Times Square has become synonymous with the constantly active, neon-lit city that never sleeps. When I set up my easel, I wanted to look beyond the cliché to catch Times Square in a reflective mood.

I painted my Times Square in the morning, when New York's store front lights flicker on with the dawning rays of sunlight. Rain-wet streets reflect the dance of auto headlights on their mirror surfaces. A relative handful of pedestrians scurry on the sidewalks, but the streets are filled with cars.

As I worked, my progress was watched by millions of people on the Good Morning America show and the energy of the crowd seemed to fuel my brush like a jazz musician playing before an enthusiastic crowd.