A History of Americana in Art
No Prints Available at this time. If you are interested in a print of the original painting above, let me know, I am always looking for new good quality vendors!
Links to other covered bridge paintings I have done can be found here:
Wellfield Gardens, Elkhart, IN
From the English Cottage Garden
Wellfield Gardens is such a great place to visit and every year, we see that they have added more trails and opened more areas to see. After my first visit to Wellfield, I made it a point to include it among my paintings of Elkhart. The English Cottage is the backdrop for many Wedding photos.
The painting was done in 2014. I painted it as a moonlit night after a rain. I am now painting some evening scenes and reflections in the rain. I will be showcasing them in later paintings.
11″ x 14″Black Edge………. $148.82
11″ x 14″ White Edge………. $148.82
11″ x 14″ Wrapped Edge………. $148.82
16″ x 20″ Black Edge ………. $204.72
16″ x 20″ White Edge………. $204.72
16″ x 20″ Wrapped Edge………. $204.72
16″ x 20″ ………. $375.00 original painting on stretched canvas not available.
Luigi’s Pizza,
South Bend, Indiana.
I remember when I was in High school many decades ago, riding my bicycle to Luigi’s Pizza, several miles away, in an area called River Park, for a pizza. Luigi’s is still around, but have moved from the place on the corner. My Aunt, Jean, used to talk about going to Luigi’s when she was in High School. She is now over 90 years old. That’s an indication as to how long they have been making pizzas.
When I painted the painting, I included her driving her favorite car (Ford Retractable) and around the corner is Uncle Don, with his Studebaker (Silver Hawk). When they came to one of my art shows, they saw it for the first time. When they said they loved it, I told them that I painted it for them.
Uncle Don has since passed-away, but the painting still hangs in Aunt Jean’s Family Room where she can see it easily while watching TV or just relaxing.
Azar’s Big Boy
South Bend, IN
Azar’s Big Boy was a typical 1950s Drive-in, complete with Car Hops. It was right next to another Drive-in called Bonnie Doon. The back of the drive-ins was an alley, so it became a way to go in one and drive to the other and exit back to the street, around the block and do it all over again. This was called the “Merry-go-round”. Also popular in the 1960s, when I was in High School were motor scooters. The 2 pictured are the Cushman brand. The one of the left is like the one my brother drove. It even had a stick shift. Another popular scooter at the time was the Allstate. It had bubble type fenders with a storage compartment on one side, unlike the red Cushman with the storage compartment under the seat.
This painting was one of my first paintings when I started featuring classic cars.
24” x 36” ………. $1,295.00 Original Painting on stretched canvas
LaSalle Hotel – Rooftop Sign,
South Bend, IN.
When I was growing up in South Bend, I always remembered looking north on Michigan Street and seeing those signs atop the LaSalle Hotel, sitting at an angle so you could see them from blocks away in each direction. There were other businesses with similar signs, also perched atop their buildings visually crying out to potential customers. It just added to the nostalgia of the time.
Those signs are no longer there and with my intent to bring back some of the old nostalgic flavor of the city, I recreated the signs that overlooked the city. The Bendix Corporation, also in South Bend had a tower with the name spelled out vertically in lights. I included it in the picture, way off in the distance.
24” x 36” ……….$1,295.00 Original Painting on stretched canvas
Copyright Larry Johnston
Bonnie Doon,
US 31 North, South Bend, Indiana.
There were 5 local Bonnie Doon ice cream shops that were drive-ins, in the South Bend – Mishawaka, Indiana area. I had painted a couple of the stores when a couple approached me and wanted a painting of the drive-in on US 31 north, which was located between South Bend, Indiana and Niles, Michigan. It was just north of a community called Roseland.
There was a catch to this painting though. The couple had been married at the church, across from this particular Bonnie Doon drive-in. The wife and her mother had both worked there, and while the couple had dated, they spend many evenings at Bonnie Doon. Here’s the catch! I told them I would paint their car in the painting. We compromised and I painted all the cars they had owned since they had been married into the picture, in all the correct colors.
As you can see, here is the final result. The prints of the painting became popular and I have painted the same place with other personal cars in the paintings, BUT NOT AS MANY! I had a ball creating this painting. Here the other Bonnie Doon paintings I have painted: Bonnie Doon, S. Michigan St., South Bend; Bonnie Doon on Lincolnway West in Mishawaka: Bonnie Doon in the 1940s on 4th St in Mishawaka; Bonnie Doon on 4th St. Mishawaka in the 1950s.
24” x 36” ……….Original Painting on stretched canvas Not Available
Bonnie Doon Drive-in, S. Michigan St.,
South Bend, Indiana.
Bonnie Doon Ice Cream started in 1941 and in 1944, they opened their first drive-in. One of their most popular locations was on S. Michigan Street, in South Bend, Indiana. At the time, when I frequented that location, there were 5 locations in the area.
During my High School days, Michigan Street was a one-way street going north and the next street over, Main Street was one way going south. Bonnie Doon and Azar’s Big Boy sat next door to each other, so they became the hang out as the cars would drives through both establishments, go around the block and back through, over and over, eventually referred to as the merry-go-round. The teenagers would sit on their cars in the parking lot and watch the cars go by. I remember the cars stopping along Main Street to meet. I am sure many romances started at Bonnie Doon.
I have decided to bring back some of these historic buildings that have since become vacant or torn down. This painting on S. Michigan Street, in South Bend, Indiana, brought back memories and stories from the people who saw it. I asked my customers if they could find the Corvette Stingray in the painting. Most couldn’t find it, until I pointed out the reflection in the side of the car in the foreground. I have since painted Bonnie Doon – US 31, South Bend, Bonnie Doon 4th St, Mishawaka 1940, Bonnie Doon 4th St., Mishawaka 1950s, Bonnie Doon- Lincolnway, Mishawaka, Indiana.
24” x 36” Original Painting on stretched canvas……….Not Available
G & H 24-Hour Coffee Shop
“The Gag and Heave”,
South Bend, Indiana.
The White House Restaurants in South Bend were a local chain of 24-hour diners in the area. The most famous was the one across from John Adams High School. The Diner had several nicknames, such as “Fat Shirley’s”, and the most memorable, “The Gag and Heave”. The owner, Burke Hammond established the restaurant in 1955. They even had bumper stickers that advertised the diner as the “Gag & Heave”. The High School students loved it. On the other side of town, the Studebaker workers also called their local White House Restaurant, “The Gag & Heave”. Since I went to John Adams High School, I just had to paint the building with the 1962 Studebaker Lark Police car sitting outside, ready for action, just as it was frequently seen during those late-night hours.
The G & H, was eventually sold and is now “Jeanie’s” and has been remodeled and still sits at the corner of Mishawaka Avenue and Twyckenham Avenue, in South Bend across from the High School at 1444 Mishawaka Avenue, serving those late night burgers and lots of coffee.
24” x 36” ………. $1,295.00 Original Painting
Elkhart Train Depot
Elkhart, Indiana
The Elkhart Train Depot was built in 1900 and serviced the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad until 1914. New York Central road the rails for many years. In 1971 passengers started using the Depot for their Amtrak travels. It is used as a stopping place for pick up and delivery of passengers, however tickets cannot be purchased there.
Just on the other side of the tracks across from the depot is the National New York Central Railroad Museum. Both are located downtown Elkhart, IN.
24” x 36” ………. $1,295.00 Original Painting
Cappy’s Northside Tavern & Restaurant
Elkhart, IN
Do you love to find a little gem of a restaurant in those out of the way places, where the food is excellent, as well as the friendliness of the staff. Well, here it is. Cappy’s is not located on the main street of town or at Restaurant Row. You can find Cappy’s hidden on the north side of town where all the thriving businesses used to be. Located at 1000 North Michigan Street and Mishawaka St. in Elkhart, the food and service is always great. They not only have a great meal, but their bar has several TVs to watch Sports programs while you have a brew and make new friends or just hang out with some old one’s.
24” x 36” ………. $1,295.00 Original Painting
24″ X 36″ original painting on stretched canvas not available.