Grape soda and Turpentine

I was ten when my parents first got me into oil painting class. It was a small shop on the highway in Farewell, Texas. My teacher’s last name was Magness. We did a still life on a pretty big canvas. She taught us to use broad strokes. It was nearly like a palette knife technique.

There was a handful of girls in the class. We would get a break and be able to buy a soda from the green chest style vending machine. I loved grape soda. How my imagination would soar in that old building smelling turpentine and sipping grape soda. I won 1st at the fair with that painting. Vicky Wong entered her’s the following year. Her parents owned the Chinese restaurant in Clovis. I can’t think of the name of it, but always enjoyed the food. Great memories.