Broken

 I have three grandsons and one granddaughter.  With one of the grandsons, I explored one of his favorite places, the ruins of an old mill at Roswell, GA.  I took several pictures of the shattered and broken gears of the water turbine.  One of the photos became the model for this painting, titled "Broken."  Certainly, the name reflects the state of the machinery.  But, it also speaks of the physical state of the mill as well as its history.

 In the late 1830s, a factory powered by a waterwheel was built to spin cotton.  In time, the mill was expanded to enable it to make cloth.  During the Civil War, the mill produced a fabric known as Roswell Gray which was part of the material used by the Confederate States of America for its military uniforms.  In 1864, the factory was captured by the Northern forces under General Sherman.  He ordered the mill destroyed and relocated the employees of the factory, primarily women and children.  As part of the relocation, some were sent to Kentucky and other points north of the Ohio River.

 Following the war, the mill was rebuilt with a water turbine replacing the waterwheel.  In time, the factory was again updated to being powered by electricity, and it continued to make cloth until the mid-1970s.  Today, one part of the mill continues to flourish.  "The Bricks" were part of the housing furnished to the mill workers.  Now, the same structure has been renovated into some of the most beautiful, if not the most historical, housing in the area.

 The original painting of "Broken" is a pastel and is copyrighted by the artist, Gerry Grimes.  With his approval and oversight, this giclee reproduction was made of the original.  No copies, prints or reproductions of the original or of a giclee approved by the artist, without his explicit consent.  The original is available for sale. 

A few giclee prints are available.