Leroy Burt

Gift Shop in Chinatown, Original Painting

2021

Artist Comments
A detailed still life of a shop in Chinatown in New York, in the style of David Hockney and Edward Hopper. "One of the many gifts shops in Chinatown that cater to tourists," says artist Leroy Burt. "I once saw a hand-lettered sign taped to the window: 'Rare treasures of the Orient.' I wondered if it was put up as a joke since most of the merchandise was made in China."

About the Artist
Artist Leroy Burt paints playful, offbeat landscapes and portraits based on his experiences living in Milwaukee, New York, Costa Rica, and currently Rochester, Minnesota. "I think of my paintings as short stories," he says. As a young child, Leroy faced a number of obstacles. His parents divorced when he was four years old and he was raised by his grandparents in a three-room shack without running water or electricity. Leroy worked hard to pull himself out of poverty. He studied graphic design and painting, which led to a 30-year career in graphic design - five years at WMVS, the PBS television station in Milwaukee, fifteen years at city hall in Milwaukee, and ten years at WNET, the PBS station in New York. In 2015, Leroy retired to focus his energy on painting. Today, he works from a tiny studio filled with half-finished paintings stacked against every wall. "There are photos and sketches for future paintings taped everywhere," says Leroy. "My windows are filled with orchids. There are books, films and music CDs in every corner. And the room is dominated by a black and silver Andy Warhol silkscreen print of Marilyn Monroe."

Words that describe this painting: still life, China, Chinese, figurines, detailed, folk art, still life, representational, primitive, acrylic painting, yellow

Gift Shop in Chinatown
Leroy Burt
Acrylic painting on stretched canvas
Finished black edges
Ready to hang
One-of-a-kind
Signed on front and back
2021
10 in. h x 8 in. w x .75 in. d
0 lbs. 14 oz.