Front Street (looking South/Southwest)

Older buildings can often be unkempt however if they are given a coat of paint once in a while it can sometimes be enough to preserve them enough them as a legacy. Such was the situation with the unique structures in Lovingston. These three ( I include the one is shadow on the left in blue) were once vibrant shops and the center point of the town. The one on the left in shadow of blue was a drug store years ago but now stands unoccupied and delinquent. Sure the taxes on it are being paid but in all honesty it would take a lot of work before someone could live in it or run a gainful enterprising shop within its walls. Sure it could be done but these buildings are on there way down. I painted them because of the designs within them and how the simple look of the three floors with their wood trim work truly is 'good aesthetics' and because of that I wanted them to be remembered in an oil of mine. With that said, I present my work on 'Front Street' of Lovingston, Va. Many people ask "Well just how long did it take you to paint it?" and in all honesty I lost track. A major work like this is something that takes over fifteen to twenty hours of on-task work without and break. I don't suggest not taking a break or two, one does need to step back and see what they are doing from a distance and with sometime to let the work done to 'sink in' as it were. I am a little obsessive and simply find it hard to stop once I am into the midst of my work, but that said, I still ought to step back a little more often as see just how far along and where the process is taking me. But I don't do that but with this painting I did moreso than every before. Luck for me I have a mentor who suggested I paint for a short two and a half hours to three and just stop then for the day. I did that, and you know it helped. I was able to catch my wind, and get that detached look I needed to improve my vision of where I was and where I needed to go. But during my 'downtime' man...I had these overwhelming impulses to get back into it. But I didn't and I let it go but it wasn't easy. But I did follow the advice and I'm thankful to P. Geiger for the good word. I didn't keep an hour count so I don't know exactly how much time it took to paint this but... you know I don't want to have to do that. For me the idea and beauty of painting is to loose yourself in your work and enjoy it...not to count your time at the helm. So I am not keeping track as many others might. I know, those questions come up merely due to respect and honor to the artist because I think people are really saying "man how long did it take you to do that because that would take me years to do something like that?" So I do respect that question for what it is...I just can't always give a 'correct answer' and I am thankful for the awe one shows when asking such a question. Its just not always answerable. I hope you like this painting. Much of it was done at home from a digital photo after studying that place with onsite drawings. It took what it took, ya know! Enjoy it!

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What Has Worked;

Wyant's Store in Whitehall,Va.

Poolside

Kidd's Store, Va. : an oil

Firecycle in Kamahura: 1954 or So