Things that are pretty: Cities and John Hartman.

John Hartman

Since Ben put up that great post about urban planning and individualism, I thought I would just show off some of John Hartman's great artwork that explore the concept of the city. They're really very striking, and a wonderful way to look upon the ideas of urban living and design.

Hartman, a native of lake country Ontario, has been painting natural scenes for decades, but in the early 1980s, he started to experiment. By combining a variety of perspectives, he created complex works that brimmed with nuance, detail, information and historical narrative--all of them presented in the form of an aerial image. "When I was a teenager, I used to have dreams I was flying over landscapes," he tells me from his studio in Lafontaine, Ontario. "They would roll underneath me just like I was a movie camera." (from Maisonneuve)

Anyway, with the magic on the internet, below are a few of his pieces to look at.

The Thames from Canary Wharf, 2006, oil on linen, 78 x 90 inches


Vancouver from above Burrard Inlet, 2006. Oil on linen. Courtesy of Nicholas Metivier Gallery, Toronto.


Lower Manhattan, 2006, oil on linen, 78 x 90 inches


John Hartman, The Thames looking West from above Tower Bridge, 2004. Oil on linen. Private Collection.


Toronto Harbour Looking East, 2005, oil on linen, 46 x 52 inches


John Hartman, Winnipeg, The Forks, 2007. Oil on linen. Collection of the artist.


Halifax, 2006, oil on linen, 96 X 198 inches


Calgary