Saturday, August 10, 2013

Nanny's House

 This sketch is a special one to me.  I have wanted to do this for some time but would feel a bit squeamish attempting it until now.

This huge house was split into three separate dwellings.  The owner of the house lived on the first level and rented out the middle and attic portions.  To access the apartments, one would go in through the left side going up a long staircase to the middle apartment with a outer hall way that wrapped around leading to yet another long staircase to the attic apartment.

The middle apartment consisted of five rooms plus huge bathroom.  Very easily used as a three bedroom apartment.  All rooms were huge.  The kitchen was a large eat in kitchen and the large bathroom had an old tub with the fancy legs and no shower. 

The attic apartment was also very large consisting of four rooms plus bath with shower.  The kitchen was a gallery type kitchen opening wider into the dining area.  Off the dining room was the large bathroom.  The other two rooms consisted of a large bedroom and huge living room.  One of the things I love about old houses are the sizes of the rooms.

My grandmother (Nanny) on my mother's side rented the middle apartment in 1963.  She had the place fixed up as a two bedroom apartment, a sitting room, and living room looking out towards the front of the house.  She was married three times (each spouse passing on) during this 28 years.  When her and Melvin (4th husband) married, they decided to rent the attic apartment as well to keep tenants from living over top.  Melvin also built a screened in porch at the entrance leading up to the two apartments.  I always enjoyed visiting my grandmother and loved staying up in the attic apartment.

Each time I pass through Mannington, this place calls out to me.  It will always be a special place to me!

Worked in the No Name sketchbook using the Uniball UM 151 Brown Black gel pen.  Talk about slow work shading the dark areas with the 0.28 pen but I enjoyed every minute of it.  Also used a white gel pen in areas.

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