On a recent return trip to Paris, I had the opportunity to discover the visual joys of this city anew. I have experienced Paris during each season and would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, though Paris in winter is particularly luminous. There is a tremendous sense of expectation in Paris as the glowing lights of boulevard cafes contrast brilliantly with the subtle palette of long winter nights. Snow falls rarely in the 'City of Light', and when it does, excitement seems to build as the snow accumulates. In my mindÆs eye I like to turn back the clock to a simpler era and picture the wonderful costumes and festive life of the Impressionist era.

As a young artist exploring my style, I attempted to find inspiration from the French Impressionist viewpoint. I even created a brush name, 'Robert Girrard', that allowed me to create paintings with the carefree abandon of Monet, Renoir, and the other grand masters of the Impressionist style. My passion for Paris and my zeal for color and atmosphere are vibrantly expressed in my painting Evening on the Seine. It is a loving tribute to the timeless city that made the Impressionists famous - TK