THOSE WERE THE DAYS
I have no idea who these people are: in the early 1980’s, I purchased an old suitcase at a garage sale in Ukiah. This black and white photo was in the suitcase. There was something about the photo that I loved: it reminded me of my parents’ generation. For me it was a tribute to the post WWII era when “girls were girls and men were men”.
Over the years I made up stories about the people in the photo, and this past summer decided to bring them back to life in a painting.
It’s Friday at the local Grange hall.The two foreground couples in charge of the record player are best friends. A yellow sweatered woman cradles a beer. The lady in orange is digging in her purse, (her husband wondering what in the world has she misplaced now?) and a red haired women talks with the cul de sac (hairline) fella. The young lady in white was fixed up by her mother with the son of another couple: both would rather be anywhere else. Meanwhile, a former dancer in a pink flowing dress takes the floor, pulling along husband number 3…..or is it 4?
And, finally: notice that in the original photo all the women have their eyes on the photographer.
Watercolor, 16” by 20” painting framed up to 20” by 24” inches.
