Maneuvers in Minden-1941

I was six years old when the troops of the Louisiana War Games, or maneuvers, came through Minden. A convoy more than 50 miles long went through Minden on Highway 80, passing through downtown.

I was watching the soldiers throw addresses to girls along the parade route and I couldn’t imagine why they didn’t throw me one.

I will never forget that day and how proud everyone was of our soldiers and how patriotic all Americans were. I AM SO PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!

+ + + + + +

This 9 x 12 inch oil painting will be sold at silent auction on September 12, 2011, with all proceeds going to the Dorcheat Historical Museum.*

*Top bid was $8000 by Ann Harlan!

L to R Christie Ruple, Dave McKee, Cora Lou Robinson, Melissa Brown

BPCC crew travelled to Memphis to film hospital in action for their documentary

Giclee was presented to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital by Cora Lou Robinson and the co-chairs of the Minden St Jude Auction during their special tour of the hospital in Memphis

LOUISIANA STATE SPECIAL OLYMPICS

 

This painting was commissioned by Sonny Taylor to be given to the State Director of the Louisiana Special Olympics Commission and depicts many of the events in which the kids competed.

BIRTHDAY PARTY-OLD COMMUNITY HOUSE-1940s

It was wonderful to be a child in the 1940s, especially in Minden. Even though a world war was going on, we felt safe here. Nothing today can compare to the life we had. We created our own entertainment and though we had no TVs, Wiis, or I-pods, no one could ever have had a better time than we did.

There were many birthday parties at the old Community House and I created this painting to bring back those memories. The painting depicts my old and dear friends and many things we did for fun.

We had a wonderful life here and I wish all children could experience what we had. Childhood was almost like a fairy tale and I will never forget mine.

....................................................................

This 8" x 10"oil painting is to be sold at silent auction on September 13, 2010, with the proceeds to be donated to the Dorcheat Historical Museum.*

* Top bid was $6000 by Margaret Evans!

**Notecards now available--(8 notecards w/envelopes $10.00)

New Book With My Art on Back Cover

Cora Lou Robinson art on the back of this book is the wedding of Treeby Miller and Harry Andress.

This book could be called Minden, Louisiana:1838-1938, but it's not really a history. When I Was a Little Girl and After, Too is the memoirs of a Southern lady who lived her life in the middle of her family's history. Treeby Miller Andress--a Minden High School and Newcomb College graduate, teacher, wife and mother of three--provides a humorous account of her own early days in Minden and a somewhat more serious account of her ancestors' lives. They were prominent business, civic and church leaders for the entire hundred years covered. This book was compiled by son, Thad Andress as a loving memorial to his grandmother and mother.

G V WISE GROCERY & MARKET-circa 1940s*

Gilbert Wise started Wise's Grocery with $60 back in the early thirties. Gilbert and his wife, Alice, owned and operated this wonderful country-style store for over fifty years. Alice's sister, Grace Gruner, worked there also.

This kind of store is unheard of today. They raised their vegetables and Gilbert butchered the meat. They delivered groceries every morning, and if you needed help thinking of something to cook, Alice and Grace would make suggestions and send what you needed. If you asked for shelled peas and they didn't have any, they'd shell some for you. They even delivered one postage stamp, nothing else, to a shut-in man on the Sibley Road.

Those were wonderful times with wonderful people--- I MISS THEM!!


*this painting is available as a giclee at Easley Fine Art (318-377-1500)

**Notecards now available--(8 notecards w/envelopes $10.00)

Pete Treat (holding the original painting) started the auction in 1976.

A Story of Hope "Minden St. Jude Auction"

being interviewed by Laura Hollingsworth
during the Minden auction

********************************

Written by Bonnie Culverhouse of Minden Press Herald
Wednesday, 03 February 2010
Painting sure to be popular item at the annual St. Jude Auction

Cora Lou Robinson’s paintings always tell a story.

Eighteen years ago, she painted the story of the life of Denise Whaley, a young lady who died from Leukemia. It included her twin sister, Lori, and many of their friends. That painting brought in almost $5,000 for the children of St. Jude.

“It was so popular, prints were given to everyone who purchased a raffle ticket,” said St. Jude Auction Co-Chairperson Melissa Brown.

The winner, Jessica Beech, presented the original painting to Denise Whaley’s parents, Toby and Susan.

It’s taken Brown quite a while to convince Robinson that it was time for a new work of art to be raffled off at the auction. “I’ve begged her for 18 years,” Brown said. Now that she’s retired, Robinson said she has “a little” more time. “I just decided this year, I would do it,” she said.

Robinson has worked non-stop since Christmas on the folk-art-style painting, putting in between 300 and 400 hours on it. “There are so many stories connected with St. Jude and this painting,” Robinson said of the new work. “I’ve tried to incorporate people and stories from 1976, when the auction first started to today.” She even has a scene of Beech presenting the first painting to Susan Whaley. Robinson said she became passionate about St. Jude after Denise Whaley died. “She was one of my students in kindergarten and first grade,” Robinson said. “I did that painting and from then on I have worked at St. Jude every year.”

The auction stage is the center of Robinson’s painting with blocks of different sponsors surrounding it. A group of children represents students from E.S. Richardson School where Robinson taught and has helped with fund-raisers over the years. Another group represents the students from Bossier Parish Communitiy College who give of their time to help the auction stay on the air.

Robinson has also chosen quite a few individuals to spotlight, including Pete Treat, who first started the auction in 1976.

There is a group of children honoring those who are success stories and those who deserve to have their memories honored.

Robinson enjoys folk art because, as she said, “It doesn’t have to be perfect.” But it always tells a story. “It (the painting) tells a wonderful story,” she said. “From the beginning of St. Jude until today. It’s all about what the auction does for children, and that’s why I put a lot of children in the painting. They grow up and become the grown-ups who are in this painting.”

“Nobody can understand how hard these people work,” she continued. “I’m doing this painting in honor of these workers.”


This year’s Minden St. Jude Auction and all of those that came before it were commemorated by Cora Lou Robinson in a painting called “Minden St. Jude Auction,” which was raffled off to raise funds during the auction.

Minden St. Jude Auction Co-chairman Melissa Brown said prints of Robinson’s painting are now available at Easley’s Fine Art on Main Street and giclees` may be ordered.

Prints are being sold for $20, while the computer reproduced giclees` sell for $250.

“All proceeds still go to St. Jude, so they are tax deductible,” Brown said.*

*To date over $10,000 has been raised.


http://www.mindenstjude.com/

Cookbooks And Art Go Together

My art has graced the covers of four cookbooks. These cookbooks have helped projects and organizations that I care about personaly. I am thrilled when my art can help someone else with a worthy cause.

The Bomb

Image Size 16 x 20
Price $30.00
Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling















The year was 1968. The game, La. Tech Vs Northwestern at the State Fair. The score was 39-35-NSC. Fans were filing out of the stadium. Then it happened! As 25 seconds remained on the scoreboard, Terry Bradshaw dropped back from his 18 yard line, fired a pass to Ken Liberto on the Northwestern 40 yard line. Liberto, who caught the pass on the run, streaked into the end zone for the TD. To the delight and amazement of Tech fans, Tech won the game 42-39.

However, this painting is more than just a ballgame. It is a tribute to a classic. For many years in the life of a Tech or Northwestern student "State Fair Weekend" was the high-light of the year. But, sadly, it has gone the way of so many other good things and is no more. I hope this brings back as many fond memories to you as it did to me as I painted it.

Cora Lou Robinson

Old Methodist Church

Image Size 8 x 10

Price $15.00

Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling

Easter Egg Hunt

Image Size 8 x 10

Price $15.00

Plus $5.00 Shipping and handling

The Country School

Image Size 8 x 10
Price $15.00
Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling

The Pumpkin Patch

Image Size 11 x 14
Price $25.00
Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling















Note Cards Available
8 cards w/envelopes (4.25"x5.5")
Boxed $10.00

Roll Tide Roll (Minden High 1950s)

Image Size 16 x 20
Price $30.00
Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling














Note Cards Available
8 Cards w/envelopes (4.25"x5.5")
Boxed $10.00

Noah's Ark

Image Size 17 1/2 x 20 1/2
Black Border Is Part Of The Print
Price $30.00
Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling


















Note Cards Available
8 Cards w/envelopes (4.25"x5.5")
Boxed $10.00

A Visit To Grandmother's House

Image Size 10 x 12
Price $20.00
Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling

















Note Cards Available
8 Cards w/envelopes (4.25x5.5")
Boxed $10.00

Daisy Chain

Image Size 8 x 10
Price $15.00
Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling















Note Cards Available
8 Cards w/envelopes (4.25"x5.5")
Boxed $10.00

The Halloween Run

Image Size 16 x 20
Price $50.00
Plus $5.00 Shipping and Handling
Print is signed and numbered

LSU- Ole Miss. Halloween night. Need any more
be said? No Tiger fan worth his etouffee can harbor any other image than Billy Cannon's heroic 89-yard punt return to win the Ole Miss-LSU game 7-3 on Halloween night in 1959.

Cannon's run has become the single-most recognized feat in LSU's football history. Even
49 years later most fans can give you a detailed
version of the play. Some descriptions are even the same.















Note Cards Available
8 cards w/envelopes (5"x7")
Boxed $12.00

Hunter's Playhouse

To View Pictures Full Size Click On Each One

Teen Years

Her teenage years were wonderful in part due to the generosity of the Hunter family. The Hunter family has owned the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Minden since 1901. Back in the 1940s the Hunters became the recreation hub for all of Minden and the surrounding area. Everyone swam in their pool, played in their playground, danced in their playhouse, and watched countless ballgames in their park. No other town has ever seen the likes of the Hunter family in Cora Lou’s eyes. The 1940s, 50s and early 60s were a special time in Minden, Louisiana because of the generosity of Gladys and Larry Hunter. Cora Lou’s love of the special times and memories of the 1950s and Hunter’s Playhouse is depicted in one of her first paintings of a dance at the Playhouse.





The following is taken from the “Memories of Hunter’s” book

Memories are precious, yet hard to express
A golden moment, suspended in a capsule waiting to come again---but never will
A safe haven in the storm of today
A part of time so dear and so wondrous--one would have to have lived it to fully understand it
A slice of life we wanted our children to experience--but they did not
A time almost pure if compared to today’s lifestyles
Something we can almost hold in our hands, yet not grasp
A man and a woman so totally dedicated to young people that they made them their life
Our own youth and innocence ---only a yesterday away
------Cora Lou Robinson
This project to benefit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum is sponsored by Ben and Linda Hunter, Cora Lou Robinson, Easley’s Fine Arts, Dr. and Mrs. Edward Brown, Gibsland Bank and Trust, Ann Mays Harlan, Steve G. Kirkikis, M.D., Earlene Mendenhall Lyle, Richard Campbell D.D.S. (Dr. Feelgood), A. Loye & Peggy W. Jones
The Dorcheat Museum will be offering a limited edition print of an original painting by folk artist Cora Lou Brown Robinson. This print will be an 11 x 14 for $25 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling. We will also offer a 20 x 24 canvas reproduction for $175. Don’t miss your opportunity to have a piece of 1950’s memories of Minden in your home. www.museuminminden.blogspot.com













Night for the Museum
“Memories of Hunter’s”

Don’t miss the next Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum Event on Monday, September 8th, 2008. Christopher’s, located at 615 Main Street in Minden, La. will be the place to have those poodle skirts on and your duck tails slicked back. That’s right, we are going back more than 50 years in time to when rock-n-roll was here to stay and chrome was blinding on your new ‘57 Chevy.
For those who grew up in the 1940s, 50s and early 60s in Minden when you said the words “I’m going to Hunter’s”, everyone knew what you meant. It meant you were going to go swimming, play ball or just hang out with friends at the Playhouse. It was a simple time, it was the best of times, it was the good ole’ days!
Artist Cora Lou Robinson described her teenage years as wonderful in part due to the generosity of the Hunter family. The Hunter family has owned the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Minden since 1901. Back in the 1940s the Hunters became the recreation hub for all of Minden and the surrounding area. Everyone swam in their pool, played in their playground, danced in their playhouse, and watched countless ballgames in their park. No other town has ever seen the likes of the Hunter family in Cora Lou’s eyes. The 1940s, 50s and early 60s were a special time in Minden, Louisiana because of the generosity of Gladys and Larry Hunter. Cora Lou’s love of the special times and memories of the 1950s and Hunter’s Playhouse is depicted in one of her first paintings of a dance at the Playhouse. This painting has recently been recreated in prints and Giclee’ canvas reproductions as a fundraiser for the all new museum located on Pearl Street in Minden.
This trip down memory lane will feature stories from several longtime citizens of the area, songs and dances from this special time in so many privileged people’s lives. This night will be recorded and everyone will be given the opportunity to tell their Hunter’s memory. Museum director; Schelley Brown stated, “Larry and Gladys Hunter devoted their lives to the children of this area and that love for them still shines in so many that it is only fitting that we have this special night of memories. We will not focus so much about what they did because everyone knows they were the reason for it all. This night is more of a tribute to their work by hearing how it changed lives. We will hear stories about what it was like to grow up and be able to enjoy what was offered to Minden’s youngsters.”
For more information on this special evening please contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or iluvoldcars@yahoo.com . Don’t forget to visit our museum blog at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ . If you would like to be placed on our mailing list please give us a call. You don’t want to miss what is happening with the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum. Let’s make history in 2008!