"When I started painting, I wanted to capture the sweetness of a simpler time and preserve the memories of places I’ve been seeing for 60 some-odd years. That’s why the exhibit is called A Gentle Memphis. Everything now is grit and grind, but this is a different side of the city. I’ve always loved architecture; I’ve driven around and taken pictures of interesting buildings since I was eighteen years old, and all the places in these paintings were special to me growing up: Skateland, Summer Drive-In, the Book Depot, the watermelon stand in Hernando, the fountain in Germantown (that’s been torn down and replaced by a building), Tops Barbecue where my husband and I used to go after he got off work on Broad---he was 21 then and I was 19. And Poplar Avenue: How many thousands of times have you driven down Poplar Avenue and looked at the scene right there? That Burger King is gone now and something else is in its place. So many places don’t even exist anymore. It’s important to preserve these memories because things change. Things always change."
A Gentle Memphis is Carolyn Pollan's first art show. Her watercolor paintings are on display through August 27, 2016, at Caritas Village, 2509 Harvard Avenue. Greeting cards available at Bingham & Broad, 2563 Broad. She also creates coloring books and personalized projects.
Email: carolynwpollan@gmail.com
Email: carolynwpollan@gmail.com
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