The Stories Behind
"The Class of '67"
I plan to continue my "walk down memory lane" with a series of paintings depicting life in Fairfield-Suisun in the 60's and '70's. My focus again will be on buildings and signs that were familiar to many of us growing up and living in the area during those decades. Some locations no longer exist. As I look back at old yearbook photos with old pictures of buildings & signs in Fairfield-Suisun, my head spins with excitement to continue applying paint to canvas.
Downtown Fairfield
Downtown Fairfield
Original: $600
Watercolor on Yupo
18" X 24"
Limited Edition giclees are available in various sizes.
About Downtown Fairfield
Although downtown Fairfield looks very different today from what it looked like in the 1960's, the old Fairfield County Seat Sign still hangs arched over Texas Street just as it has for many, many decades. Along with the arch is the small red lantern hanging above the arch. According to local historians when the light of the lantern came on it was a signal for the Texas Street on-duty beat officer to go to the nearest pay phone to call the police station. Others have reported that when the light went on it was a signal for all volunteer firefighters and reserve police officers to report for duty.
The store fronts in downtown Farifield have changed and they now house different businesses. But Hyde's Department Store where I worked in high school, and Johnson's Bakery (home of the best burgers, mashed potatoes, and champagne cake) can be seen in this painting.
Watercolor on Yupo
18" X 24"
Limited Edition giclees are available in various sizes.
About Downtown Fairfield
Although downtown Fairfield looks very different today from what it looked like in the 1960's, the old Fairfield County Seat Sign still hangs arched over Texas Street just as it has for many, many decades. Along with the arch is the small red lantern hanging above the arch. According to local historians when the light of the lantern came on it was a signal for the Texas Street on-duty beat officer to go to the nearest pay phone to call the police station. Others have reported that when the light went on it was a signal for all volunteer firefighters and reserve police officers to report for duty.
The store fronts in downtown Farifield have changed and they now house different businesses. But Hyde's Department Store where I worked in high school, and Johnson's Bakery (home of the best burgers, mashed potatoes, and champagne cake) can be seen in this painting.
Jelly Belly Factory
Jelly Belly Factory
Original: $550
Acrylic on Canvas
18" X 24"
Limited Edition giclees are available in various sizes. Plus sets of stationery & postcards.
About Jelly Belly Factory
Although the wonderful Jelly Belly Factory didn't even exist in Fairfield during the 1960's one of my classmates at Armijo High School said it best, "I claim Jelly Belly was in it's strong conceptual stage when we were in 4th and 5th grades."
-Tim Lee, Armijo High School, Class of 1967.
I really appreciate that Tim provided the much needed legitimacy for this painting to be a part of the "Class of '67" series.
Acrylic on Canvas
18" X 24"
Limited Edition giclees are available in various sizes. Plus sets of stationery & postcards.
About Jelly Belly Factory
Although the wonderful Jelly Belly Factory didn't even exist in Fairfield during the 1960's one of my classmates at Armijo High School said it best, "I claim Jelly Belly was in it's strong conceptual stage when we were in 4th and 5th grades."
-Tim Lee, Armijo High School, Class of 1967.
I really appreciate that Tim provided the much needed legitimacy for this painting to be a part of the "Class of '67" series.
Joe's Buffet
Joe's Buffet
Original: $1,000
Acrylic on Canvas
18" X 24"
Limited Edition giclees are available in various sizes.
Joe's Buffet brings back many memories from high school and beyond. I'm so glad that the building looks almost identical to how it looked in the 1960's.
After posting this painting on Facebook recently, an old high school friend made the following comment that I think epitomizes how we all felt about Joe's Buffet.
“During high school in the sixties I went to lunch at Joe's Buffet every time I had a chance with my buddies who were ‘Foodies’ too. Best roast beef sandwich I think I’ve ever had.”
Acrylic on Canvas
18" X 24"
Limited Edition giclees are available in various sizes.
Joe's Buffet brings back many memories from high school and beyond. I'm so glad that the building looks almost identical to how it looked in the 1960's.
After posting this painting on Facebook recently, an old high school friend made the following comment that I think epitomizes how we all felt about Joe's Buffet.
“During high school in the sixties I went to lunch at Joe's Buffet every time I had a chance with my buddies who were ‘Foodies’ too. Best roast beef sandwich I think I’ve ever had.”
Sid's Drive-In
Sid's Drive In
Original: $600 - SOLD
Acrylic on Canvas
24" X 24"
Limited Edition giclees are available in various sizes.
Good old Sid’s Drive-In was located at the corner of North Texas and Travis Boulevard in Fairfield. Maude and Toadie Arrington owned this famous landmark - a very popular hangout for the teenage crowd on Friday and Saturday nights. Armijo grad, Nanciann Gregg, worked as a carhop at Sid’s and remembers waiting on 250 cars one night all by herself. “I loved working there. I had to know the makes of cars, so I could match peoples' orders with the make of the car. Blue ’55 Merc, Green ’53 Buick. Most weekend nights cars were 3-deep in the small curved parking lot. These were the days when Fats Domino played venues like the M& M Roller Rink in Suisun."
Acrylic on Canvas
24" X 24"
Limited Edition giclees are available in various sizes.
Good old Sid’s Drive-In was located at the corner of North Texas and Travis Boulevard in Fairfield. Maude and Toadie Arrington owned this famous landmark - a very popular hangout for the teenage crowd on Friday and Saturday nights. Armijo grad, Nanciann Gregg, worked as a carhop at Sid’s and remembers waiting on 250 cars one night all by herself. “I loved working there. I had to know the makes of cars, so I could match peoples' orders with the make of the car. Blue ’55 Merc, Green ’53 Buick. Most weekend nights cars were 3-deep in the small curved parking lot. These were the days when Fats Domino played venues like the M& M Roller Rink in Suisun."
Golden West Electric
Golden West Electric
Original: $600
Watercolor on Yupo
18" X 24"
I have many fond memories of Golden West Electric. My dad, Bob Covey Sr., opened Golden West Electric Company in Suisun in 1964. I remember working there many summers, both in high school and during college, trying to sell light fixtures and attempting to figure out couplings from conduit. But mostly the value added by my presence was in answering the phones and taking messages.
Actually it might have been during my days at Golden West Electric that my dear dad told me that I'd do the secretarial profession a great boon by not entering it. I took note and decided my destiny was to become an art teacher instead.
Watercolor on Yupo
18" X 24"
I have many fond memories of Golden West Electric. My dad, Bob Covey Sr., opened Golden West Electric Company in Suisun in 1964. I remember working there many summers, both in high school and during college, trying to sell light fixtures and attempting to figure out couplings from conduit. But mostly the value added by my presence was in answering the phones and taking messages.
Actually it might have been during my days at Golden West Electric that my dear dad told me that I'd do the secretarial profession a great boon by not entering it. I took note and decided my destiny was to become an art teacher instead.
Solano Drive-In
Solano Drive-In
Original: $500
Watercolor on Yupo
11" X 18"
What can I say about the Solano Drive-In without spilling lots of secrets. Of course any story I might tell would only be trumped by the millions of other "drive-in" tales all my classmates would have whether it be about hiding kids in trunks of cars on Buck Night or fogging up windows during the previews. Once inside the entrance of the Solano Drive-In you could see the playground with a slide, a merry-go-round, and a set of swings. And in the snack-shack refreshment building there were little signs in the shapes of stars hanging over the counter advertising candy, hot dogs, hot chocolate, and beef tamales all for sale. Today the good old Solano Drive-In is long gone. The gigantic movie screen was blown over and destroyed on Dec. 14, 1988 by a windstorm with gusts of wind clocked at 67 mph. Today the location of the Drive-In now hosts a Raley's Supermarket and other shops.
Watercolor on Yupo
11" X 18"
What can I say about the Solano Drive-In without spilling lots of secrets. Of course any story I might tell would only be trumped by the millions of other "drive-in" tales all my classmates would have whether it be about hiding kids in trunks of cars on Buck Night or fogging up windows during the previews. Once inside the entrance of the Solano Drive-In you could see the playground with a slide, a merry-go-round, and a set of swings. And in the snack-shack refreshment building there were little signs in the shapes of stars hanging over the counter advertising candy, hot dogs, hot chocolate, and beef tamales all for sale. Today the good old Solano Drive-In is long gone. The gigantic movie screen was blown over and destroyed on Dec. 14, 1988 by a windstorm with gusts of wind clocked at 67 mph. Today the location of the Drive-In now hosts a Raley's Supermarket and other shops.
Foster's Freeze
Original: $1,000
Acrylic on Canvas
18" X 24"
Ahhh, Foster's Freeze. Cruising Texas Street - up and down, up and down, then driving through Foster's just to check out who was there. And you could always count on lots of teenagers hanging out at Foster's whether it was a Saturday night or a Monday night. Foster's was the place to be and to be seen! Of course gas prices were 33 cents a gallon in 1967 and (at least in the Covey house) all homework was expected to be completed and grades maintained prior to even begging if it was okay to go to Foster's Freeze to get a much needed coke. Today our beloved Foster’s is now Yo Sushi Restaurant. And although I am a huge sushi fan, I sure miss seeing good old Foster’s Freeze and all the kids who used to hang out there.
Acrylic on Canvas
18" X 24"
Ahhh, Foster's Freeze. Cruising Texas Street - up and down, up and down, then driving through Foster's just to check out who was there. And you could always count on lots of teenagers hanging out at Foster's whether it was a Saturday night or a Monday night. Foster's was the place to be and to be seen! Of course gas prices were 33 cents a gallon in 1967 and (at least in the Covey house) all homework was expected to be completed and grades maintained prior to even begging if it was okay to go to Foster's Freeze to get a much needed coke. Today our beloved Foster’s is now Yo Sushi Restaurant. And although I am a huge sushi fan, I sure miss seeing good old Foster’s Freeze and all the kids who used to hang out there.
