Red Grooms

His colorful, chaotic, bold, vibrant and often comic paintings of New York City feature the spectrum of life from prostitutes, thieves and gamblers to tourists, shoppers and moms and dads. When he was 20, nearly 50 years ago, Grooms moved to New York City from Nashville, and his visceral reaction to the city has informed his paintings since. There's a new book of his work (the first major book on Grooms in 20 years), Red Grooms.

Painter and sculptor Red Grooms returns to Fresh Air to discuss how he made it as an artist in New York City, and how urban landscapes inform his work.

The artist was commissioned to create a piece for the city, which he titled Philadelphia Cornucopia. The installation features whimsical portrayals of historical figures from early American history. His public art has also been featured in New York and Minneapolis.