Theo's Restaurant - Small Acrylic Painting Local Diner Vintage Sign

"Wish You Were Here"

Theo's

Georgetown, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

Another piece for the 30 Day Painting Challenge as well as my "Wish You Were Here" Postcard-Painting-a-Day Project as a part of Fun-a-Day Boston.

No neon here. Just a REALLY big cup of coffee.

32 Lanes - Small Painting of Neon Sign Sunnyside Danvers

"Wish You Were Here"

32 Lanes

Danvers, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

More neon for my Fun-A-Day Project and also the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

This is a small part of the sign for the Sunnyside bowling alley in Danvers, Massachusetts. I have had more people tell me that they have driven by it, but never noticed this sign! It is making me think I may need to find some more old-school bowling alleys.....

Pat's Diner - Small Acrylic Painting of a Vintage Diner

"Wish You Were Here"

Pat's Diner

Salisbury, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

More than 1/3 of the way through my Fun-A-Day Project and also the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

I am starting to feel a need to get out there and take as many pictures of these old places and signs as quickly as I can and paint them all....it seems like everyday I hear of another place that I have painted has closed. Pat's is still open as far as I know, but almost half of the ones I have painted so far this year are no longer in business....

While I am often drawn by the neon, the old-time signs, the dated architecture, I love how other people are connected to many of these places by their memories - I hear some really wonderful stories from people who recognize places in my work - thank you for sharing with me!

Haverhill Appliance - Small Acrylic Painting of Vintage Store Signs

"Wish You Were Here"

Haverhill Appliance

Haverhill, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

Moving forward on my Fun-A-Day Project and also the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

This isn't the prettiest building....but something about the old brick and the very dated look of the sign always captures my eye. Right after the first time I painted this sign a few years ago, I found out that the owner of the business had just passed away. I am not sure what the fate of the business will be, but the signs still remain.

Agawam Diner - Small Painting of Retro Diner

"Wish You Were Here"

Agawam Diner

Rowley, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

I think this the the 9th piece from my Fun-A-Day Project and also the 30 Day Painting Challenge. Great place to go for homemade pie.

Joe's - Postcard Painting for Wish You Were Here Fun-A-Day Project

"Wish You Were Here"

Joe's

Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

Getting back to my Fun-A-Day Project and also the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

This year, my project for Fun-A-Day January is a Postcard Painting-A-Day "Wish You Were Here" - a little retro road trip visiting some of my favorite signs and structures.

No neon on Joe's Playland, but I loved the primary colors  ;-)

The Best - Acrylic Painting of Vintage Neon Sign by Debbie Shirley

The Best

Merrimac, Massachusetts

18 x 18 inches

acrylic on canvas

I took a little break from blogging about my Fun-A-Day project as I was madly getting ready for a local solo exhibition. You can now see 28 of my paintings at the Hamilton-Wenham Library in South Hamilton, Massachusetts until the end of February. And don;t worry...the Fun-A-Day project will be continued here on my blog soon.....

Plaza Motel - Neon Sign Painting Fun-A-Day Project

Wish You Were Here

Plaza Motel 

Peabody, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Day 7 of my "Wish You Were Here" postcard painting-a-day project. This is s pretty cool sign (although a pretty seedy motel!). I think I need to go back and take pictures of it when the neon isn't lit...I;m not sure how I feel about the pink!

Supinos - Neon Sign Painting Fun-A-Day Project Postcard Painting a Day

"Wish You Were Here"

Supinos

Danvers, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

Day 6 of my Fun-A-Day Project and also the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Fowles - Vintage Neon Sign Wish You Were Here Postcard Painting-a-Day

"Wish You Were Here"

Fowles

Newburyport, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

Another one of my favorite signs....the store closed a while back, but the sign still remains.....

Day 5 of my Fun-A-Day Project and also the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Skip's - Day 4 of 30 Day Painting Challenge and Fun-A-Day Postcard Project

"Wish You Were Here"

Skip's Hamburgers

Merrimac, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

Great sign - a fairly unexpected find in little Merrimac, Massachusetts! I am working on a larger version - 18 x 18 inches! - of a different part of this sign for an upcoming exhibition.

Flair - "Wish You Were Here" Roadside Retro Sign Painting

"Wish You Were Here"

Flair

Beverly, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

A dry cleaner/laundromat in Beverly, Massachusetts. - day 3 of my Fun-A-Day Project and also the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Just found out from a friend that the motel that I posted yesterday was recently demolished! I had no idea! Now I really feel the need to get out there and document all the interesting signs/buildings while I still can.....

Fern's Motel - "Wish You Were Here" Roadside Retro Motel Sign Painting

"Wish You Were Here"

Fern's Motel

Saugus, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

My Fun-A-Day Project day 2. I love the cheesy motel signs. I keep seeing people post photos on Instagram of some really great old neon ones out West. I may need to take a little road trip.....

Hilltop Steak House - "Wish You Were Here" Roadside Retro Sign Painting

'Wish You Were Here"

Hilltop Steak House

Saugus, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Happy New Year! Hard to believe that 2015 is here.....but I am definitely ready to start a fresh new year.

And I am starting this year like I did 2014 with the Fun-A-Day Project. The idea of this project  - which is being done by people all over the world - is to pick something creative that you consider fun to do each day during the month of January. Some people write, take pictures, sculpt, make collages out of hair from the shower drain, etc....you get the idea! The project is talked about more here.

Boston has it's own Fun-A-Day group, and once the project is over, we have a group exhibition showcasing our work. It is always a lot of fun to see what kind of projects people have come up with!

Last year I did a 3x3-inch painting of something from my kitchen. This year, my project is a Postcard Painting-A-Day "Wish You Were Here" - a little retro roadtrip visiting some of my favorite signs and structures. These a quick little acrylic paintings  - some of these signs I have painted before, many I will paint in the future. Besides being a fun project, these little paintings also help me workout ideas and compositions for some bigger paintings that I will work on through out the year.

Also during the month of January, Leslie Saeta is doing one of her 30 Day Painting Challenges, so these painting will be posted to her blog as well.

So the Hilltop is my first subject of the year. Love the iconic huge cactus sign! Unfortunately the restaurant closed last year, the cactus still stands, but who know for how long?! I have done a few other small paintings of this sign, but I can't help but think that I may need to do a really big one some time soon.