The very word "avenue" awakens memories...of the lively, flourishing main streets of turn-of-the-century America.  Families strolled America's avenues then, to conduct their business and to carry on their social life.  Churches and brightly lit shops adorned the thoroughfares; pedestrians shared the busy streets with horseless carriages and horse-drawn trolleys and all felt safe.

 

Evening on the Avenue, inspired by a still-flourishing main street in Charleston, South Carolina, is a nostalgic look back to a time when streets like this were the life-blood of the nation and not mere curiosities.

 

A clearing dusk paints the scene with a silvery softness as gas lamps and windows blaze gold and amber; rain-washed pavement adds a festive glow.

 

The painting has a symbolic message: the peacefulness and serenity of traditional communities are still the heart of any nation.