Route 66 artist Jerry McClanahan will have a public unveiling of his newest painting of Gary Turner’s Gay Parita gas station at the station near Halltown, Mo., on Saturday, May 17.
According to a news release from the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, a meet-and-greet with hot dogs and soda will be at noon, with the official unveiling at 1 p.m.
The news release explains how the painting came about:
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.
Organizers are asking attendees to RSVP (if possible) by emailing McClanahan at mcjerry(at)att(dot)net.
McClanahan, who resides in the Route 66 town of Chandler, Okla., also is the author of the “EZ 66 Guide” that provides turn-by-turn directions for following Route 66.
(Image of Gay Parita station by Mario Sainz Martinez via Flickr)
I would love to have a copie of your patings of Gary Turner as he was a great friend of mine. We talked occasionally by phone. This really floored me when I heard of his death. What a wonderful man, also loved his beautiful wife. Prayers on his way. RIP my friend.