Evening at the Jefferson
circa 1955

The painting "Evening at the Jefferson” captures a specific date, March 29th, 1955. This nostalgic scene is a realistic date for actual events set in downtown Beaumont, Texas. The center of attraction on Friday nights was the Jefferson Theatre, a grand movie palace that was the focal point of the community. The painting depicts a busy street, with classic cars of the era parked on either side of the scene. On the left is a new DeSoto and on the right is the artist's first car, a 1941 Cadillac Series 75 Limosine, both of which were popular models during the 1950s.

The painting also includes a man on the right side of the scene who is reading a poster that advertises the movie "Battle Cry" at the Liberty Theatre. The artist invites the viewer to look for a man wearing a white sport coat and a pink carnation, who is waiting for a friend's arrival. The inclusion of these small details adds a sense of realism and familiarity to the scene, making it easy for the viewer to imagine themselves at that moment in time.

The artist notes that the painting is based on a specific moment in time, his twelfth birthday, March 29th, 1955. He researched which movie was playing that day at the Jefferson Theatre by looking up the information in the Beaumont Enterprise microfilm collection at Lamar University. The movie was "Twist of Fate" starring Ginger Rogers. The artist was able to obtain an original poster of the movie to use as a reference for the painting. The inclusion of the "white sport coat and a pink carnation" is a reference to the song "Marty Robbin's" popular in that era, adding a sense of nostalgia and cultural context to the painting. The painting is part of a series that the artist calls "Moments to Remember" from the classic song by the Four Lads.

Description by the Artist

Watch this video presentation by the artist describing the painting process, the research, and the hidden trivia in the painting.

The original painting is 30x24" on masonite panel, completed in 1983.

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