Paintings Capture The Essence of The City

Elliot Appel, elliotappelpaints.com, is a foremost contemporary realist painter who creates masterful works of art. The manner in which he combines a deep perspective, strong attention to detail, and dynamic lighting to bring his subjects to life is nothing short of mesmerizing.

He captures the often overlooked elements of city life. His diverse subjects include old and colorful storefronts and doorways, window reflections, antiquated signage, and vibrant street scenes.

Banner image: Detail of “Park Avenue Cafe”, acrylic, 11″ x 14″

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DO NOT REPRODUCE IMAGES WITHOUT THE ARTIST’S PERMISSION.

MacDougal Street Melting Pot, acrylic, 14″ x 11″

Elliot has developed a loyal following within the New York metropolitan area and beyond.  He continues to accept requests for commissioned work on a first come, first serve basis.

He has exhibited his work at The Painting Center in Chelsea, Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island, the Monmouth Museum and the Ridgewood Art League. In recent years, he has had one person shows at the Hoboken Historical Museum and the Watchung Arts Center in New Jersey.

West Village Blues, acrylic, 14″ x 11″. This painting  received an Award of Excellence in the Acrylic Painters’ Society 2025 Fall International Online Exhibition. 

The artist was awarded First Place in Colors Of Humanity ‘Wet Paint’ online exhibition. His work has also been selected for an exhibit organized by the National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society. NOAPS is “an international organization that is a leader in contributing to and influencing artists in their pursuit of artistic distinction.” His art was also chosen for the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 112th Annual Juried Exhibition.

Turning The Corner, acrylic, 12″ x 12″

One of Elliot’s paintings was selected for “The Healing Power of Color” 2025 Invitational Exhibition presented on The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS website, an initiative of Manhattan Arts International. One of his paintings was also selected for “The Healing Power of Color” 2024 Invitational Exhibition.

In 2023 one of Elliot’s paintings was juried into “The Healing Power of Art: Love, Peace, Unity & Hope” online exhibition which was also presented by The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS.

Manhattan Money, acrylic, 18″ x 14″

Born in New York City in 1952 Elliot has been painting for almost 40 years. As a child, he was fascinated by film and frequently sketched pictures of the celebrities he admired to see if he could capture a likeness. He continued sketching throughout high school, and his first major encouragement was finishing second place in a poster-making contest for a play that was to be performed at his school.

Subsequently, he enrolled in New York’s City College, registering for a degree in liberal arts but left college after one year to travel in Israel. In between jobs, the artist  spent the next few years traveling through Europe, fortifying the education he’d begun with trips to museums in Paris, Geneva, Florence, Milan, Venice, Rome and Athens. He spent time in public squares, sketching the scenes around him, preparing the groundwork for future paintings.

Rocco/Carbone, acrylic, 14″ x 18″

In his early twenties, Elliot sold the first of many paintings in the photo realistic style that has come to define his art, a cathedral in acrylic paint, based on a photo from a magazine.

Elliot is currently an exhibiting member of Pro Arts Jersey City as well as the SHIM Art Network on Artsy.net. He is the recipient of several awards and continues to develop collectors and accolades.

Village Laundry, acrylic, 16″ x 12″

Elliot is featured in  “Artist Members Share Their Fantasy Time Travels With Us”. We learned that his favorite artist is Henri Matisse. He wrote: “I would have enjoyed spending a day with Henri Matisse on the French Riviera. Just watching the artist work, viewing his studio, and sharing dinner and a glass or two of wine with the great man would have been special. My favorite artist and one of my favorite places; what could be better than that?

His art is also featured in “Art Transforms Rooms and Art Transforms Lives!”.

In the article “Artist Members Show Us Where They Create Their Art” Elliot shared: “I usually listen to music while I paint. I work on one painting at a time and then go on to the next one. Everything I need is within arms length — palette, paint, water, brushes, lamp, chair and easel. I have additional storage space in the house for my completed paintings so my studio is used strictly as a work station. I really do feel at home in my studio.”

Visit Elliot Appel’s website: ElliotAppelPaints.com