(I don’t mean that I painted the building.) I am referring to the weather in my painting workshop, equipped with a fairly adequate swamp cooler, unless it is over 95 and/or humid.
Every year people say, “It has been such a hot summer!” as if that is news. Every summer in Tulare County is a hot one. My theory is that if it starts mild, you pay in September and October. This is the real world, muchachos, and you are in it.
Kaweah Arts had two oil painting versions of the Kaweah Post Office for sale. This is a quaint little old building three miles up the North Fork of the Kaweah River, which, until recently, was the smallest operating post office in the United States. Alas, it sold, and the new owner closed it. It is still cute and quaint, so I didn’t paint out the images on those canvases.
However, I decided that I could do a better job.
BEFORE:
One would think that I could just make this up without a photo after painting it about 20 times (if you count the do-overs, it is probably more). One might be right, but one isn’t going to know, because I won’t be attempting it AND I might not need to paint it any more.
DURING:
BEFORE:
DURING:
These are hard to photograph while on the easels. When they are dry, I’ll scan them for you (and for my records, of course.)
This is a first for the aloof Jackson. He has never inspected my work before.
6 Comments
I am the happy recipient of one of the Kaweah Post Office paintings (not seen in your list; do you need a photo of it?). And didn’t they keep the mailbox distribution there? I hope so–such a piece of Three Rivers history!
(Oh, hi, Jackson!)
Sharon, there are so many versions of the Kaweah Post Office that it would take about a month of posts to show them all. So, all that show in this post are the two that I am currently reworking, not any of those that sold.
It is a bummer about the PO being closed. It was in jeopardy of closure for many years because the US Postal Service just doesn’t generate enough income to keep the little places alive. It stopped selling stamps at least 10 years ago (just guessing on the number of years), but maintained its boxes. The previous owner drove to the Three Rivers PO, got the Kaweah mail, took it to the Kaweah PO, and put it in the boxes. I guess she got tired of doing that.
So it’s not used at all now? That’s so sad. Is someone at least maintaining the building? Is it on the National Register of Historic Places (it should be!)? I really hope it doesn’t just collapse from abandonment.
I haven’t driven past but imagine that the new owner wouldn’t want it to collapse. I don’t know who owns it now or why it was purchased; I thought it just attached to the property where the previous owner lives, but I guess they are 2 separate plots.
(How’s that for an I Know Nothing response?)
No, unfortunately, it’s not on the National Register, and, yes, it’s sad that it’s no longer operating as a post office. You’d have to talk with Kathleen McCleary to ask about the sale situation. It is a wonderful, physical piece of our history, and has been for over 100 years. Perhaps some caring Friends of the Kaweah Post Office could be organized to try to meet with the owner to offer help in an effort to learn whether this little building could qualify for listing on the NRHP, and, whether or not it could qualify for such listing, to assist with its maintenance, security, and value as a historical and educational resource.
Laurie, thank you for the clarification. Sounds like a PROJECT.
Comments are closed for this article!