Tea in a Caboose isn't really closed, it's just a summer slowdown. This habit of curating and posting photos from my archives is a bit addictive.
I have a few faithful readers who grew up in Swift Current, and in adulthood moved farther afield to greener and bigger pastures. They seem to have some nostalgia for the town of their childhood and enjoy seeing familiar sites, so here are a few landmarks for you guys.
In 2013 Central School commissioned me to do this pastel drawing which they reproduced, framed and sold as a fund-raiser. My four siblings and I spent much of our childhood inside those brick walls, and I can still name every teacher I had from grade one to eight.
This is a fun acrylic painting I did a few years ago of the First United Church, which I occasionally attended as a kid. I remember sitting up in the balcony and peering over the railing to check out the ladies' hats below. For some reason they're transported to the windy sky here.
It was also the era of paper dolls, and I came across these ladies when I was the lucky bidder at an auction sale for a 1951 Eaton's catalogue. The floral patterns on the brick walls must have come from the quilting group which met weekly at the church.
The flowers are a collaged photo of my backyard snapdragons.
You may remember the blue bridge on the Southside, close to Lee Lam's confectionery (which no longer exists). It was a favourite summer car-washing spot for many years during my childhood. Here it is in winter.
These three framed pictures are in my inventory and available for purchase if your Swift Current nostalgia is overwhelming. Every artist I know has a surplus of their own work, and I've got a few more paintings than I need in my basement storage.
Happy sunshine and summer relaxation!
