happy birthday leonard cohen

Last night we celebrated the legendary Leonard Cohen with an event at Industry for his Birthday. The event included a handful of musicians covering his songs, and artists with work inspired by his songs, as well as the bar serving up Cohen’s own cocktail - The Red Needle: Tequila & Cranberry Juice with a Lemon.

I chose to paint one of my favorite Leonard Cohen songs, Chelsea Hotel #2, and titled my painting Chelsea Hotel #3. The painting is 30x24 and was done using a palette knife and brushes. Cohen wrote the song after hearing of Janis Joplin’s death, and while he later regretted divulging the tryst, the song was about the first night he slept with Joplin.

Other than the Leonard Cohen connection, the Chelsea is an iconic building that has housed a plethora of artists, writers, and musicians. Leonard Cohen, Janis Joplin, Humphrey Bogart, Dylan Thomas, Bob Dylan, Sid Vicious & Nancy Spungen, Ginsberg & Kerouac, Warhol…The list goes on and on.

This original painting is available, and will also be available as a Giclée Print on Canvas.