WINSLOW: Standin’ on the Corner Park

Photo of John and Ron taken in 1999 during the dedication ceremony in Winslow

Popularized by the famous song, Take It Easy, one of the most famous street corners along Route 66 created was written by Jackson Browne.  Today, Winslow, Arizona, contains a small park on a corner of Route 66 featuring both a mural and bronze statue.  Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with both of the artists who have made the Winslow corner one of the most popular stops along Route 66.

JOHN PUGH

Early Trompe-l’oeil mural at Chico State

• Early interest in art
• The art of Trompe-l’oeil (Trick the eye)
• Chico State Mural: Breaking through the
• Does an opitcal illusion always work
• Earliest memory of Route 66
• The Winslow mural contest
• Basis of mural design competition
• 2004 fire
• Importance of research prior to planning a mural
• Life expectancy of murals
• What happens when a mural just ins’t working?
• Murals that have really played trick on people
• Hermosa Beach mural honoring The Biltmore Hotel Era
• Bucket list items
• Standin on the Corner hints

Website: Art of John Pugh

RON ADAMSON

• Earliest interest in art
• Working at Montana lumber mills
• Making a living as an artist
• The Charlie Russell Art show entry sells for $1K
• Creating art Quick Draw
• First Bronze work: Indian bust
• Winslow calls for a statue
• Parameters for Winslow statue
• The final decision to award Ron the project
• A last minute adjustment to the prototype in front of the committee
• Earlier photograph of grandfather holding a guitar along Route 66 some 60 years earlier
• Does the statue represent anyone in particular?
• Constructing a homemade foundry to create the statue
• Last ditch efforts getting the statue to fit the foundation in Winslow
• Last minute setup in Winslow the day of the dedication ceremony
• Being an unknown artist with a really famous statue along Route 66
• The day Don Henley showed up in Winslow
• Other work by Don Adamson
• Chain saw carving
• Earliest memories of Route 66

Ron in his workshop working on the Easy statue

Rare photograph of Ron’s grandfather along Route 66 holding a guitar (circa 1940’s)

Website: Ron Adamson

YouTube: Home Footage of statue being created

Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters!

• MidPoint Cafe, Adrian, TX – Featuring both their Ugly Crust Pie and one of the most popular photo ops along Route 66, located exactly halfway between Chicago and Santa Monica in Adrian, Texas.
• Gilligan’s Route 66 Tours featuring tours of Route 66 in Ford Mustang convertibles, stays at historic Route 66 motels, and daily breakfast.

• Jon B – Rhode Island
• Mary Beth Busutil – Florida
• Jim Crabtree – California
• Mike Fort 
• Route 66 author and photographer – Shellee Graham and also my guest on Episode # 10 where she talks about her book, Tales from the Coral Court Motel.
• Kristin Haakenson – Washington 
• Rich Havlik – Minnesota
• Mary Nicholson – Pennsylvania
• Brian Sawyer – Indiana

United Kingdom

• Charli Beeton

The Netherlands

• Jim Rensen

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon.  This episodes Patreon supporters will have access to an additional 20 minutes of conversation with both John and Ron.