Route 66 photographer profiled

Melissa Lea, a jewelry designer and Route 66 photographer, earns an extended feature article about her life and times (so far) from her hometown newspaper, the Bedford (Ind.) Times-Mail. If you want to see her work, Melissa's Web site is here.

Roadside miniatures on display at Corvette museum

Artist David Malcolm Rose has created remarkably detailed miniatures of decaying filling stations, motels and cafes, many of which are inspired by what's seen on Route 66.  The series is called "The Lost Highway," and you can see photos of the works here. Rose's work will be exhibited at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling … Continue reading Roadside miniatures on display at Corvette museum

Route 66 photographer’s work will be exhibited

Photographer Blake Shaw informs me that an exhibit featuring his work, "Colors of the Past: Photographs Along Route 66," will run from Oct. 19 to Nov. 12 at Ordover Gallery at 444 S. Cedros St. in Solana Beach, Calif. It includes a reception from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 19. Shaw tells me: A few … Continue reading Route 66 photographer’s work will be exhibited

Carthage mural will mark 30th anniversary

Travelers who drive into Carthage, Mo., on Route 66 will quickly note the striking architecture of the Jasper County Courthouse, which was built in the 1890s. But behind those courthouse walls is a mural that's every bit as striking. In 1976, local artist Lowell Davis painted the 26-foot-long mural that depicts the history of Jasper … Continue reading Carthage mural will mark 30th anniversary

Cadillac Ranch: From oddity to icon

Amarillo Globe-News Jon Mark Beilue writes about the Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo. The point emerges amid all the color reported from the scene: Cadillac Ranch may have been a mere curiosity when it was first erected in 1974, but it now is a full-blown American icon. Amarillo residents may be irritated or even embarrassed by … Continue reading Cadillac Ranch: From oddity to icon

Meet Bob

Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire is painting a mural at the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac. For a report and a photo of his ongoing work, check out this report from the Bloomington Pantagraph.

Artist finds inspiration on Route 66

Carolyn Berl-Donald was getting a little tired of creating her hyper-realist paintings. But then she received a $5,000 grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts. So she took some of the money so that she could travel west, including on Route 66, and find inspiration, reports the News-Journal. Route 66 led her toward a … Continue reading Artist finds inspiration on Route 66

Route 66 blogger roundup

An anonymous poster on LiveJournal puts up a few black-and-white photographs of the rapidly decaying Shalimar Inn on Route 66 in Gallup, N.M., which probably will see the wrecking ball soon. Jabopper and Fajzha continue their motorcycle tour of Route 66 through Illinois and a part of Missouri. Roger Kramer's Favorite Cycling Tours reports that … Continue reading Route 66 blogger roundup

Illinois Route 66 museum will get a mural

The Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac will have a new mural painted later this month, reports the Pontiac Daily Leader. The artist doing the painting will be Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, who is the unofficial inspiration to Fillmore, the VW minibus in the hit summer movie "Cars." Waldmire's artwork … Continue reading Illinois Route 66 museum will get a mural

Art gallery opens in Red Fork

For roadies who are unfamiliar with Red Fork, it is an old, working-class neighborhood on Route 66 in southwest Tulsa. The downtown area of Red Fork is basically across Southwest Boulevard, aka Route 66, from Ollie's Station. There is an antique stove company and a smattering of other businesses in downtown Red Fork. But there … Continue reading Art gallery opens in Red Fork