The House Next Door

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Originally uploaded by jntrowley

This is a painting that my oldest brother, Chuck did when he was in his early 20's. He had just gotten out of the army and had come home to go back to school. My grandmother had just died and my parents sent my brother to stay with our grieving grandfather. Well, I think poor Grandpa drove my brother nuts and Chuck ended up outside looking at the house next door. My brother always loved interesting architecture and tended to see things the way they used to be (or should have been) and so this painting came about. When I graduated from high school I told my brother that this was my favorite painting of all those he had done and he told me that I could have this one as a graduation present. I didn't feel right about taking it out of Dad's living room and when Dad died in 1993 I brought it home.

I have taken my daughters to see the original house back in Indiana and it certainly never looked this good in my lifetime. The people that lived here never took care of it and it was quite rundown. But in my brother's mind this is how it looked.

Chuck doesn't paint anymore as his two old houses and way too many antiques take up all his time. I hope that one day he will paint again.