"Chicago Scene"

"Chicago Scene" | Pastel on Paper | By Susan Cua

This impressionist pastel painting captures the vibrant energy of the skyline of Chicago during the quiet transition from day to evening. Rendered with expressive pastel strokes, the composition looks out across a sweeping urban landscape where the city’s high-rise buildings rise softly against a warm, glowing sky. Shades of gold, peach, and pale blue blend together, suggesting the fading light of sunset reflecting off the glass and steel towers.

In the foreground, curving highways flow toward the city like ribbons of color, dotted with small bursts of light that evoke the movement of evening traffic. These lively marks create a sense of rhythm and motion, contrasting with the vertical stillness of the skyline beyond. The artist uses loose, textured pastel strokes and bold color accents—turquoise, crimson, yellow, and soft blues—to suggest architecture rather than define it precisely, a hallmark of the Impressionist style.

The result is a scene that feels both dynamic and atmospheric, capturing not just the physical skyline but the pulse and luminosity of Chicago at dusk. The painting emphasizes mood and movement, inviting the viewer to experience the city’s energy through color, light, and impression rather than exact detail.