About Lisa's Road Trip
I love to drive. Really. So much that over the past two years while searching for my perfect car, I've owned four. Two Buicks, a MINI Cooper and now Lola, my 2013 Lincoln MKZ (with only 18k on it!). All the images on this page were created from photographs taken on my off the beaten path road trips in search of motel and restaurant signs that remind you of a forgotten time, before the interstates and freeways that currently whisk us off to reach our destinations. Images are currently for sale - just click the title to purchase!
CarTune
I love to drive. So much so that I have owned 4 different vehicles over the past 2 years until I found my luxo-cruiser.. Lola my Lincoln MKZ.
So Lola and I were out taking the back roads (as I love to) and look what we found! This wonderful Buick posed in the driveway of an old Mobile station.
artwork by Lisa Drew
Goodbye Neva Jean
Recently I was driving through Wisconsin on my way to drop off a piece of artwork for a juried show in Marshfield.Winding through town, I stumbled upon this fantastic sign and had to photograph it. This image became the start of the collection in this show. Sadly, the neon no longer lights up the night, but how wonderful that the owners kept this glimmer of motel travel on the roadside.
artwork by Lisa Drew
A Holey Place
I have to admit, we batted around a few names for this motel sign. Brosnan was one that came to mind immediately, but then I started thinking more about the word Pierce and not the name.
So, Stab Stab Stab stuck out (lol), but maybe that was pushing the needle. What do you get when you pierce something? Well...
artwork by Lisa Drew
Pinned Down
I was a member of an early music ensemble that traveled extensively throughout the US and Europe, and even dipped our toes in South America.
During one of our tours we ended up spending the evening after rehearsal at this bowling alley in Whitewater Wisconsin. Sadly, it's now permanently closed.
artwork by Lisa Drew
Grammar Police
A man walks into a bar...
Bartender: "What can I get you?"
Man: "I'll have an Apostrophe!"
Bartender: "Shaken or Stirred?"
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That missing apostrophe in the sign is statement, a way to show that you get it. Georges was a place for everyone, not just George. An yes, there actually is a cocktail named "The Missing Apostrophe".
artwork by Lisa Drew
Sign of the Times
You can't take a road trip in the State of Minnesota without embarking on Route 61 at some point. Before there were freeways, gentle highways would take travelers to their destinations. Quaint motels and restaurants would pop out along the way calling out for travelers to take a rest and have a meal.
I found this wonderful sign still intact and glowing along highway 61 near Sturgeon Lake in Minnesota.
artwork by Lisa Drew
Is the bun toasted?
Makes you think, doesn't it? That giant hot dog on a roof appears to be fully loaded, but... Is the bun toasted?
Hot Dogs scream Americana and the flag in this photo just confirms that. Creating a pop art version of this photo only made it that much more so. After all, what's a road trip without a snack?
artwork by Lisa Drew
A Frosty Mug
You're driving down the road, maybe the top down on the convertible, or the station wagon is packed with kids with screams of "Are we there yet?"
It's a hot dry summer day with a breeze blowing through the windows. There! There it is! The big frosty mug popping out of the landscape begging you to stop and clear the dust from your throat.
Hmmm... maybe I'll get a scoop of vanilla with that...
artwork by Lisa Drew
If you ever plan to motor west..
...travel my way, take the highway that's the best, get your kicks on Route 66!
I'm a big fan of vocal jazz. Artists like The Manhattan Transfer have played a large part of my musical life. I was even in a vocal jazz quartet that performed on Reading Rainbow and at Disneyland. So when I came across this scene on the side of a rural highway, it just begged for a photograph. The result is the artwork seen here.
artwork by Lisa Drew
Now Playing in Major or Miner
Yep, it’s another nod to my musical life with a variation on a theme... is it major or minor?
I discovered this wonderful movie theater on a corner in the downtown area of Ladysmith, Wisconsin while tooling around the back roads on a summer road trip. Photographed and then played around with on my computer, I created this great piece perfect for your office, kitchen or TV room.
artwork by Lisa Drew