Barnes&Noble

[Bongo]

Remember books? They still sell them here. It had been raining for a week+ and I just wanted to do something(anything) - this was handy

set up in the parking lot (as is my wont)

the sketch

Got a few drive-by "that's beautiful" - and sincere or not is still nice to hear. And then this guy stood by me, patiently waiting for me to look up, then ever so politely asked if I could paint him standing by his car - which he showed me a phone snap of. I told him I was honored by the offer but didn't do commissions.

This is I think the fourth time I've been asked to do commissioned portraits, plus once to do a ceiling. I'm sure when this guy left the house that morning he wasn't like "I hope I can find some guy on the street to do a painting of me". I think they just get caught up in the novelty of it "hey, guess what I saw today! - Well why didn't you get your picture painted!"

Plus it's like when standing in the checkout line at the grocery store and you see all the Pez dispensers and you end up buying a Batman - even though those hard little candies are awful and you're a Superman guy. Because -- it's there - and you're there- and seemed like the thing at the time.

Covering the panel+

"Barnes & Noble" oil on 16" x20" panel. Lettering done in studio.

comments welcomed.

 

[Artyczar]

WONDERFUL! I can see this hanging in all kinds of places. I wish there were more bookstores. I used to kind of hate the Barnes and Noble stores when they ate up all the little mom-and-pop booksellers, but now I wish there were more bookstores of any kind. I love this painting.

 

[Donna T]

Wow! You sure know how to make those commercial buildings look so good. I never think of them as attractive but they can be! I really like what you did with the sky too. It kind of glows and looks much less dreary than it really was.

 

[stlukesguild]

We still have several Barnes & Nobles around here as well as a couple Half Price Books. I was heartbroken when Borders went belly up. I can't even think of how many hours I spent at them browsing books and CDs. Incredibly, there are a few independent bookstores near me that are still in business... thanks, no doubt, to all the colleges in the area.

Nice job on the painting.

 

[Bongo]

Ayin, Donna, Saint, thanks. In the University District here only a few used bookstores remain. Years ago I knew the end was near when you'd walk into a bookstore and they have shelves of "books for $3" "books under $10". Not by author or subject. Then the book store puts in a coffee nook which soon turns into a cafe with a book nook.

 

[snoball]

This is very nice, Bongo. I can see it hanging in a Library. Or even in the Barnes and Noble lobby.

 

[Enyaw]

Nothing personal, but I have a ban on remarking on advertising In art Such as T-shirts and other clothing and especially on wall art.

 

[Terri]

Wonderful street scene, as always.

I love books, have way too many even after a major purge before moving. All I seem to do is purge to make room on the shelves so I can buy more. There are a surprising amount of little indie bookstores around here - I've only been in one of them a couple of times. They don't sell coffee and always seem decently populated.

 

[Bongo]

Ayin, Donna, Saint, thanks. In the University District here only a few used bookstores remain. Years ago I knew the end was near when you'd walk into a bookstore and they have shelves of "books for $3" "books under $10". Not by author or subject.

 

[Bongo]

Sno, Terri - thank you much appreciated

Nothing personal, but I have a ban on remarking on advertising In art Such as T-shirts and other clothing and especially on wall art.

But Wayne, putting the name of a store on a building is NOT advertising, it's identifying. How would you know where to shop if none of the stores had names on them? There is a type of "wall art" that IS just advertising - that are just signs that say "Budweiser - king of beers" or "Nike - just do it", etc. this is not that.

 

[Enyaw]

yes, but advertising mesmerizes me so sometimes I get it wrong. My head goes all wishy washy so I just ban it all.

.. not about me though as I"m on too many meds to partake .. wish I could though.

mesmerized