Why I’m Painting Route 66
Revisiting the road that carried so many family memories
Route 66 has always been more than a highway to me.
When our family left home on vacation, it was usually the first road we traveled. Before the scenery changed and before we reached wherever we were going, Route 66 signaled that the trip had begun. It was the road that carried us away from the familiar and toward someplace new.
Those early miles were filled with anticipation. A family vacation meant time together, new places to see, and the promise of experiences that would become part of our shared history. We may not have thought much about the road itself at the time, but Route 66 became woven into those memories.
Family, ‘60 Olds, stock photo
Today, as I travel portions of the highway through Oklahoma, I see more than old buildings and faded signs. I see reminders of another time—when the journey was an important part of the destination.
A road filled with stories
Route 66 is lined with places that once welcomed generations of travelers: neon-lit motels, roadside diners, service stations, cafés, barns, trading posts, and small-town landmarks. Some have been carefully preserved. Others are weathered, quiet, or slowly disappearing.
That weathered character is part of what draws me to these subjects.
I have always enjoyed painting places and objects that suggest a story. An old truck, a worn barn, or a faded motel sign can stir memories even when the viewer has never visited that particular place. They remind us of family trips, familiar landscapes, and people or moments we have not thought about in years.
The same is true of Route 66. Each landmark has its own history, but together they tell a much larger American story—one of movement, optimism, change, and discovery.
Round Barn, Arcadia, Oklahoma
Capturing more than a landmark
My goal with this collection is not simply to make an exact record of each location. I want to capture what it feels like to encounter these places.
Watercolor is especially suited to that purpose. Its transparency allows light to move through a painting, while its loose edges and unexpected blends can suggest memory, atmosphere, and the passage of time. A dramatic Oklahoma sky, the glow of a neon sign, or the warm light falling across an aging building can transform a familiar roadside scene into something more personal.
As I paint, I may adjust the light, strengthen the sky, introduce an old car, or simplify distracting details. These choices help me communicate the mood and character that first attracted me to the scene.
The result is not intended to be a photograph in paint. It is my interpretation of the place—shaped by what I see, what I remember, and what I want the viewer to feel.
Returning to the Mother Road
Creating this Route 66 collection feels like returning to the beginning of those family journeys. The highway that once led us toward new destinations has now become a destination of its own.
With the Route 66 Centennial approaching, this seems like an especially meaningful time to preserve these places through art. I’m looking forward to sharing the collection at the upcoming Route 66 Centennial Balloon Festival, Sept 25-27, Arcadia, OK, and introducing viewers to some of the landmarks, memories, and stories that inspired it.
Ghosts of Route 66
I hope these paintings bring back a memory for you, too—perhaps of a family vacation, a favorite roadside stop, or that unmistakable feeling when the bags were packed, everyone was finally in the car, and the journey had begun.
Does Route 66 hold a special memory for you? I would enjoy hearing where the road took you and which landmarks you remember most.
Follow Studio Notes for new paintings, works in progress, watercolor insights, and more stories from my Route 66 collection.
Latest painting