Admin – Page 15 – Larry Johnston, Nostalgic Artist

Ferris Wheel Toy

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Ferris Wheel Toy

Many of us remember the metal toys where the tabs fit into slots and bent over to hold them together. I was in an old hardware store/soda shop where the owner collected antique toys. He had them all over the walls, on shelves and even in the basement. It was a toy collector’s paradise. I decided to paint some paintings of the toys. The first toy that I chose was a familiar one to many of us, but to stay away from infringement problems, I changed all the characters on the Ferris Wheel to my own design of clowns.

While in Florida, one of my favorite places for painting was, Markham Park, in Weston, Florida. It was a beautiful day, as I pulled out my 30″ x 40″ canvas and started to paint. I set my easel in a shaded area beneath some palm trees. The sounds of the birds chirping made it so relaxing… that I didn’t have a care in the world. As I worked on the painting, it came together beautifully over the next few perfect days. I was almost finished with the painting, when I noticed the birds getting louder, then all of a sudden……”.SPLAT!”, right in the middle of the painting. You guessed it… Doo–Do everywhere! It took me about a month to make adjustments and corrections, but, to this day, if you look closely, (Only on the original painting), you can tell where that bird made his mark.. I’m not sure whether it was the clowns, or the Ferris Wheel he didn’t like.

Concord Covered Bridge

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Links to other covered bridge paintings I have done can be found here:

Mecca Covered Bridge

Neet Covered Bridge

Bridgeton Covered Bridge

Beeson Covered Bridge

Euharlee Covered Bridge

Euharlee Covered Bridge-Spring

Concord Covered Bridge

Poole’s Mill Covered Bridge

Pepsi Covered Brid

Herriott’s Coffee Co Columbia Street Roastery

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Columbia Street Roastery

Champaign, Illinois

The Covered Bridge Festival, held in Parke County, Indiana draws people from all over the country. While at the festival, I met a gentleman from Champaign, Illinois, who owned a coffee roastery. He wanted an illustration of the Columbia Street Roastery, as it would have looked years ago. He was interested in putting the image on his coffee bags and literature. About a year or so later, when I was traveling through Illinois, I stopped in to visit them. There’s nothing like the smell of freshly ground coffee. We were given the tour. I was impressed by all of the coffee bags stamped with images from all over the world. We even got to see how they roasted, ground and bagged the coffee.

Bubba’s Roadhouse & Saloon

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Bubba’s Roadhouse & Saloon

Cape Coral, Florida

If you have not visited Bubba’s, you need to put it on your bucket list. Located just east of Burnt Store Road, you can find it at 2121 SW Pine Island Road, in Cape Coral, Florida.

The steakhouse was constructed from 90% recycled parts from old warehouses that were demolished. When you check out the decor in Bubba’s Roadhouse & Saloon, you will find all kinds of memorabilia, including an extensive Beer Can collection and license plates from all 50 States.

You can get in on the fun with their Karaoke and live entertainment. Call for times and dates.

While exhibiting at the Cape Coral Street Arts Festival, the owner approached me to paint a picture of his Steakhouse. I had a lot of fun, because there was neon everywhere and a parking lot full of cars. I put some special cars in the painting for him, including “Elvis”. The Cape Coral Festival was one of my favorites.

around the sides of the wood.

Roanoke Weiner Stand

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

The Roanoke Weiner Stand

Roanoke, Virginia

While exhibiting in a show in Roanoke, Virginia, we found this unique weiner stand. Come to find out, it is Roanoke’s oldest restaurant and one of the most popular. It opened in 1916. Since I painted this picture, which was at 110 Market Square, across from the City Market, they have moved into the Market at 1 Market Square and opened another at 3601 Brandon. They’re known for their grilled hot dogs and chili dogs.

The prints of the painting were very popular, along with the set of four places in Roanoke. (Texas Tavern, Roanoke Weiner Stand, Billy’s Ritz and Agnew Seed Store)

I love Roanoke and could live there! It is such a cool town. Here are a few of my favorite places around town…

Hot Dog King

Billy’s on the Ritz

Texas Tavern

Agnew Seed Store

Agnew Seed Store

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Agnew Seed Store

Roanoke, Virginia.

One of my favorite Art Festivals took place in the park in Roanoke, Virginia. As I returned for the annual festival, I brought new paintings of the area. One of the paintings was, at the time, the oldest seed store in the state of Virginia. The store was handed down through family since its opening in 1897.

The store was located at 301 Market Street, in Roanoke and sold Seeds & Bulbs for wholesale and retail growers. The inside of the store, had shelves, drawers and displays that took you back in time. Bird seed was a popular item along with feeders for the bird lovers.

After the owners death in 2009, business closed and the building was sold to a couple who owned several other businesses in the area.

The other paintings that I painted over the years from Roanoke, were the Texas Tavern, Roanoke Weiner Stand and Billy’s, located in the Market District. I eventually sold them as a print set of 4, I called my Roanoke Set.

I love Roanoke and could live there! It is such a cool town. Here are a few of my favorite places around town…

Hot Dog King

Billy’s on the Ritz

Texas Tavern

Agnew Seed Store

Billy’s on the Ritz

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Billy’s Ritz,

Roanoke, VA.

For several years, in late 1980s and early 1990s, I exhibited at the Arts Festival, in Roanoke, Virginia. I might add, they put on a great event, especially the entertainment for the public. Since it was downtown, Roanoke, we were able to visit several restaurants, during our visit.

One of the restaurants, was “Billy’s Ritz”, located adjacent to the Roanoke City Market. It was housed in the previous site of the 60 room “Ames Hotel”, which was built in 1910, according to records. Billy’s Ritz, was an upscale American, Steakhouse, which operated for 27 years, before selling in 2008.

Several other paintings from Roanoke, that I painted, was “Texas Tavern”, “The Roanoke Wiener Stand” and “Agnew Seed Store”.

I love Roanoke and could live there! It is such a cool town. Here are a few of my favorite places around town…

Hot Dog King

Billy’s on the Ritz

Texas Tavern

Agnew Seed Store

Texas Tavern

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Texas Tavern

Roanoke, Virginia

One of the stops on my Arts and Festival Tour was Roanoke, Virginia. They knew how to put on a festival, complete with great entertainment. Since the festival was just blocks away from the Texas Tavern, which we had heard about, we just had to check it out.

The nostalgia of it all was more than I could hope for. The diner was established in 1930. They claim that it seats 10,000 people (10 at a time). Famous for their Chili, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers and Cheesy Westerns. I noticed, while sitting at the counter, even the metal pipe that you rest your feet on, had been completely worn through to the middle.

By the readers of the Roanoke Magazine, Texas Tavern was voted the best for: Chili, Hot Dogs, Local Hamburger and Late-Night Diner. If you’re ever in Roanoke, stop downtown at 114 Church Ave. They are open 24 hours, 7 days a week. You will be glad you did!

Other Roanoke, Virginia places I have painted are: The Roanoke Weiner Stand; Agnew Seed Store and Billy’s Ritz.

I love Roanoke and could live there! It is such a cool town. Here are a few of my favorite places around town…

Roanoke Weiner Stand

Billy’s on the Ritz

Texas Tavern

Agnew Seed Store

Brown Barn Texaco

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Brown Barn Texaco

Cartersville, Georgia

There was a time when I enjoyed painting pictures of old fallen down barns. While living in Cartersville, Georgia, I was driving down Sugar Valley Road, when I saw a farm-house, with a barn and a gas pump near it, so I took some photographs of it. I eventually painted the picture and found that people wanted more pictures of gas pumps, so I eventually painted other pumps, like Shell, Gulf, Sinclair, American, Marathon and of course several Texaco pumps. We called this one “Brown Barn Texaco” since I later painted one with a red barn in the paining. We called it “Red Barn Texaco”, of course.

During one of the art festivals, a young couple purchased the painting, which was a 9″ x 12″ canvas acrylic painting. They had a pick-up truck that they had restored and wanted me to paint the truck in this painting. Instead of adding to the painting, we agreed that a second painting would be done as a continuation of this painting, to hang next to this one. (Restored Truck painting)

Bradford’s Store

January 1, 2015February 22, 2021 Admin

Bradford’s Store.

Pine Log, Georgia

Bradford’s Store, located on the corner of Calico Valley Road and Pine Log Road was the areas general store, which housed the Post Office from 1833 until 1979. The area was called Pine Log by the Cherokee Indians prior to 1785 (Georgia Hwy 140, three miles east of US Hwy 411) In 1906 the L & N Railroad was completed and ran from Cartersville, GA to Knoxville, TN and a depot was built and the community became “Rydal”. The station is gone, but the Post office, built in 1908, still exists.

I had exhibited in a local art festival, called the “Pine Log Arts & Crafts Festival” for several years, so the painting of Bradford’s became very popular in many towns around the area. The last I heard was, the store was purchased and restored after being vacant for a number of years. The Art Festival has been held at the United Methodist Church Campground, in Rydal.