A few weeks ago while I was in East Texas at my lake house, I decided to take a back road all the way from Lindale to Gladewater to check out the antique stores. Along the way on highway 16, I ended up in the sleepy little town of Winona, Texas that has one blinking red light. These two very interesting buildings caught my eye. I would love to find out the story about how this art work came about and who the artist is to give them due credit. Amazing work I must say and so creative! How many familiar characters do you see in the painting? Please post your answers on this blog for all to see. There are some I recognize, and some I don't, like the octopus in the bottom center. (double-click on the image to enlarge)
Here's a better photo of the train and the track. Look at the detail and how the artist captured the effect of the train coming around the corner. Awesome.
Just to the right of this is another building that appears to be someone's residence. I stood in the parking lot for a few minutes trying to figure out the artist's interpretation of this work. Wilma Flintstone and Barbie. Does anybody have a clue? Again, I would love to give the artist due credit.
Here's a closeup of 'Wilma Flintstone'.
On my drive back to Dallas on Highway 80 I stopped in the small towns along the way, including my home town of Grand Saline. I love very old buildings and would love to do a little research to find out the origin of the building and the history of the tenants. This building is next to the old movie theater that has since been torn down in Grand Saline. Does anyone know the history they can share? I'll bet all the Grand Saline readers could tell a story or two about the Grand Saline movie theater!
I'd love for each of you that remember the theater to post your most vivid memory here.
Next stop was in Wills Point, Texas. This old building now houses a darling quilting store, but I wonder if anyone remembers what was there, say back in the 1920's. Comments?
A couple of weeks ago, the Sunday edition of the Dallas Morning News posted an article on the front page of the 'guide' section about this movie theater in Wills Point. It is supposedly the oldest operating movie theater in NORTH AMERICA!!!. How cool is that? Such a beautiful theater and I believe there is concern that it might be shutting down soon. How sad.
While posting these photos, I got a bright idea that the next time I'm in Grand Saline, I'm going to find someone that has access to all the buildings along Main Street that have been abandoned and see if I can get a private tour of the building. I want to find out the history of the buildings and find out what types of stores occupied them back in the day. That will be a future post I'm sure.
Be sure to add comments below if you have any interesting information to add or share. I am very, very interested!
Til next time~
Wonder who in the world painted those pictures in that little ole town?? I would love to know, also.
ReplyDeleteI did a little research on my own and found her! She's going to send me some information and I'll post it as soon as I hear from her. I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteWow! You found the person who painted those pictures. Very interesting. So many questions. Anxious to see your post.
ReplyDeleteI thank you and I was the one who is painting the pictures. My name is Pat Schlau. I am a doll, bear & toy doctor in this building. The Dr. office toys needing a check up are cartoon toys like Misfit Island doll checked dress and charlie in the box, spider doll Toy Story I, Gone with the wind Marmie and Scarlet, Bull Winkle and Rocky the squirrel, Dino of the Flinstones, Yogi Bear on the side wall, Pokeman, Alvin of the chipmunks, dumptruck was painted to thank United Rental for letting me use their ladder, Tazz, Mrs. Beasley, winnie the pooh, bugs in the airplane car, the nurse and doll bed doll is a scene from a 1950's Woman's Day magazine, and the large bear is THE Professor...a world famous art Bear done by Terry and Doris of Michigan...their first one. Wilma is a self portrait of myself painting the pictures is why she is on the one wall and the barbie...who is there to welcome everyone to Winona. In the earth globe I plan many small pics of history. I painted them late evenings and the Barbie on top of a bread truck on a ladder with a 20 foot pole that had a paint brush attached to it. I spent hours picking pictures, drawing them and then making a transfer page to project in a ruff draft on the walls to fill in details. The train alone took 11 hours total to turn into a transfer from my original photo. At the time so far I have spent close to 800 dollars in paint for the top part alone and hundreds of hours drawing and painting. When it cools down I plan to paint on them some more. The heat is bad for painting because it dries the paint to fast. Can't paint in the winter cause the concrete wall gets to cold. There is only a few months of the year in the spring and fall one can paint with the weather just right. All the characters were chosen because of their value to a friend, family member, or my childhood saturday cartoon days. The art is one project of many here on my property.
ReplyDeleteSo terrific that she responded giving all her comments. I think she paints these pictures for herself, and she says they are to welcome people to Winona. Can you believe she uses a brush attached to 20 foot pole. How in the world did she have such control? She has done some excellent and entertaining art. I want to see what else she does.
ReplyDeleteThis is great - first just the pictures themselves are fabulocity and the follow up from the artist just smacks of wonderfulness. You're still my favorite blog.
ReplyDeleteI love the grafitti! It so happens there was an article in the Dallas Morning News a few weeks ago about the Majestic theatre in Wills Point. I gave it to my mother-in-law to read - hope she still has it. I love old buildings and architecture.
ReplyDeletePat Schlau - what talent!!! I'll have to share this with my students when school starts.
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