West 14th Street south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River East to Hudson Street.

It’s all ‘regenerated’ today with swanky shops and coffee houses for the Glitter-latte, although this was a pretty rough place to be in decades past. In the early part of the 20th Century these streets contained over 250 slaughter houses so it must have reeked! The area was all linked up with a clattering elevated railroad that must have added to the noise and smell.

The final panting was completed back in my studio in the UK.