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Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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nostalgic

A large idyllic Americana “Happier Days” depiction by the prolific calendar artist and pin-up illustrator T.N. Thompson. This nostalgic 1950s image is titled Cleaning Compounds and is suffused with the warmth of that era. a well rendered, romantic depiction of unknown usage with a drag racing American Graffiti-esque appeal and a Norman Rockwell influenced take on life’s small joys. Nicely framed in original limed oak frame with brass label insert.

Cleaning Compounds

Artist: T. N. Thompson

Filed Under: Illustration & Advertising Art
Tagged With: 1950s, american, automobilia, nostalgic, original illustration art, romantic, T. N. Thompson
Added to Gallery: February 6, 2017

In this nostalgic themed oil and graphite on board, Bill Medcalf offers a view of a sleigh arriving at a rural family home. Evoking memories of ancestral Christmases past, the scene features a smiling group of three generations of kin enjoying a snowy morning. The mustached man and woman holding a baby are featured in many images created by Medcalf, and presumably these were intended to become a year long calendar, which tells a story of a family through time.

Winter Wonderland

Artist: William Medcalf

Filed Under: Illustration & Advertising Art, Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1950s, american, Brown & Bigelow, christmas, holiday, nostalgic, original calendar art, study, William Medcalf, winter
Added to Gallery: June 14, 2011

This nostalgic oil and graphite on illustration board, offers a peek into the early days of automotive touring. Bill Medcalf created this as a final presentation painting for one of Brown & Bigelow’s historically themed 12 month Americana calendars. In their finest Sunday clothes, a family taking a jaunt in their 1908-era Ford Model T find themselves lost on a country road. Bringing many of the classic archetypes of early motoring together, the male driver of the car refuses to look at the map his wife is consulting, while a farmer (who has likely never seen a car before) directs them in exactly the opposite direction than they were headed.

Country Drive

Artist: William Medcalf

Filed Under: Illustration & Advertising Art, Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1950s, american, automobilia, Brown & Bigelow, country, nostalgic, original calendar art, study, William Medcalf
Added to Gallery: June 3, 2011

During the 50s, Bil Medcalf was one of Brown & Bigelow’s star illustrators, creating 12 page calendar series based around themes of classic Americana. Here, he evokes a county fair, with sideshow attractions, and a boy enjoying his first ride on a horse, as his family beams with pride. The scene evokes a vision of a simpler time, and a patriotic and nostalgic sense of 19th century America. This large, colorful, highly expressive oil on board with graphite highlights was created as the final preliminary painting for a published Brown & Bigelow calendar image. Each month likely celebrated a different seasonal landmark.

The County Fair

Artist: William Medcalf

Filed Under: Illustration & Advertising Art, Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1950s, child, country, nostalgic, William Medcalf
Added to Gallery: June 3, 2011

 

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