Oil painting on canvas of Greek town. The center of the painting is the Athenian Candle Co. shop. On the left in the background you can see the other buildings surrounding the candle shop as well as the red and white sign that says candles. The colors of the painting are a darker and more neutral. The setting is at night. There is a mailbox in front of the store to the left in the painting. And there is a red firehydrant to the right in the painting.

Donated by Christopher T. Buoscio, the artist of the painting. The painting was created in 2004 and was put into a number of art shows. The painting then went to the U.S. Embassy in Baku. Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The painting hung in the embassy as a part of the Art in Embassies Program. The Ambassador from Chicago wanted some Chicago art.

Exhibition history:
2003 "Chicago and Beyond," Jan 17- Mar 10 John Almquist Gallery NSCDS, Winnetka, IL
2004 "Christopher Buoscio: Recent Views" Aug 1- 31 Union League Club of Chicago
2004 "15th Annual Around the Coyote Festival" Bucktown District, Chicago, IL Sept 6-9
2005 "Robert Morris College President's Series presents: Recent Works by Christopher Buoscio" April 7-23 Rober Morris College, Chicago, IL
2010 "12th Annual Chicago Art Open" Chicago, IL April 20- May 7
2011-2013 "BAKU 2011" U.S. Dept. of State, Art in Embassies Program, Embassy of the United States in Baku

About the Painting from Chris:
"My idea with the painting was to make it seem like an old time photograph. I began the painting in neutral tones of brown. Once the under painting was dried, I glazed thin layers of color to give the appearance of a hand-tinted photograph. I then added some final touches in color to consolidate the composition. I also eliminated any reference to modern day so taht the image would appear timeless. The store is a classic example of a historic Chicago business that has remained unchanged adding to the charater and historic significance of Greektwon neighborhood."

About the Artist:
Christopher Buoscio is a Chicago area artist working in painting, drawing, and printmaking. His work depicts the urban environment and involves the effect of memory, nightfall, and architecture on the viewer. His images are influenced by "Film Noir" cinema as well as traditional and expressionist art works. He recieved his MFA in Printmaking from Ohio University in Athens, OH and his BA from Illinois State University. He also studied painting and printmaking at the School of the Art Institute, film studies at Columbia College, Chicago and traditional printmaking techniques at La Corte della Miniera near Urbino Italy. He regularly participates in solo and group exhibitions, lectures, and teaching opportunities. "My reaction can be a feeling of excitment, discovery, or of being overwhelmed at what I am encountering. These views connect to me in inexplicalby familiar ways. These are not static places, but ones that interact and confront me as they are approached. They are watching as well as being watched." "Through what I see and depict is my response to an environment in the present, I am also thinking of similar responses to the setting in the past, they are views that I feel have continued. I hope that I am bringing to the viewer's attention, enough information to generate a response equivalent to my own."

The Athenian Candle Co.:
The Athenian Candle Co. is a three generation, family-owned business established over 90 years ago, in 1922. Founded by Themistocles and Efthimia Godelas, the family tradition has stayed alive as the only original Chicago Greek Town proprietorship existing on Halstead Street today. The company continues under the leadership of Thomas and Jean (Godelas) Paspalas and their three children. www.atheniancandle.com

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