Artist dedicates Gay Parita painting at its namesake

Artist Jerry McClanahan is about to shake the hand of Gay Parita station owner Gary Turner as Curtis and Kath Gobeli watch during the dedication ceremony Saturday.

Artist Jerry McClanahan on Saturday unveiled a newly commissioned painting of Gary Turner’s Gay Parita gas station on Route 66 west of Halltown, Missouri, at the station itself.

A recent news release explained how the painting came to be:

On June 6 of 2013, Curtis Gobeli, celebrating having turned 66 years of age with a dream trip down Route 66, stopped at Gary Turner’s world-famous replica Sinclair Station while driving his immaculate 1966 Pontiac GTO. Meeting Jerry later at the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, the two, inspired by the many examples of 66 embodied in Curtis’ visit to Gay Parita, conspired to create a highly detailed watercolor commemorating that visit, with the GTO posed in front of Gary’s eye-catching homage to the roadside past. In the sky above the scene float depictions of other Route 66 icons that Curtis and his wife Kath encountered on their cruise, as well as a map of 66 and a short prose history of the Route.

A few more photos from the ceremony:

And here’s a close-up image of the painting, along with an comparative image of the station itself:

Turner’s station is a recent re-creation of a gas station that stood at the site until it burned down in the 1950s. The site, along with Turner’s hospitality, has become a must-stop place for Route 66 travelers.

In addition to his paintings, McClanahan, who resides in the Route 66 town of Chandler, Oklahoma, also writes the “EZ 66 Guide” that provides turn-by-turn directions for following Route 66.

(Images courtesy of Jerry McClanahan, John Stiber and Kristy Stiber)

4 thoughts on “Artist dedicates Gay Parita painting at its namesake

  1. No nicer people in the world than the ones you meet on Route 66–and talented. Wonderful painting with a great story behind it.

  2. Would love to have been there. Can’t imagine the Route 66 electricity that must have been in the air. Congratulations to Gary, the Gobeli’s and Jerry for putting it all together !!

  3. Another great reason for roadies to stop and visit with Gary, as if they need one. Superb job, Jerry!

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