Huckstep's Garage and Store: Nostalgic Icon

Huckstep's Garage Front View

This iconic now defunct store and garage located in Free Union, VA represents a disappearing time and place. As I consider what I want to say with the paints, I'm experimenting with the filter galleries in Corel Painter as well as Photoshop to enhance the emotionality of painting.

Driving into Free Union (love the town name, too) in central Virginia is a trip back to the nostalgia of my grandmother's youth. There are so many buildings in the Virginia countryside that one glance on a quick drive by takes you back.

This part of the Charlottesville area was settled in the 1700's. The original Mitchie Tavern wasn't far from here. Here, the mountains are bigger, bluer and you're in their foothills. Vineyards are starting to spring up and the wine business is just gathering steam.

I picture filled rocking chairs on the porch, neighbors throwing hello's, original Fords filling up.