State of Limbo

"Acre's of Books(backside)"

watercolor, 2009

6" x 9" (15.24 cm x 22.86cm)

private collection

A watercolor of downtown Long Beach. Acre's of Books, which had been there for as long as I can remember, is one of only 2 or 3 buildings remaining on a city block being cleared for urban renewal. The store itself, one that I would so joyously get lost in, sold used books but is now closed. Even the interior was old and dusty like a vintage library, not some modern super store. It currently sits solitary on it's foundation-fragmented city block in a state of limbo. Will it stay and be built around because of it's Art Deco heritage or lie there tormented until it's final demise?

My depiction of it shows it's older counterpart still standing across the street, at least for now. A solid red brick building, it towers over both the book store and the modern structure visually sandwiched between the two, perhaps acting as a wedge pushing out the old. By clipping off the right side of Acres of Books, thus having it partially leaving the composition, I'm raising the question, Is it on the way out or will it survive?9

Click on image for larger view

*Update - I recently ran across an old article from 2010 on the demise of the old Acres of Books art deco building.
As reported in the article it looks like it will survive and in fact be turned into an art center. How perfect!
Maybe my 2009 watercolor had some kind of 'sorcery' effect on their decision... I would like to think so!
Link here; http://blog.seattlepi.com/bookpatrol/2010/03/03/art-center-to-fill-acres-of-books-site/