Asylum (oil on canvas, 2005)

This painting was based on the old Foxboro State Mental Hospital in Foxboro, MA. I used to work as a graphic designer, not far from this site. One day i was sitting on the curb across the street from this building with my sketch book doing a drawing and a security officer in a van pulled up and parked between me and the building and she asked me what I was doing. I said "Drawing" and she said "Are you drawing the building?" I said, "No, I'mm drawing the space around the building." She wasn't amused and tld me that I couldn't draw the building because it was going up for auction (Not sure I understand the logic there) and she refused to move her van until I gave up and left. I went back the next day when she wasn't around and snapped some photos and between those and my drawing, I was able to do this painting. I was studying Edward Hopper at the time and, looking back, I can see the influence.