"Set a Spell" (2013) by Gerhard

20x28 inches
ink drawing & watercolor

I love the work done by the folks at Shorpy.com, preserving and fixing up archival images from the Library of Congress. I picked up a large print of a photo, and this served as a foundation for Ger to create an utterly impressive original artwork. The photo was titled "Cracker Barrel: 1939" at Shorpy. The description of the original, from 1939:

July 1939. Gordonton, N.C. "Country store on dirt road. Sunday afternoon. Note kerosene pump on the right and the gasoline pump on the left. Rough, unfinished timber posts have been used as supports for porch roof. Negro men sitting on the porch. Brother of store owner stands in doorway." 4x5 nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Admin."

The uncolored original (also included in addition) is preserved, as is. A high quality print and awesome paper was colored (after many, many trials) and I decided to include it as the showpiece.