Richard Popko, "Portals of the City"
Oil painting from "Portals of the City" series
by Richard Popko.
"Portals of the City" is a series of oil paintings by Richard Popko depicting the mystery, drama and romance one can imagine while exploring the back streets and alleyways of old San Francisco.
The paintings feature entryways and windows of prewar and Victorian buildings that reflect the urban condition of San Francisco's culturally diverse neighborhoods. They embody both reality and fantasy suggesting that life and beauty endure amid the aging and ever-changing cityscape.
Fifteen paintings in the series will be exhibited at Bank of America in Calistoga during the months of September, October and November 2011. Coincidentally, Popko was once BofA's Advertising VP at the San Francisco headquarters. Popko says "I enjoyed my time at Bank of America so the show at the BofA Calistoga branch is a bit nostalgic."
Richard Popko has studied oil painting for six years under Nancy Willis and Connie Wright at Napa Valley College. His mentors include Napa Valley artists Christine Olivo, Phoebe Ellsworth and Sara Barnes. Inspiration for his style, palette, imagery and themes has been influenced by American artists Edward Hopper, Wayne Thiebaud and Richard Diebenkorn.
Subject matter for his paintings comes from Popko's life experiences. At age 22 he became engaged to Bev Bevans on the dark rooftop of her "Aunty Mame's" prewar, Pacific Heights apartment overlooking a romantic and mysterious cityscape. During 17 of his 33 years living in the Napa Valley, he has also resided on San Francisco's Nob Hill and Russian Hill and in the Civic Center and Mission Districts. According to Popko "I have literally lived the neighborhoods, shopped the stores and strolled the alleyways of my San Francisco paintings."
Popko develops ideas for his paintings from photos he shoots in Chinatown, North Beach, Hayes Valley, Jackson Square, the Mission and the Tenderloin. Based on his photos, he prepares drawings and painted sketches of a scene. A final painting is then created that embodies a mood, attitude and ambiance somewhat reminiscent of neo film noire. To capture the feeling he uses a bold color palette, side lighting, contrasting light and dark shades, shadows and angular shapes.
rbpopko@aol.com
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