Saturday, February 26, 2011

One Never Know Do One?

Wells Beach Summers, 18 X 24, Prismacolor, Print inquiries.


Fats Waller, Your Feet's To Big


Old Mrs. Denby's Cottage at Wells Beach, Maine, had a floor model crank up Victrola, and dozens of ancient 78 speed, scratchy old records.  They were album sized but they were singles, and were an eighth inch thick. While the old folks were out strolling the beach after dinner, we would sneak in and put on this record.  We played it endlessly until we knew all the words.  Sung it endlessly for a lifetime. Thank you Mr. Waller wherever you are, for all the good times. 

Hey Katherine it worked!!! (she helped me figure out how to imbed one of these videos into a post).  Thanks so much for your help! 

About twenty years later I was one of the "old folks" strolling with my buddy John's old SLR, rolled up my jeans and snapped this image from the surf.  Ten years after that I made this piece from the old snapshot.      

Wm

11 comments:

Casey Klahn said...

I'm grinning.

William Cook said...

Happy to be of service. Wm

hw (hallie) farber said...

Beautiful drawing.

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Hey! Good for you! Great post. K

Unknown said...

I can picture and feel the past world you describe and illustrate. I must savor it for awhile. My Maine home is a few hours north of Wells but still the same breath-taking coastline. Do you still go there?

William Cook said...

HI Hallie and Katherine--Thanks!

Hi Kathy--Alas, no. Went there for a summer afternoon once with my family, but for a good portion of every summer our extended clan would be there beginning with my granddaddy in 1937. That went all the way into the mid 80's. Talk about memory painting! Thanks for checking in.

Wm

SippicanCottage said...

Wells. Weirs on Hockeypesaukee. West Dennis in Mass. Rye in NH. There's plenty more.

The Victorians figured it all out. It all went to hell and vinyl siding, but not before some of us got to sit in the sun, shaded by their shades. Nice of you to sit shiva.

William Cook said...

"Hell and Vinyl siding? That would be asbestos. Yes, Mrs. Denby had asbestos siding," he said, and the plane took off without him.

John Brisson said...

Gotta love Fats!!!

RH Carpenter said...

Beautiful painting - I can see myself standing, ankle deep in the waves and looking toward the houses, the sun blurring my vision. I had a great time listening to Fats, too!

Jane said...

...And what a piece! I looove the atmosphere.