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American Landscape Painting

"Union Railroad Hot Metal Bridge Night" 36" x 48" Oil on Panel No. 241

36" x 48" image size 39" x 51" x 3.5 deep, framed In a Privite Collection

In this Americana Landscape Painting, "Union Railroad Hot Metal Bridge Night," an original oil on panel, I was attempting to speak to the mystery living in the shadows and reflections of the Union Railroad Hot Metal Bridge at night under a full moon. A bridge such as this is shows us where we came from as we crossed in to today. The moon has risen and fallen over this place in the landscape since the dawn of time and like all other places it reflects all the cycles of life that are present in this wonderful world we live in. I find interest in how a bridge fits into this landscape considering a bridge is not a natural product but is imposed on the landscape by the hands of man for the very purpose of crossing by us human inhabitants. Now that we have crossed this bridge made of iron that delivered us to this new era I think it's time to reflect on the cycles of life that are coming to bear on this giant but now sleeping bridge that once delivered the raw elements needed at the Carri Furnace to make iron. Once at this location by night I found that it was so still and quiet out there amongst the living reminders of our past, in fact I couldn't help but notice that this area was tucked away from the lights of the town of Homestead ( part of Pittsburgh ) in such a way that it seems more involved in the forces of nature now than the forces of man. In short the bridge harmoniously shares shimmering reflections of a great human effort on the surface of the Monongahela right along with the moon as the river of life in Pittsburgh flows towards new horizons.

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