It's beginning to look a lot light Christmas...

I believe it was the beginning of October that I noticed the first Christmas decorations out in the stores. Earlier and earlier every year, I'm telling you folks. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas & all the hype leading up to it. All I'm saying is to let the pumpkins and fall foliage have their fair share.

Here, however, was a good 'n' proper opportunity to blast a the Christmas tunes a few months early.

A client (and now turned friend) commissioned me to paint a few scenes of her hometown, McAdenville, NC, a.k.a Christmas Town USA. Every December the small town outside Charlotte is decked for the holidays in white, red and green lights. This is what Wikipedia has to say about McAdenville:

The lights attract visitors from all over the country and is one of the biggest light shows in the US. Begun in 1956 with the assistance of Pharr Yarns, the largest employer and land owner in the town, many trees and buildings in the town are covered in Christmas lights and some form of decoration. More than 300,000 vehicles visit each year.^[4] The lights are entirely maintained by volunteers from the community, and no admission is charged. Pharr Yarns picks up the electric bill for the event.

(source)

Sounds like a fun place? Well, then I don't need to say much about how fun these two paintings were to create.

 

 "The Pharr House"

Home of W. M. Pharr, owner of Pharr Yarns, the company who (according to Wikipedia) picked up the electricity bill for those who participate in the Christmas lighting event.

McAdenville, NC/Christmas Town USA

16x20, oil on canvas

(sold)

 "The McAdenville Lake"

The lake is located in the center of the town, along with the textile factory (mentioned above), and is one of the main attractions.

McAdenville, NC/Christmas Town USA

6x8, oil on canvas

(sold)

Now if it doesn't feel like Christmas yet but you don't mind getting your toes wet, here's a good place to start. :)

 (Feliz Navidad, Playing for Change video)