'217'
An ode to Old Raleigh
The growth of Raleigh has been steady since before I moved here some thirteen years ago. That population increase comes with growing pains. Like most things there are benefits and negatives to this growth.
Economically it brings in money from outside the state. New business are burgeoning all over Wake County. Corporations bring in jobs and thus income averages rise. With the influx of corporations comes new events, new urban development and new populations. On the darker side; these huge multinational corpos come in and purchase properties driving up the cost of living and often purchase parts of the old town.
Old Raleigh.
These antique constructions are either retrofitted into trendy new properties of raised to the ground and seen as old-fashioned decay. This is how civilization grows. I hope not to persuade a certain view of the change but to highlight the nostalgia of long standing Raleigh architecture and tradition. I want to show my respect for the hands that built this city. A retrospective of the family farms that came together to drain this wetland and build a town. An ode to Old Raleigh.
I was afraid we were to loose The Berkeley Café at 217 W. Martin Street. Recently they found a new space to operate from. That brick vestige is sold. Who knows what the goal of the faceless corporation is with the property?! I sure don't. Although the erection of high rises around the very block give me pause.
These 7 works have been a pleasure to create. I'm grateful for The Berkeley Café for inspiring the creation within me. I'll miss the imperfection of the red bricks and the mellow, warm atmosphere.
Help me bid adieu to the building at 217 Martin with this series. I used waterproof, archival fine liners to sketch the scenes. Watercolor brought the works to life. Colored Pencil, acrylic and gel pens added detail and flourish. I've created some merch to help keep a part of '217' with you. I have 5x7 Postcards, 4x6 Postcards and 3x4 Magnets for sale at $10, $8, and $10 respectively. Here are the finished images and a link to my store to order some memorabilia for yourself!
