So, I’m sitting here at 2:00am and I’m staring at this painting. It depicts of a piece of the true mountain history in the town of Knoxville, TN. The time is (circa)1902. The location is The Old City Historic District in downtown, in what used to be the north eastern quarter of the city center. In this painting, DAWN HAWKINS, has captured the atmosphere of not only that period in time, but also the timelessness of the scene. The building, at the corner of Jackson and Central, looks very much the same today as in the time period presented in Dawn’s work. In her representation the buildings occupants are H .J. Long’s Soda water & Confectionery and it appears Wallace Upholstery.
Today , in those same spaces are Manhattans (a tavern) and a number of businesses that include the Crown and Goose (Pub) to the left of the Confectionery and John H. Daniels Clothier to the right Things that stand out to me about this work are that the colors are vibrant and the style really accentuates the feel of the area back then. I’ve seen photographs of the area from near that time and as "real" as a photo can be, I think Dawn has provided a better presentation. She tells me that she’s been painting for 34 years and based on the way she appears, she must have started painting 5 years before she was conceived. It is easy for me to see the development of both talent and discipline in the work though.
Don’t get me wrong....I ain’t no art critic, nor expert, but I like what I see and I’ve seen a fair amount in my time. Dawn operates "THRU THE LOOKING GLASS MURALS" out of Knoxville, Tn and if you like her oftlinework and would like to purchase some or commission a piece, you can contact her via e-mail at hawki41@hotmail.com
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We at Twisted Hillbilly would like to give Dawn HORNS UP and a BIG RAWR on the painting.. Thanks for sharing, Beautiful.
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