THE GARDINER EXPRESSWAY........REFINED

Hey guys!
Well, I have had my nose to the grindstone, and I FINALLY have something new to show you!
This is a brand new piece that I will be exhibiting at The Artist Project February 21st-24th!
For details on T.A.P. click HERE!
So...I started with this drawing:

Let me break it down.
The poster is designed from a couple of photos I took of the Gardiner Expressway at Lakeshore
(where the Don Valley Parkway joins it).
I tried to make it as glamourous as possible.
There is a surveying tool in the bottom left corner, and a map with the quote on it:
"Don't let failure define you, let it refine you." - I CANNOT FIND MY SOURCE FOR THIS ONE!!
If you know who said it - I would LOVE to know!!
I think the quote is great given the subject matter.
For those of you non-toronotnians, let me explain.
The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway is the major highway that serves downtown Toronto.
Built in 1955, it was considered the best solution for transportation into the city.
It has an elevated section is supported by steel-reinforced concrete columns. The roadway itself was constructed on top of concrete slabs supported by steel girders. The height of the elevated section is higher than required to cross city streets and provide clearance underneath. The intent of this was to reduce traffic noise at ground level. Sadly it is an eyesore, and has essentially cut off Toronto visually from her lovely waterfront!!
Now fast forward 50 years, the controversy is at an all time high, as the whole elevated section is a crumbling mess!!! There is a lot of talk of taking it down - or burying it - or something huge like that!
Toronto will spend $125 million to keep the Gardiner Expressway drivable (while investigating whether to keep it up at all)  - all the while pushing forward with $505 million in emergency capital funding repairs over the next decade! The rebooted Gardiner study, likely to be finished in two to three years, will examine whether it makes more sense to demolish or repair the eastern portion of the elevated highway. Based on that timeline and the current repair schedule, the city will have spent $123.88 million in repairs on roadway that might be demolished.

So that is a general overview of the controversy!

So I HAD to address it!!!!
The background in my drawing is supposed to be crumbled concrete!
Here is the painting with the first parts of the background done:

The next step was to paint the "poster" that I designed:

Next I realized that I didn't think my original drawing was as concise as I wanted.....
So I went back to the drawing board - and came up with these changes to the layout:

I think my changes really work! It tells the story better.
I enlarged the Gardiner sign, and changed the map that the quote was on to an invoice....
from 'Fredrick Crumbles Construction'....I think it works a LOT better.
Finally I did a few washes, and added a rusty bolt/nut.
Here is the final piece:

"Refine", 24" x 24", Acrylic on Board

Please come out and see it live and in person at The Artist Project in a few weeks!!!
Yes. I am also making prints based on this one!
Here is how the print looks:

BRAND NEW PRINT!!!!

As always - you can contact me to order the print!
(I will update my site on the weekend!!)

So there you go.  More new work.
What do you think??