Last week, I introduced the first artwork in my new holiday series called Christmas at Grandpa’s. This week I would like to show you my second artwork called The Old Barn. Click on LT Gallery (Menu at the top of this page) to purchase this 11 x 14 print.
#76 The Old Barn
The inspiration for this painting comes from two things: an old car photo similar to one I saw on a Facebook post combined with the backdrop of the actual barn my husband built with his Dad on their farm in West Virginia.
The story of The Old Barn:
When Roger and I first met, he took me to his family reunion the following summer in NC. I got to meet more of his family and hear childhood stories of them growing up on the farm. Times were tough back in those days and life was full of many struggles just to put food on the table and clothes on 7 children. His Dad worked in the coal mines and his Mom passed away when he was 10 years old, so life certainly was full of grief and challenges for his family. He planned to take me to see his childhood home in West Virginia on our return trip where I would meet his best friend, who now owns the property and resides there with his family. It’s not very often that someone can still visit their childhood home 64 years later.
He first took me on some of the smallest back roads of West Virginia that I had ever seen to view some landmarks and the coal mining area his Dad once worked at. I got to see his local post office, what’s left of the general store, the property where his school once stood, the cemetery, and of course, his house and the old barn. Something about this barn stole my attention as he told me a story of him and his Dad building it when he was quite young. All the while, I had the strangest feeling as though I was being watched and a bit distracted. And then the spying eyes revealed themselves to me as I heard a chomping chewing sort of noise coming from behind me. I turned around and there it was above me. A cow! A big beautiful blond cow was staring down at me while we stood below the hill by the barn. I snapped a photo of it to capture the moment, but it’s not every day that you have a cow looking down on you!
We had a nice visit before we left and I have fond memories of that first time seeing the family homestead deep in the backwoods and down in the holler.
I am introducing the first of my new Christmas Series artworks today. This painting has a special story behind it and I chose a special day to introduce it- Happy Birthday to my Husband!
This Country Christmas series features specific places or things in my life, all of which are in the south and in a country setting. You will also notice that there is no snow in the paintings, as we are in the deep south where we may see only a heavy frost a couple of times in January. I also did not use any seashells in these paintings, but the originals do have some special touches- like sparkling trees, wreaths or decorations. This painting is acrylic on a primed wooden plaque and prints are 11 x 14. There will be 50 prints available and 5 Artist Proofs.
The inspiration for Christmas at Grandpa’s comes not from actually visiting this old house, but rather, the many stories my husband has shared with me over the years. The only actual picture of the old homestead I had for a visual image is a small black & white photo that our Nephew had printed on a refrigerator magnet. (It was the only way we could enjoy seeing it in the small space of an RV.)
The Story of Grandpa’s House:
Roger’s Grandma & Grandpa lived on a hill looking down over the farm where Roger was born and raised along with his 6 siblings in West Virginia. His Grandma passed away in 1954, and sometime in the mid 50’s, the little house on the hill burned down to the ground while his family looked on helplessly from below. Grandpa moved into the house of his birthplace just further up the hill about a mile or so within walking distance.
It is this 1800’s house with no electric and no running water that I featured as the backdrop of this painting because it is so intriguing. I left out a few items that sat on the porch, but are faintly visible in the black & white photo below. There sat a gas powered washing machine, a wash table & towel for dirty hands to be cleaned before supper, and a #3 wash tub. Grandpa passed away at age 97, but his memory lives on in many stories.
Roger shared how he would sit for a time on the front porch with his Grandpa and how he seemed to have a remedy for everything. Who knew that chewing tobacco could help reduce the swelling of a bee sting or help heal a cut? Roger helped his Grandpa grow tobacco and vegetables in the garden, he helped haul logs with a team of horses, cut firewood and hunted rabbit, squirrel and deer. Most of his farming days were spent in some fashion working with his Grandpa.
This old homestead slowly melted away into the dirt and brush after Grandpa passed in 1979 and no longer stands where it once was, but the memories are tucked away deep in the woods on a hill in West Virginia. I brought it back to life complete with a 1950 Chevy pick up truck. Roger’s Dad owned a black one, but I imagined it as an old rusty red one to give this image some life for the holiday season.
You can purchase this print by clicking on the menu at the top of my page and click on LT Gallery. It is available in the actual image and also a Vintage inspired version. The Vintage print has a more earthy feel with green & brown tones, and the actual one is more cool with grey & blue undertones. Either way, I hope you enjoy the painting, and please let me know if you like it even if you don’t purchase it.
Thank you!
#78V Christmas at Grandpa’s (Vintage version)
My rough sketch drawing for the painting. Remember- the watermark LT is used for posting purposes only and not actually on the prints.
Grandpa’s actual birthplace homestead in the hills of WV
That’s what my Momma always told me when I was unsure of something I wanted to do. She always encouraged me to pursue what I felt strongly about, and that included writing. The only reason I haven’t tried publishing anything is that I never wanted to enter the game. Writing is a big business just like anything else and everyone wants a big bite of your business. Contracts, book deals and endless promoting of your stuff to everyone you know.
I spent the better part of my life selling for Corporations and promoting luxury goods, so I woke up with a number over my head for years. I used to always say to my Mom; “Some day, I’m gonna wake up without a number hanging over me!” That day finally came. I no longer want to “produce” revenue for any big businesses, so I share my stories here for free to anyone interested enough to read them. I pay a yearly subscription just to enjoy writing for those that love RV life, travel, art, heartwarming stories, and my humor served up with a side of sarcasm (my trademark!)
Making money is a necessity for everyone to live, but I have a hard time dealing with demands and deadlines that fit someone else’s agenda, so I march to my own drum these days. I do things for the pure joy of it without restrictions, and to earn some spare change during my retirement.
So just like my writing, my art never made it into any Art Galleries because I didn’t want to hike up my price for someone to take 50 – 60% of my money and tell me how many pieces of art I need to produce with a shipping deadline for their next show. (I know people doing it and it can be exhausting and stressful!) Your work is also at the mercy of a curator who may not deem your work acceptable for the gallery. So I continue to paint for my enjoyment and I sell a few of my artworks when someone says they would love to have a piece. It’s an enjoyable hobby with no contracts and sold without a gallery mark up, all for the love of creating something new and different.
I have finally stepped into the technological generation and can accept payments electronically for my art. It has been requested several times in the past, so I am willing to give it a try for my customer’s convenience. I will post my new artworks here in my blogs and tell you the stories behind the creation. It is always the story behind the art that is the attraction to it for me. It is that “something in common” or a relatable experience that creates the desire to own art or gift it to someone you care about.
I have added LT Gallery to the Menu at the header of my page for you to view some of my unique artworks and to make purchases when something tugs at your creative side. There is a PayPal button once you make your selection and enter quantity, but you must retain the number of the artwork and the quantity before clicking on the “Shipping Info” page. Shipping will be entered on the “Contact us” page that comes directly to me. You will need to provide the art print #, the quantity and your “ship to” address information. It’s important to note that I am not stocking all prints shown in my Gallery sight, so once I get an order for one, I will place the order with my vendor, and upon receipt- expedite it to you. Please allow approximately 2 weeks for delivery, but the Christmas series will be stocked and a quicker turnaround.
It is super simple and self explanatory once you click on LT gallery at the top of the page. You can contact me by commenting here if you just have any questions. Shipping is estimated at $15 – $20+ and I am assuming that cost and giving you FREE SHIPPING.
I will introduce my Christmas series of 8 new prints very soon. I already have 11 x 14 prints available for several of them and working on getting more. They are signed and numbered and professionally packaged. I may sell some original paintings if there is any interest. My rate is $2.00 per sq inch for originals and nothing is more than $200.
The artwork pictured below was a best seller and I am going to be offering prints of it once more, as it will make a great gift for the wine lovers out there with the holiday just around the corner! This was the first painting that I never sold the original- only prints.
It was displayed in a resort clubhouse for two years. When we moved into our house in 2020, I got it back from the resort and I couldn’t bring myself to part with it. It has found a home on our dining area wall.
The story behind it: A friend of mine, and true follower since day one, asked me once if I ever did anything featuring wine. We had met in Key West and I was known for my rooster artworks by many people. They called me the “Shell lady” or the “Painter of Shells” (which you have heard here before- the title of my unpublished book.) I told my friend I would let her know if I ever did something with wine. I ended up creating three wine and grapes artworks just for her, but I continued with the series due to demand.
White Wine & Grapes #56
“I was lucky enough to acquire three of Lorraine’s beautiful shell artworks of wine bottles, grapes and glass. One was for me, one for my daughter, and one for my daughter-in-law. We ALL love them! Beautiful and meticulous creations.”
For the readers that have been following my blog since day one, you know that I started writing this blog to share our adventures of traveling in our motorhome (thus the title, Six Wheels Down.) It’s been an amazing experience dating back to my first trip over a long weekend in August of 2011 at Mohican Reservation on the river in Loudonville, OH. We took our first big trip to Maine that September and slowly became addicted to RV travel. Our trips led us to our eventual snow birding over a period of five – six months during the winters starting in 2013, which gave way to full time RVing in 2017 after selling our home.
It was our goal in each location to find the most charming spots in every town that we visited that would eventually lead us to make a decision on our retirement place to call home. I would literally Google the most “charming small towns” in the states we traveled in and we would take day trips in our car to see them. As I mentioned in my last blog, I dubbed these little excursions as “day tripping.” We have continued this tradition even though we now live in a stationary location in Florida. I am only going to focus on the deep south for the purpose of sharing some of the most charming destinations in today’s blog.
If you find yourself traveling South and you have some time to enjoy local food and atmosphere, here is a short list of must-see towns along the East coast:
Savannah and Tybee Island in Georgia are quaint and definitely a good host to southern charm.
St. Mary’s, GA is well known for the beautiful Crooked River State Park, gateway to the Cumberland Island National Seashore- and Georgia’s best kept secret.
Amelia Island, FL is definitely fun to walk around. There is plenty of street side shopping and eateries. Our favorite casual restaurant with a view was the Salty Pelican. Fernandina Beach is beautiful (although there is a bare minimum of public places to enjoy the views.)
St. Augustine, FL lays claim to being the oldest city in the US and known for beautiful Spanish architecture. I fell in love with walking around and eating with great views. A day pass trolley ticket is the way to get around and will take you to the lighthouse location well worth seeing.
Ormond Beach, FL (just north of Daytona beach) with a drive along Ormond By-The-Sea coast. One of the more quiet and quaint towns along the beach and not as populated as Daytona- which is more geared to tourist activities.
On the Gulf coast, Panama City Beach and Mexico Beach (34 miles apart) are among my favorites in the Panhandle area of Florida. I am not sure what Mexico Beach is like post hurricane Michael (devastated in October 2018), but it was so quaint and far less touristy than the beautiful Ft. Walton/Destin areas and the water has the same deep emerald color with white sand as the Emerald Coast.
We also love the drive from Key Largo to Key West and it’s a must-see for anyone that has not done it. However, Key West is not a “family” destination, in my opinion. It is an adult playground of fun, food and adult beverages. If you find yourself there, we enjoyed the local hang outs much more than anything on the famous Duval Street. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beach is the best beach on the Island. Great local spots would include: Geiger Key Marina- The Fish Camp (bar & restaurant), Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island, No Name Pub and Boondocks Grille on Big Pine Key. For downtown Key West, everyone loves the true experience of Blue Heavan and First Flight Island Restaurant/Brewery, but we also enjoyed the locals and entertainment at Schooner Wharf Bar located in the Key West Bight Seaport and the Boat House Bar & Grill. For the most charming parts of town, you have to walk or ride a bike all around the small streets and neighborhoods where all the houses bare the most charming verandas and white post front porches laden with rich lush foliage.
The places in the North Central areas of Florida have some of the most charming little towns that we visit on our day tripping adventures. Ocala is famous for the horses that are born, bred and trained in this region and home to over 1100 thoroughbred farms. I love the ocean and I love the countryside, so I have the best of both worlds within a 60 – 90 minute drive. The Ocala National Forest offers 387,000 acres of sand pine forest- the southernmost forest in the continental US.
I mentioned in my last blog that I was working on a Christmas series of paintings that I will be posting here upon completion. A few of these charming places will be featured in the series with a theme of Christmas. If all goes well, you will be able to purchase high quality prints in several sizes of the originals with the touch of a button on this website.
I hope that my paintings will stir a little something in everyone for the upcoming Holiday Season.
“Memories of the past evoke emotions in the present, which lend to future traditions.”
Summer in the south this year has been anything but pleasant. There hasn’t been much need to watch a weather forecast because it has consistently been in the low to mid nineties and humid with afternoon showers or thunderstorms almost every single day! (Storming as I type!) There’s tons of fun places to see and to eat and drink outdoors around here, but you won’t find any locals doing it in June, July or August.
My hubby loves to find unique and fun places to experience a casual waterside lunch within an hour or so drive, but lately, we find ourselves eating indoors with air conditioning. Yesterday we went to the Blackwater Grill and Bar on the Withlacoochee River located within a preserve area near the the Withlacoochee Bay on the Gulf Coast.
For any Elvis Presley fans that are reading this, there is a significance to this story. We drove on the actual location of his 1962 movie set for “Follow that Dream.”
It appears quite different today than it did back then because they trucked in 10 tons of white sand and created a pristine beach on Pumpkin Island next to the famous Bird Creek Bridge that really didn’t exist. It was just swampy with a lot of brush, much as it appears today. The bridge looks exactly the same (top left), just older and worn. (see movie photos below)
Elvis Presley stayed at the Port Paradise Hotel in Crystal River, which is still there and operating to this day. I find it funny that his Co star, Anne Helm, was never mentioned in the article that we read to find out all of the fun facts. Roger commented “Well, she wasn’t the star.” I guess some things haven’t changed. Without the girl, the boy could not have played his part and been famous, but she got barely a mention and probably a few pennies thrown her way for being part of the movie! It’s a privilege just standing near Elvis and you want paid too? (Sorry, my side of sarcasm is sometimes uncontrolled.) So out of curiosity, I looked. Elvis got a 5-picture deal and was paid $175,000 for the first 3 movies, and $200,000 for the last 2. I googled for far too long to try and find out what Anne Helm was paid and couldn’t find diddly-squat about her contract.
The restaurant we ate at was very nice and had a view of the river where boats can be found with mostly fisherman. There is a porch dining area that would have probably been bustling with locals, but not when it’s stanky hot in the 90’s with no breeze. The lunch menu was very reasonable and the food was good, but dinner and cocktails were a bit on the pricey side for casual dining. It is well hidden and quite the gem in the woods for the local crowd (dinner reservations are highly recommended.)
We drove thru the small town of Inglis to get there and I was intrigued by a sign that read “Historic Crackertown.” It has quite a history and the buildings were constructed of coral rock and mortar.
Here is something I never heard before today. In Florida, the term “Cracker’s” usually means a native person born and raised in Florida. In northern Florida in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, it had a negative meaning and people did not like it. (I would never entertain the idea of using that terminology in today’s world!) But in central Florida, you would find many cattleman and ranchers, much like today. They were once proud of the title as it referred to them cracking their whips as they rounded up their cattle. Their homes were even referred to as “cracker homes” and usually built in a specific design unique to Florida climate and geography. They were constructed of wood plank typically raised up off the ground and with screened porches due to mosquitos and ventilation.
We really enjoy the north central areas of Florida, as there is so much history, places to see and things to do. Of course, the weather breaks from the unbearable temperatures just about the time snowbird season kicks in. But hey, we started out that way almost ten years ago and we have made many friends from that period of our life, so no complaints here! (Can’t wait to see y’all!!)
I often refer to summer here as our winter. I spend much more time indoors doing the things my northern friends and family do after the holidays killing time until they can return to their outdoor activities in the spring. I crochet, write, and paint among my other daily activities during the summer. The difference is, I can get in my car and go anywhere I want with no worries. Just the touch of the air conditioning button and off I go! I love that we don’t own a snow blower, a snow shovel or winter coats, and it’s great to take a day trip (which I have dubbed as “day tripping”) and enjoy the sunshine without the cold. And once the colder weather sets in up north, we love life here in the south!
The only problem we deal with here quite often is missing our family, friends and favorite places, where we spent so much of our time when we lived up north. The loneliness can be annoying until our snowbird friends return in November, but we are managing. A two day trip to drive north is no longer considered a fun getaway. It’s more like a sore ass, cramps in your legs and extremely heavy traffic filled with endless hours of stress and anticipation. Are we there yet?! Then once you get there, you barely get any sleep, going from bed to bed in different hotels and places, packing and unpacking etc. etc. Oh wait! That sounds just like my career days and I really don’t miss living out of a suitcase! But that is my reality, or I can fly. I don’t like to fly much these days as I am just not a fan anymore of traveling by air with crazy, unpredictable or sick people. Our favorite way of traveling was Six Wheels Down! My bed, no packing and no strangers breathing down our necks.
So I have been spending a lot of time doing my favorite thing- painting!
I am working on a collection that will be ready in time for the gift-giving season that I hope you will like. The premise for the collection is based on the southern charm of our area evoking the holiday feeling. It will appeal to many folks who don’t see snow over the winter (perhaps a little frost now and then) and features the authenticity of our farms/ranches in the beautiful horse country in which we live. There is a story for these paintings, as one features an old barn that my husband and his Father built when he was a teenager. Another features my husband’s Grandfathers house that sat in the back hills of West Virginia. It is no longer standing, so it is based on photographs I’ve seen and my husbands memory.
That’s the only teaser I will give you for now, but I look forward to sharing my artworks with you soon! Enjoy what is left of your summer my northern friends and I look forward to our southern winter!
As a quick reminder to my readers:
The book I wrote (Painter of Shells) can be found by clicking on the menu button. There is an intro and then each entry is numbered from one – thirty.
For all of the Six Wheels Down entries for RVers, scroll to the bottom and they are accessible by clicking on the dates written back to February 2019.
Six Wheels Down 