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Richard StuttleLong flight to New York, JFK, leaving the airport in a taxi towards the city… excitement and anticipation filled my body. Driving overthe Williamsburg Bridge I saw the city skyline and knew this would be a city I could fall in love with, if it had not already happened!First day in NYC my adventure began. The sun was shining, the city awaited me. Armed with sketchpad and water I headed outto explore a place I had until this point only seen on TV and movie screens. With a spring in my step I wandered from Soho toCentral Park, eyes wide. Everything was amazing: sidewalks, shops and people all new and exciting. I remember gazing up thesides of huge mirrored skyscrapers, seeing the slightly distorted shapes and colors of the opposite buildings, following the linesto the top and nearly losing my balance. The city is incredible, but strangely I had a strong feeling of familiarity.First impressions, of everything from the streets and buildings to the people who lived and worked in them, was that everythingwas mind-blowing and on a massive scale. To me, the city itself was alive, the streets like veins and the living inhabitants thebloodstream keeping the metropolis pumping. I love the attitude of New York, that whatever you want to do can be done! Athousand ideas a day; some brilliant, others leading to avenues of thought that might never otherwise have been considered andsome complete rubbish! All can be nurtured in New York.One great privilege for me was to attend a showing of Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. The performance was a dream, anexperience I will never forget. I was fully absorbed in the production and it touched my soul like nothing else, my eyes glued tothe actors and stage, their voices incredible. The show was the best I had seen. Understanding the resonance of performance,I captured a feeling that would be unleashed on a canvas when the time was right, and even writing this now I am overwhelmedby the passion of that moment, the inspiration that will be with me and I will use within my art forever.New York has almost everything an artist could want to complete their mind, body and emotional state. The only thing I missed intwo months was depth, a depth I found in European history and culture. I found that the American mentality is to keep ahead ofthe curve – citizens want to be fresh in ideas and lifestyle, at the forefront of technology. As an artist I strive to dig deeper, in to thedepths of time past, and find the essence that transcends the centuries, the same energy the old masters tapped to create timelessworks of art. America has all a boy could want, but boys grow up and crave more. Is there enough here to sustain a lifetime?New York has definitely inspired me. Back in my studio now, I’m working on large scale oils capturing impressive skyscrapers,beautiful parks and moments of genius found in the city. Special moments from the last two months were captured in sketchbooks,on film and most importantly in my feelings and memory, experiences that touched my soul. I will love NYC forever.www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Richard_Stuttle.aspx81 ARTisSpectrum