Hanna's of Pemaquid

Pemaquid is another picturesque village along the Maine coast and this little convenience store with gas pump is the social hub for residents. While driving through there last fall we recognized the truck as a '48 Ford..because we used to have one! We fell in love with it when we tried it out and bought it without thinking about it's practicality I guess. We used it all the time to pick up materials for our antique farm remodeling projects, errands.. or just for a country drive. It wasn't easy cramming our three young boys and dog in there with us but we did and had great fun. It still had the original engine..a flat head 8( don't ask me what that is but it sounds cool) and had to be double clutched to shift gears..no power steering in that baby either. She was rough and tumble...
It was a sad day when the old girl finally quit for good. She was eventually rebuilt by a neighbor and sold...what a great truck.
This is pastel on acid free foamcore primed with Colourfix terra cotta..approximately 8"x8"..for sale too..

Esso Station-Aroostook County

When my husband and I were kids our dads were both traveling salesmen. Our families weren't acquainted then but we have our fathers' work in common. Both men had big territories to cover that included all of northern New England.
They each spent a lot of time driving the long lonely roads of Maine selling their products and would leave early on Monday mornings of every week, sometimes not returning home until Friday.
As Steve and I traveled through Aroostook we talked about what that kind of life on the road might have been like for them. We even toyed with idea that our dads may have crossed paths not once but perhaps several times during their careers. When we came upon this old gas station somewhere in "The County" as it's known here, with the antique cars parked in the yard we just had to stop for some photos. So many years ago our dads must have stopped here many times to refuel, grab a pack of cigarettes or just to stretch their legs before heading to the next customer. It was the only place for miles......My dad even drove a car like the one on the right.
I decided to show the stages of this painting but..... the finished one will be on my next blog...