On the Road: Morning at the Kerouac House

On the Road: Morning at the Kerouac House

On the Road, The Kerouac House, Orlando11×14″Oil on Panel(c) Kelly Medford, 2011That’s right, this one’s called On the Road, which was only too appropriate as I had to stand in the middle of the road to paint this one. The across the street neighbor has apparently had her fill of the riff raff that hang out at the house and understandably doesn’t want people in her yard oogling the Kerouac house.This really is a house that Jack Kerouac lived in when On the Road was published and wrote part of Dharma Bums while living here. The house is now a foundation and residency for writers, offering one writer a 3-month period to come and work in solitude. At the end of their residency the writer gives a public reading of their work in the house and everyone hangs out drinking, eating and talking afterwards. I attended a reading of the last resident Beth Raymer, an incredible woman and writer, whose last book has now been turned into a film and will be released next year.In painting that day I wasn’t alone. My friend and legendary Orlando sketch artist Thor was there to draw me while painting. He had his stool, sketchbook and watercolors and away we went, eventually forgetting the dangers of passing cars. No one ran over us in this quiet neighborhood and I’m so happy to have had the chance to capture this legendary home.If you like this painting, it is available here on my website.