Rosie’s Diner 1

Copyright Larry Johnston

Copyright Larry Johnston

“Rosie’s Diner”

Rockford, Michigan

Most everyone has seen photos of Rosie’s Diner, some with miniature lights for tail lights and in strategic areas of the photo that you could hang in your recreation room, or maybe the kitchen. The painting above, is also of Rosie’s Diner. Let me tell you the story of how this painting started.

While participating in the #1 Art Show, at the time, in the country, which was Coconut Grove, Florida, I met a ceramic artist who made miniature diners that had neon on them.  It was great work.  The artist, Jerry Berta, told me a story that fascinated me.  I had seen those photos in stores and restaurants, I mentioned above.

Jerry had a REAL diner, that he used as a studio to make his miniature diners. People would show up at his door, wanting to buy diner food, and he had to explain to them, it was only his studio.  Then he had the opportunity to purchase a diner in Little Ferry, New Jersey.  They were going to get rid of the diner to make room for what they called “Progress” and offered Jerry a deal, he couldn’t refuse.

The Silver Dollar Diner, was the name of the Diner, where the well-known commercial with Rosie, the waitress, advertised paper towels. Jerry accepted the deal and moved it to Michigan. He said he only had 10 flat tires during the move. When he arrived in Rockford, he renamed the Diner, ‘Rosie’s.  It was located in the same parking lot as his other diner and sold regular Diner Food.

On various nights of the month, he would turn on the neon lights and allow people to photograph their classic cars in the watered-down parking lot, which shows the reflections of the neon.

While in Greenville, Michigan at an Art Festival, I took time to stop there and photograph the diner.  The painting above is from the photos I took that day.

Other Silver Diner Paintings I have done are: 

Pelican Diner, St. Pete Beach;   Inside the Silver Diner, Red trim;   Inside the Silver Diner, pink

Prints:
 
ALL PRINTS are printed on canvas and stretched on wooden stretcher bars and prices vary according to size ordered. Most are 2:3 proportion
 
Options:
 
wrapped print- part of the image is wrapped
around the sides of the wood.
 
 
Non-wrapped print- The full image is on the face, with white or black edges
 
 
(frames and hardware are not included)
 
8″ x 12″ Black Edge………. $109.17
8″ x 12″ White Edge………. $109.17
8″ x 12″ Wrapped Edge………. $109.17
 
 
12” x 18” Black Edge ………. $168.07
12” x 18” White Edge ………. $168.07
12” x 18” Wrapped Edge ………. $168.07
 
 
16” x 24” Black Edge ………. $226.14 (Most popular)
16” x 24” White Edge ………. $226.14 (Most popular)
16” x 24” Wrapped Edge ………. $226.14 (Most popular)
 
 
20” x 30” Black Edge………. $314.34
20” x 30” White Edge………. $314.34
20” x 30” Wrapped Edge………. $314.34
 
 
24” x 36”Black Edge ………. $335.65
24” x 36”White Edge ………. $335.65
24” x 36”Wrapped Edge ………. $335.65

24” x 36” ………. Original Painting on stretched canvas not available 

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