Description

Navigation Street is a vibrant Birmingham cityscape painting, capturing the movement and atmosphere of this well-known part of the city.

As cars leave the heart of Birmingham and travel on the Suffolk Street Queensway expressway, they head out of the city. Moreover, the bright underpass leading to the Mailbox feels like a room within itself. It is complete with a gallery wall and bright, glowing installations.

It was dusk; however, the rain had finally stopped. Unexpectedly, the sky appeared bright blue. Consequently, this change of weather provided a striking contrast to the dark street underpass, where cars, meanwhile, emerged through a glow of red.

Inspiration for Navigation Street:

Additionally, another interesting place to observe the comings and goings of the city is the flyover. This structure is remarkably strong, yet it features a bright and light-hearted underbelly. It beckons pedestrians to enter as they head for the Mailbox shopping centre. I fondly remember the arrangement of bright lights and the glitter ball that hung there. It always made me want to dance.

Techniques and media used:

Consequently, Navigation Street required more detail to reflect the optimistic mood of the brighter evening and clear visibility. Again, using patience and applying very thin glazes of oil painting worked well.