up til now my town and the towns nearby have been spared the WalMart intrusion
... up til now ...
yesterday's watercolor sketch is from a vacant lot in Monroe WA
the site of
The New WalMart To Be
it's a typical vacant lot
gravel, weeds, unnaturally flat, curbs installed, driveway entrances to nowhere
waiting to become
Something Big
but it is bordered by the loveliest forest of lodgepole pines
it is heartbreaking to know there will be an enormous concrete box here
my first painting is in a more realistic, impressionistic style
for some reason I became increasingly depressed as I painted
knowing the site is slated to become concealed in concrete
*
the second painting, I recalled the aboriginal style of australia
as I painted in dots and dashes I felt a rebellious sort of happiness
... knowing the power of roots to break concrete to rubble ...
17 comments:
oh, adding my sadness to yours.
the area where I live is getting beyond crazy with development. sad.
I am so sorry to hear WM is moving in. I want to cry for you and all of the trees and the nastiness WM brings with it. We have too many WM-4 in our area with more around only to have downtown sell out to them a few weeks ago, too. Dirty dealings to get that one in... And, once they are there-they are not moving unless it is to a bigger location. My heart is breaking for you!
love your paintings - especially the second one...and yes, another walmart - I thought they were fighting to keep that one out but guess they didn't win...
sorry to hear about the Walmart.
really love the second painting especially. just magical.
Love both of these. They definitely each have a very different "vibe". Give me a pine forest any day. Consumerism, where will it end????
Both paintings are appealing to my eyes.
I hear you about all the concrete, but I dare say I shopped at a WM today and came away with a small needed microwave for our counter top as our old one went kaput. We have to shop somewhere, right?
Both are beautiful. I like your styles. It irks me when people say they like something without saying why. So. I like the composition, the simplicity of your subjects and palette. I love trees, earth and sky.
Oh I am sorry to hear this. We always call it "stickin' it to the man" when we don't shop at Walmart. I think you were "stickin' to the man" when you painted these. Art WINS! You've memorialized the time and place before Walmart. Have you named the paintings?
I get very sad when I think about losing trees but at least you've captured them.
I like both paintings but the second looks fantastic...I love the effect ;D
We think we are all powerless but as consumers we hold the power. I hope one day we wake up and realize the power lies in sheer numbers. Look what our ancestors accomplished when they stood together...what would they think of us now?
Love your painting, especially the second one. Hugs! deb
WalMart is not what it used to be at all. I would much rather enjoy the trees. Your paintings are lovely. Hope your day is wonderful. Tammy
I can proudly say I don't shop at Walmart, not my thing those big ugly boxes, like small local best. So sorry about those gorgeous trees. Your second painting makes me think Inuit as well...xox Corrine
If it weren't for your lovely paintings, this post would make me even sadder. I really love both, but especially that second painting!!!
Also...someone started a game of blog tag today and I tagged you. You can see my blog for more info--absolutely no obligation to play along, but I wanted to feature a few of the bloggers I enjoy reading...like you! Happy Sunday, Kimmie :)
I love them both, but the second ones is just wonderful... my Australian eyes love seeing that familiar style.. it is very reminiscent of Aboriginal art...xx
Oh I'm sad for you...our town voted down Wal-mart by a staggering amount. No way...no how in our quaint little suburb.
Beautiful watercolors to remember the site by anyway. :)
After Walmart got so many hooked, then they changed. They put so many mom and pop businesses out of business here locally and I'm sure most places after they moved in. Almost every mid sized town has one.
I read a story about how the rise of WalMart was compared to that of Mao's march through China. He knew if he could defeat the small towns first, the large cities would fall along the way.
Where I lived before, near Joplin, MO., the town was a test market for WalMart. In a town of less than 40,000 (before the tornado last year, of course) there were FOUR Wally Worlds and this was the late 80s. Two were Super stores and open 24 hrs. When I moved to Wichita in 1991, I was surprised there were only two WalMarts in the entire town and neither was 24 hr stores. Now I think they are all open 24 hrs.
I have come to dislike WalMart as much as many people. It is a cancer that takes hold and won't let go. But I hope the concrete rubble takes over and the roots of the forest can prevail.
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