Pearl Street

Years ago, I saw this abandoned house while walking down Barton Springs Road. The title “Pearl Street” derives from the name of another road in Austin but was a better representation of how I felt. After all, every time I walked that street, this unique structure always caught my eye like a pearl in the sand. When I pondered this place, I imagined it’s potential to be restored, to become beautifully repaired. This raised questions about the concept of beauty; what makes a place beautiful? I imagine that if this house was cleaned up, the graffiti removed, the natural weathering smoothed over, and the plant growth which emerges from its cracks weeded out, it wouldn’t catch my eye at all. Personally, I’ve considered this in terms of life when questioning if past mistakes and scars leave one to be titled “damaged”. I’ve realized what’s far more valuable is that which lies behind the walls. My aim for painting this deteriorated home was to focus on the details seen through the window and to leave the marks and weathering where they are.