City Hall Park – watercolor on 140# Arches Cold Press approx. 19″ x 14″
A Bayonne, NJ hospital now has billboards that advertise the wait time for being seen in their emergency room. When I saw the story on the news the billboard said the wait time was 7 minutes. After I laughed so hard I had to be rushed to my local emergency room, I came home 3 days later and thought “Why can’t anyone in NYC be seen in any sort of reasonable time in an emergency room?”
Here is a true story: One time, a New York City Police Officer who will not be named, had a drug-addict prisoner who needed attention and was taken to a NYC Emergency room. While waiting, a man came in, slit from ear to ear and bleeding heavily. He was given a large amount of gauze and told to press it against his neck and wait. Why? Three gun shot-victims were on their way in and they were going to be seen first.
So, if you have any bones broken, need stitches in an area that is not life threatening or are coughing up a lung be prepared to sit for at least 5 hours. You may also be entertained for 5 hours, but that really is a sort of specialized area of entertainment. Best to drive to N.J. and be seen there. Sad state of affairs indeed.
This has nothing to do with the painting above, which is of City Hall Park. This is a beautiful little oasis in lower Manhattan and is aptly named because it is right in front of City Hall. In the spring there are cherry blossom trees and tulips. Once the summer arrives there is a lovely fountain which is seen on the left side of the painting. In the fall the fountain is shut down and beautiful fall colored plants fill the space. It’s a wonderful spot to sit, relax, people watch and take a moment in a very busy City. Just don’t hurt yourself there. You’ll spend hours and hours at the local emergency room. Word!
This week both Passover and Easter occur during the same week. So whichever holiday you celebrate, may it be a happy one. And if you don’t celebrate either of these holidays, may you have a wonderful week.
Carol King: drawing, painting, complaining 
49 comments
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April 17, 2011 at 10:08 pm
kk2n777
…and if you hurt yourself in City Hall Park, insist you will take the PATH train to NJ for whatever ER is there or else they will likely take you to the NYU Downtown Hospital nearby. I had a horrible experience there.
Now what a pretty painting this is. I do miss the watertowers though …
April 18, 2011 at 8:26 am
Carol King
Watertowers will be back soon enough. I can’t give up on my street scenes.
April 17, 2011 at 10:12 pm
jaybastian
absolutely beautiful painting!
April 18, 2011 at 8:26 am
Carol King
Many thanks Jay!
April 17, 2011 at 10:39 pm
lesliepaints
Wow! This painting is loose, transparent, colorful and a great division of space. Those greens are awesome, Carol! Love it!
I think I would take your advice and not get hurt in New York. An emergency room is not where I’d wish to spend my time while vacationing! 🙂
April 18, 2011 at 8:28 am
Carol King
I have to take a better picture of this. I took it with the camera in my phone, which is pretty good, but I will retake it with a real camera soon.
Thanks for your comments about the painting. I’m happy with it. And we would never want you to get hurt if you came to NY. There are too many things to see and do!
April 18, 2011 at 4:01 am
Pointypix
I love this painting Carol – it really leads the eye to the buildings at the back and it also reminds me of our trip there as we had to go to city hall to get our marriage licence (although the taxi dropped us at the wrong city hall so am not sure which is the one we went to and if it’s the same as the one in your picture. EIther way, I love it!!
Your ER sounds much the same as ours (known as A&E here). Thankfully I haven’t had to go to one since I broke my leg when I was 14 but I do remember lying for about 4 hours in agony waiting to get it set at which point I asked mum to tell them just to cut it off!! Course, now I’m glad they didn’t!
April 18, 2011 at 8:31 am
Carol King
glad you like the painting Nicola. I’m happy with it as well.
I don’t think the cab driver dropped you off at the wrong City Hall as there is only one. Which tourists can no longer get into since 9/11. However there is the Municipal Building across the street which is a big lovely building where one was able to get their marriage license and then get married. But now, actually, I think they moved it to the other side of City Hall in the Surrogate’s Court building. Another lovely building, the outside is rumored to be designed after the Paris Opera House. Oh well, glad you found your way and ultimately got married. You were so close to where I work. I could have walked over and said hi!
April 18, 2011 at 11:11 am
kk2n777
Actually, the office for marriage registration and license had been moved from the Muni Building to the Surrogate’s Court to the former DMV Building. It is an EDC project and if I may say so myself, turned out pretty nice. There are three “wedding chapels” to offer choices based on color schemes. People seem to be happy about it. I got my DP registartion at the Muni, the de-registration at the former DMV, and I don’t know where to go now to renew my driver’s license…
April 18, 2011 at 8:16 am
Rhonda
You’ve given us a lot of info in this painting without getting too detailed – beautiful spring colors 🙂 Sorry about the state of your emergency rooms – I think it may be that way all over. I once went into an emergency room, thinking I was having a stroke. No meds were given, I was told to sit and wait. Three hours later, I was seen and run through a bunch of tests. No explanation of what it was (perhaps a strange migraine) but if it HAD been a stroke, I would have been untreated for hours and probably brain damaged 😦
April 18, 2011 at 8:34 am
Carol King
Thanks for your comments on the painting. There were so many layers and I didn’t want them competing with each other. I also wanted the buildings in the background to remain light and suggestive.
I remember one of the times my mom had a stroke and we took her to the emergency room. They took her in rather quickly, but everything took so long. It’s a sad state of affairs that people consider going out of the US for surgery because it’s so much cheaper.
April 18, 2011 at 8:34 am
Jimmy
Beautiful! I love the lamppost… very happy painting. It should hang in the James A. Crescitelli III, Esq., Gallery of Current American Watercolors in Winter Park, Florida.
Now do me one of St. John the Divine !!
xoxoxoxoxoxox
April 18, 2011 at 8:54 am
Carol King
Have you hung the other Carol King original watercolors yet? I miss my poppies. You should come to NY and visit. I keep telling you that.
I will paint you St. John the Divine if you can get him to sit for me.
April 18, 2011 at 10:57 am
Alice Walsh
LOVE this painting! You really outdid yourself this time, sister!
April 18, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Carol King
Muchas gracias hermana!
April 18, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Barry Coombs
Very nicely handled. I enjoy your expressive brushwork and you’ve really conveyed the personality of a lovely public space.
April 18, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Carol King
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. Hope you’ve recovered from your time in Mexico. I looked at your photos with a rather distinct feeling of jealousy!
April 18, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Debbie Adams
I love the painting, Carol; really loose which is my favorite kind of watercolor painting. Excellent work!!
Well, if I ever were to come visit you, I will be very careful not to get hurt; for the wait in the emergency room could kill me.
April 18, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Carol King
thanks for the comments Debbie. No one wants to spend time in any emergency room, so make sure when you come to NY you are careful!
April 18, 2011 at 5:56 pm
northpenninegallery
Nice painting Carol, and a great insight into everyday life. Strange how similar our lives are yet divided by such a huge pond.
April 30, 2011 at 10:28 am
Carol King
yes, Keith, really, we are all the same.
April 18, 2011 at 5:57 pm
northpenninegallery
Very, very nice painting. So good I named it twice. 🙂
April 30, 2011 at 10:29 am
Carol King
You make me laugh. And thank you for visiting again. Glad you like the painting.
April 18, 2011 at 5:59 pm
Alex Zonis
Love the painting, Carol! Good composition, great dynamics, colors and expression!
The story is top notch too. I am always so entertained reading your blog. How do you do it?…
April 30, 2011 at 11:21 am
Carol King
Thanks for your comments Alex. I was just reading your latest post and wanted to say that somewhere in the middle of this, I, too, thought it was a lost cause….but it came back to life and ultimately I was happy with it.
I’m also happy you enjoyed the blog story. How do I do it? I don’t do anything but laugh at the absurdity of life around me. I also have the husband who has more stories than you can imagine….many I can’t retell here.
April 18, 2011 at 7:52 pm
Artswebshow
That sounds as bad as the UK hospitals. lol
On the other hand i so do like this painting, it’s a beautiful scene.
April 30, 2011 at 11:23 am
Carol King
Thanks Richard. Sorry to hear your hospitals are just as bad. Is there nowhere to go where there is good health care?
April 19, 2011 at 8:49 am
Beth Parker
This is a wonderful painting, Carol! I was first wowed by the color then impressed by the great sense of depth. You did really good!!!
April 30, 2011 at 11:24 am
Carol King
Aw, thanks Beth. Glad to see you here and I appreciate your comment.
April 19, 2011 at 1:00 pm
napabelle
Wonderful painting Carol… such attention to details. And all these colors work well together. Bravo !
April 30, 2011 at 11:27 am
Carol King
Thanks Isabelle, the City does make this park look beautiful in all seasons.
April 20, 2011 at 11:53 am
Ras Alonso
Love this water color painting.
April 30, 2011 at 11:27 am
Carol King
Thanks Alonso.
April 21, 2011 at 5:56 am
lindahalcombfineart
Carol, This beautiful – fresh and clean feeling. The NYC city hall is a beautiful building (at least on TV and in photos) but I didn’t realize it had this gem of a park in front. Great work!
April 30, 2011 at 11:29 am
Carol King
On TV they always show people on the steps of the building. Which you can no longer go on since 9/11. There are security guards and metal detectors to get to go to City Hall. But the park is still open and free and lovely.
April 23, 2011 at 4:43 pm
Jan
Lovely painting, Carol.
Well done!
When you sit at the emergency room, you can always paint for us!
I am only joking – maybe you must just steer clear of the long waits at the emergency room!
Enjoy the weekend.
April 30, 2011 at 11:30 am
Carol King
I try to stay far away from emergency rooms! Thanks for your visit Jan. I love your latest work.
April 25, 2011 at 2:21 am
Stephen
Yeah I like this Carol – your work is so bold – and detailed – and a good, though disturbing story.
I hope you are chilling out today
May 4, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Carol King
Hi Stephen, I tried to get a mix of some detail and some suggestion with this painting. Thank you for stopping by.
April 25, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Donald Diddams
I remember this little park by City Hall from my last visit to New York. A lovely painting of it that nicely downplays the urban surroundings a few yards away.
After 12 years in the Caribbean, a few hours wait in the ER doesn’t sound too bad (ha, ha)… Seriously, the glossy medical advertising back here on the continent is mindboggling. It’s everywhere, as if choosing a doctor/hospital/elective procedure were like buying a pair of shoes. If only they’d spend that money on taking care of people. It’s one of the great inefficiencies of market-based medicine, I guess.
May 9, 2011 at 9:34 pm
Carol King
You are so right about market-based medicine. Ugh! I can’t even talk about it without smoke coming out of my ears.
Thank you for your nice comments on my painting. Hope you are adjusting to life back on the mainland.
April 27, 2011 at 12:48 am
cathyann burgess
Lovely watercolor of CHP, Carol! Hope you had a good holiday, too.
May 9, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Carol King
Hello Dutch girl. LOL! Thanks for your comment on the painting.
April 28, 2011 at 12:07 pm
frankeber
Hi Carol, good job on your painting, nice composition indeed!
What a story, and I agree it is a sad state of affairs. There are similar stories to be told from the left coast, needless to say. It seem we just can’t do important things right in this country i.e. health care, education and public transit, at least in LA…pathetic! But that’s another story..
Hope you had a great holiday, whatever you celebrated
April 29, 2011 at 1:21 pm
aswirly
What happened to the man that was slit from ear to ear? DId he die???!!! Oh that is a horrible story 😦 sigh…. however, your painting is really beautiful, especially when viewed large. What a lovely spot!
April 30, 2011 at 1:17 am
Jim King
I love the fountain and all the planting underneath it. Beautiful! But, another thing I love is the little “bridge” along the walkway. It looks like a crocodile just waiting below the surface…see his eyes on the two sides of the path? It’s like a safari right there in downtown NY. Who needs to go to Africa? Even better than Disney’s Animal Kingdom I imagine!
May 4, 2011 at 11:45 am
Joan T
Great job on the foliage and the wonderful architecture!!! I love it!
May 29, 2011 at 2:32 am
Shelley Whiting
I love this piece it’s dark and expressive. I love how everything is dark and the tree branches seem threatening. I love the moody and solemn atmosphere. Love the inspiration behind it. A very thought provoking and provocative piece.
June 9, 2011 at 10:19 am
Pat Coakley
Seriously. You’ve gotten even better in my absence. Most people do thrive but this is ridiculous. I love the combination of nature’s bounty and buildings…such a sense of a ‘place”… i want to visit it and sigh.