Used to be said, “Here today, gone tomorrow.” Now it’s, “Here today, gone today.” – Edwin Lockridge
On Thursday, May 9, Edwin Lockridge (Tony) and I met Peggy Snow at the Monell’s Restaurant. Maybe I should say what used to be Monell’s Restaurant next to the Airport. We were taking pictures of the historic restaurant as a keepsake memory of a place we ate at many times. The memories were overwhelming of how we were treated like family each time we ate there.
Peggy Snow showed up in an older vehicle that reflected a piece of her personality or persona. A woman who believes everything has a purpose. She was there to paint a second oil painting of Monell’s. Recently I spoke with her on the phone to ask if she could tell me a little about herself. “I believe all across the country people were sad to lose the old places” Peggy had spoke to people in her travels across the country.
Ms. Snow describes herself as an artist who does impressionism — open air painting. A public artist who likes to engage with people, and is sympathetic towards the homeless people who she has painted nearby while doing street art. A portion of her time was spent in Germany, Montana and Connecticut. When asked that someone was to describe something significant about you what would like people to know? “I like to paint out in the country where I can be close to nature.” She feels in harmony with two of her paintings are in the Tennessee Art Museum here in Nashville. The paintings are in their collection, but not necessarily on exhibit. When she recently showed up to what was Monell’s, the first thing she noticed was the huge tree that was on the property was shoved over to the ground. It was a huge number of birds that flew around it, not leaving, as if to pay tribute to a friend who gave them refuge and shelter in the history of it loving devotion. When we neglect what is around us, we forget the loving purpose it serves. We must remember this purpose rather than replace it with a piece of land for the airport that no one could care less about. (Watch for a follow-up Part 2.)