Looking Back on Biking in this Little College Town

The alternative to riding the bus is not waiting n driving or riding a bike to one's destination. For years I couldn't even afford the price of a bicycle so I mostly either walked or rode the bus. Because in those days the bus only came once an hour I often would stand for a few minutes at the bus stop until I lost my patience and I'd start walking across town knowing that not matter where I was going it most likely wouldn't take more than twenty minutes to get their. The city wasn't all the extensive back then and the buses where not so quick at getting around to picking us up. And so when the time came that I was able to put away enough pennies to purchase a bike I bought a mountain bike for this town is full of hills. It was only then that I could go anywhere I wanted (or so it seemed) on a mere whim, I bike with the help of a smart fella who kept me abreast of my bicycle's condition. Bikes need to be tended to because they wear down as most everything does and he let me know what was needed and what the purchase options were for me. I am thankful he did that for me. Little did I know he was helping himself to my groceries on a daily basis as a way of me funding him for his help. But afterall we all have to eat, and biking has a side effect of giving one a good healthy appetite. I don't really blame him I simply wish he had discussed it with me because I certainly would have understood and agreed to it. But as it was he decided to do so stealthfully and I in turn copped a resentment once he actions became clear to me. Oh well he was long gone by the time I figured it all out and afterall we did have a good time biking the remote parts of this area of the world. Here's to those who still are biking. "God Bless and God help them look out for themselves!"

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What Has Worked;

Wyant's Store in Whitehall,Va.

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  It is noted that Whitehall Virginia is a throwback to an earlier time, a time when people knew who you were whenever one was to shop in the store such as this....its something found in the rural areas of this state and not so much in the cities of Virginia. This is one of my paintings of such a place, where the guys inside it are all gathered talking about what's news in the area over some snack food of one kind or another. They were all very kind to me once I stopped in to see the inside of this store once I was done painting for the day. I enjoyed working on this one...it is the second of the same subject, the store was interesting to work on so I took a second look as it were and painted it again. It's wasn't so much that I didn't like the first painting of this country store it was more that I enjoyed working on it so I thought I would prolong the joyfullness by doing it a second time. I'm sure you have no idea what I am talking about..well just have a
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Walking Along W. Main St.

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I found the scene along West Main is soon to change into an newer style cityscape of brick and glass with less ornamentation to its buildings. With this in mind I photographed some West Main Street buildings in the hopes of finding interesting scenes to paint. The signage is all a part of West Main and in that thought I painted this one with its graphic street crossing signage featured prominently in the picture plane. I highlighted the bricks in intense reds and developed the windows in a bizarre abstract display for each one of them. Each featuring one color being themed inside its frame as if each window display had its own abstract painting going on inside its area. Its all for the fun of it, I play with what is being viable to the view when I can. Nothing ventured nothing gained. It was nice how this one came together piece by piece with each painting session. Intense color came about as I developed its' scene on the sidewalk windows. I was going to bring in
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Firecycle in Kamahura: 1954 or So

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Its been a long time coming but I finished another in my Japanese style paintings this past weekend. It's of a fire cycle, they didn't have enough money to build a fire truck although they did have a few in the station instead they made a cycle which could fight fires. I thought it was kind of unique and looked very different that anything I'd seen before so I painted it. Using one of my Dad's black and white photos I did a rendering of it. I enjoyed working with the strong red colors even though the photo is in Black and White I could remember some of the colors involved in this vehicle so I went ahead and played with it. It took a good deal of work, but I continued on with it until it was completed. I just couldn't let go of it very long while I was painting it. I guess I did another marathon painting session last weekend. I know I felt it after I was done.
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Painting in the Public Domain

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The County of Nelson's Courthouse

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Life's interest often takes us to the law and where the law is practiced. Recently there was a trial where it drew statewide interest due to the unusual manner in which the prosecution held its case. They didn't have the right of habeas corpus to carry on a conviction with yet the trail went on, and in the end the man was convicted of capital murder. There seems to have been enough evidence to convince the jury of the man's guilt. It was only the second time in Virginia criminal law cases that this has happened and it happened here in Nelson County. The Courthouse where this trial took place stands alone on top of a hill (the highest point in the city of Lovingston, Va.) The courthouse has a newer extension put onto its northside but if one sees it from one spot where I painted this canvas you can't see it. But what you do see is the old structure in all its grandeur. Such was the place from which I chose to paint this rather unremarkable yet noticeable b
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