A roadside vegetable stand is made ready for winter
Acrylic on canvas, 25 x 20 inches (2012)

For those of us who travel Highway 7 in eastern Ontario, or for that matter many rural highways, roadside vegetable stands festoon the broad shoulders of the road with dazzling eye-grabbing colours and a selection of organic goodies. The offerings may be homemade pies and tarts, garden vegetables and in-season strawberries (July), raspberries and blueberries in late summer and fall.

In this case, the vegetable stand (about 12 kms west of Sharbot Lake Ontario) has chosen a gaudy yellow canary colour, following at least one principle of advertisng "get their attention". Okay you got it . . . can I look away now. With affects of sun, wind, searing heat and stop motion cold, hard rains and matterhorns of snow, the colour (and the structure) takes a beating. The reds of rust and fall leaves and the peek-a-boo colours of bare wood, blend with the lemomade of sun-washed paint. In other words, its looks become subdued in short order.

So, every season or two, rotted or vandalized panels are replaced, loose screws tightened, and perhaps a generous overcoat of paint restores the place to its original vigor, and renew its exhortation "May I have your attention please?"

So, stop in. Prices might be higher than you like, but you meet some of the finest people.

Please do not reproduce the image in this display.
Contact Douglas Laing Arts & Letters for further information.
P.O. Box 659, Winchester, Ontario. K0C 2K0   613-774-5180
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© 2012 Douglas Laing