A city break is always so inspiring. A recent trip to Amsterdam with great friends was just what I needed to get my art groove going. Amsterdam is so vibrant with art on every corner, from Graffiti to Van Gogh – it has it all.
The red light district has been in existence since the 14th century. Close to the harbour it was the perfect place for women of the night to find work as many sailors docked to take drinks in the taverns. The tolerant attitude of the Dutch accept the honesty of sex work and drugs and this area is famous worldwide for legalising both practices.
There is a beauty about the old cobbled streets as they lead you from one zone to the next and as day turns to night the red lights from the booths of the workers light up the canals. Looking at the girls and the transvestites in their booths, I noticed a sadness in their eyes as they tap their windows enticing the next person in.
In this painting I tried to capture the emotion held in the people who work the streets. Emotionless caricatures who are searching for something but they don’t know what.
This painting is available for sale.
Oil on canvas, 50 x 78 cms, unframed.
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