Coffee & Tea

Oil on linen, 24″ x 36″, 2024

This painting draws inspiration from St. Mark’s Coffee & Tea in the East Village, featuring its red facade—a striking and uncommon hue in the city. Despite the shallow physical space, the composition creates depth through the crack of the door and the window reflections. Cool tones of blue, green, and gray soften the intensity of the red, balancing the palette.

Graffiti on the walls and door contrasts with the store’s orderly lettering, adding texture and grounding the scene in its urban setting. The organic curves of the coffee bean sacks break up the dominant verticals and horizontals, introducing a rhythmic, wave-like flow. A seated figure anchors the composition, deftly balancing a phone, coffee cup, and lid, infusing the moment with a touch of everyday humanity.

Here are more East Village and inside-out scenes.