#76 - E. 42nd St. & 38th Ave. S.

#76 - E. 42nd St. & 38th Ave. S. 8"x10" oil on panel

We did have a nice extended fall season here ....when it was dry.

#75 - South Thomas Ave. & West Franklin Ave.

South Thomas Ave. & West Franklin Ave. - 8x10 oil on panel.

I've made it three quarters of the way! I even had time to get a few ahead last month.

This one is in the Kenwood neighborhood (if I'm wrong, please let me know).
I was out with my friend Mister FatCat again last month, looking for an interesting alley in the area.
We set out that morning with a specific site in mind, but when we returned to it that morning it was really
a driveway to parking for some apartments. So, we went looking for another and found a couple interesting
spots. One was good enough that we started to set up....and then I called it off. Sometimes you get a feeling that it's not going to work out. Thankfully I got that feeling before we started and not two hours into it.
I was being picky, but wanted to take one last try at finding something interesting before it got too late (we had already spent a couple hours out looking) and had to resign ourselves to plan b. Around the corner and two blocks down we found this one.
It was nice to stumble into this - the sign said dead end alley, it's unpaved, and the light/shadows were good. We set up and went at it! Mostly painted on site, but I made a few adjustments to the next day at home.  

#74 - Girard Ave S. & 22nd St. W.

#74 - 22nd St. W. & Girard Ave S. 5x7oil (sold)

This one is in the Lowery Hill neighborhood. It was a great afternoon to be out painting. I was with my friend Jeff (Mister FatCat) a couple weeks ago and we found an old brick paved alley. I don't recall seeing many, if any, others like this. I know they're out there, but they're pretty rare. I think most were dug up or paved over a long time ago.

#73 - 42nd & Garfield Ave. S.

#73 - 42nd & Garfield Ave. S.
Ink on paper - digital color.

I spent a good portion of the summer occupied with illustration work much like this....drawn and inked on paper (heavy 100% cotton, this one) and then scanned and colored in Photoshop. It was a natural to just fit this in with what I was doing. This one was a request from a friend for a neighborhood event this month and since I've been behind again on posting (and making) new alley pictures - I jumped at an excuse too make a new one! This might even look good as a print....maybe silk screen....hmmmmm....

#72 - East 17th St. Near 3rd Ave. South

#72 - East 17th St. Near 3rd Ave. South
4"x4" oil on panel  (sold)

A small one from the Stevens Square neighborhood again.
The shadows were big and deep here on this particular afternoon.

#71 - E. 18th St & 2nd Ave. S.

#71 - E. 18th St & 2nd Ave. S
20" x 16"  oil on canvas

This is in the Stevens Square neighborhood.
There are quite a few good alleys here and I'd like to get back to do more in this area.

If anyone is still following along - thanks! I am trying to get these done at a faster pace. There's always something getting ahead of them. I hope this summer allows more opportunities to search out new alleys.

#70 - 44th and Grand Ave. South

#70 - 44th and Grand Ave. South
8x10, oil on panel.  (sold)

Friends Chris and Jen own the place at the front right end of this alley. There was a baby shower there for our daughters when we were expecting. We spent a lot of fun evenings in the back yard to the right of that garage...bbqs, playing music, etc. 

#69 - West Lake St. and Bryant Ave. S.

#69 - West Lake St. and Bryant Ave. S.
5x7, oil on panel

This is a view looking North. The Bryant Lake Bowl in on the left side.
I liked how the sketched in start was working and left it mostly intact. It seemed to fit the mood.

#68 - East 32nd & Columbus Avenue South

#68 - East 32nd & Columbus Avenue South
5" x 7" oil on panel.(sold)

This is a great, colorful alley on 32nd St. East. The green fence is the back end of the parking lot for Modern Times Cafe on the Chicago end of the block. It's a vegetarian restaurant that I'm surprised I haven't ever been to.

#67 - 23rd Ave. N. Near Lyndale Ave. N.

#67 - 23rd Ave. N. Near Lyndale Ave. N.
7"x12" acrylic on paper - 01-30-2016 (sold)

#66 - 39th & Thomas Ave. S.

#66 - 39th & Thomas Ave. S.
11"x14" oil on panel (sold)

I've always liked this alley. The orange sign says "dead end alley".
I drive by it once in a while and it always catches my eye.
This neighborhood (Linden Hills) has a lot of hills and valleys, making for some interesting alleys.

I'm at number 66 - two-thirds of the way!