Rest area

During a recent trip to New Mexico on Route 66, we stopped to check out an old cemetery near the settlement of Montoya. A few graves predated the commissioning of Route 66, and burials occurred there as recently as 2005. There are traditional engraved tombstones, including a fair number of markers for local soldiers of … Continue reading Rest area

Living in Tijeras Time

While driving on old Route 66 to Albuquerque during the weekend, we stumbled onto the Tijeras Open-Air Arts Market in the mountain town of Tijeras, N.M. It's on the grounds the Imagine Gallery and Coffee House. There, we saw a mix of paintings, pottery, sculpture and photographs. There also were locally grown apples and barbed-wire … Continue reading Living in Tijeras Time

Walldogs event in Pontiac is on

On Monday, the Pontiac City Council officially extended an invitation to the Walldogs group to paint murals on buildings along Route 66 in town, according to the Bloomington Pantagraph. The organization gathers at a community to paint murals. In exchange, the host community provides liability insurance, food and lodging to the artists and a payment … Continue reading Walldogs event in Pontiac is on

Artist will have Route 66 artwork at El Reno

California artist Anthony Ross will have his artwork of Route 66 scenes on display from Sept. 20 to Nov. 1 at Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla. Ross e-mailed me an image above of one of his mixed-media compositions -- a neon sign at the long-gone Coral Court Motel in St. Louis -- that … Continue reading Artist will have Route 66 artwork at El Reno

New murals in Tulsa

On Friday, while driving on Southwest Boulevard, aka Route 66, in Tulsa, I saw some people painting murals on a wall at Goodwill Industries. I didn't have my camera with me at the time, but I shot a photo Saturday after the murals were completed. From left, the scenes are a Goodwill logo, a west … Continue reading New murals in Tulsa

Walldogs may paint murals in Pontiac

Diaz Sign Art of Pontiac, Ill., offered to have a group of artists paint murals on the sides of buildings in the Route 66 town, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The presentation was to inform them about the Walldogs, a group of artists invited and paid by a community to paint murals on various buildings. Several … Continue reading Walldogs may paint murals in Pontiac

Exhibit features photos from Mother Road

The Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York City has a photographic and film exhibit, titled "Easy Rider: Road Trips Through America," through Sept. 8. A number of photos are from Route 66. The work of several dozen artists will be on display, including Dorothea Lange, William Eggleston and Allen Ginsberg. As for the Route 66 … Continue reading Exhibit features photos from Mother Road

Notes from the road

Dida Zende, an artist based in Berlin, is looking for at least one old gas station along Route 66 to repaint so it resembles a FIT art gallery (above). It would be repainted mostly white, with a bit of red trim and the FIT logo. Zende wants to come do this free of charge in … Continue reading Notes from the road

Pontiac may host mural festival

The Pontiac (Ill.) City Council voted Monday night to approve the creation of two new Route 66-themed murals in town, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. That wasn't a surprise, as Pontiac's zoning board greenlighted the murals, which will be painted by Diaz Sign Art, last week. But there's this new item that was interesting: Bill Diaz … Continue reading Pontiac may host mural festival

Pontiac panel approves two Route 66 murals

The Planning and Zoning Board for the city of Pontiac, Ill., approved variances for two Route 66-themed murals, reported the Pontiac Daily Leader. One of them is on a brick wall behind the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum at 110 W. Howard St. The second is on a wall at Diaz Sign Art … Continue reading Pontiac panel approves two Route 66 murals