A plein air painter’s life isn’t easy, especially in an urban setting. Imagine lugging around close to 20 pounds of art supplies, including an easel and bulky canvases, perched on a bike or squeezed into public transit, just to capture a scene in the right light. For more than 25 years, that’s been the modus operandi of Frank Hanavan, whose acrylic paintings of Hoboken and New York City streetscapes, parks and waterfront adorn the walls of dozens of Hoboken homes.

A couple of years ago, to lighten his load on his “days off,” Hanavan began carrying a small watercolor set and a pad of watercolor papers, just to do some light sketches. He hadn’t worked with the medium since taking classes at the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Buffalo, and Chautauqua. He discovered it took a few tries to get the hang of it. At first, he applied the watercolor pigments thickly, resembling the opacity of acrylics. But the more he painted with them, the lighter his touch became, bringing more and more light into his paintings.

“I’ve always taken the watercolor less seriously,” he admits, adding, “I view the medium as being more carefree, and it’s my favorite thing about it.”

That insight may be the secret to why this series of watercolors of Hoboken is so delightful. “Perhaps because I don’t take it as seriously, or put it on a pedestal, I can experiment more with it,” he says. “And when I go back to using acrylics, I find the watercolor experience gives me a fresh look at the acrylic, a perspective I could not have gained otherwise.”

Using a smaller format than his acrylics, the artist infuses light and air into these 43 scenes of the city’s waterfront walkway and parks, train terminal, and street views. Fans of his work will recognize some of his perennial favorite Hoboken scenes, such as sidewalk cafes and the cherry trees in bloom along 9^th Street, and some new ones.

Even with the entire city of New York at his disposal, Hanavan is drawn to Hoboken. “It’s small enough to feel like a microcosm,” he says. “It’s close, yet it’s a different place, it’s distinct from Manhattan or Jersey City and it pretty much looks good no matter where you plop yourself down.” And as a self-taught sailor and fan of all things nautical – he creates historically accurate ship models as a hobby – he likes that the Mile Square City is right on the Hudson.

Hanavan grew up in the Buffalo, NY, suburb of Kenmore, and moved to New York City in 1990, where he began painting scenes of everyday city life. Winter, spring, summer and fall, regardless of the weather, rain, snow or shine, he is constantly out painting the city he loves from life, without editorializing or romanticizing the subjects. He often says his real subject matter is the quality of light falling on the subject, not the physical subject itself.

The exhibit, Hanavan’s third exhibit at the Hoboken Museum this decade, opens Sunday, Sept. 24, and remains on view through Sunday, Nov. 12. And on selected Saturdays, Oct. 7th and 14th, and Nov. 11th, Hanavan will share his talents in three art classes, from 2 – 4 pm, with anyone who wants to learn how to handle watercolor paints. Each class costs $25, $15 for kids, and materials are included. See the Museum’s events calendar page for sign-up links.