I have lived in Madison for 20+ years. A lot of things have changed in that time. A lot of businesses have come and gone.

People have moved in…People have moved out…People have passed on…

Through all of the changes that have taken place, there is one part of Madison that has stayed pretty constant (probably due in large part to the efforts of the Morgan County Historical Society) is the look & feel of the city streets in downtown. Riding down Main Street in Madison, GA hasn’t changed very much at all in my 27 years, and from what i’ve gathered it hasn’t changed much at all for a very long time. I think that Chris was able to capture the essence of this block of Main St. very well in this painting. It is a good representation of a Southern artist capturing a glimpse of a place near and dear to his heart.

One of my childhood memories of Madison was sitting in the barber’s chair at the Bulldog Barber Shop on Main Street. I can still remember seeing the bulldog statue, smelling the oiled clippers and freshly cut hair, and hearing the snips of scissors trimming away as I sat in the large leather chair, robed in a smock with a paper turtle-neck to keep the hairs out of my collar. My absolute favorite memory of that barber shop on main street, was knowing that after i’d been still and quiet long enough to get my haircut, the barber would open his desk drawer and hand me a penny so that I could take it over to the gum ball machine and get my prize.

It’s funny to me how much has changed all around the world in my 27 years on the 3rd rock from the sun. What cherish and treasure, however, is the regularity, and consistent beauty that surrounds downtown Madison. The memories that are maintained through the preservation of the homes and buildings of Madison may never be fully understood or appreciated by anyone other than a Madisonian, and I for one am glad and proud to be a part of the glorious stories that are held within.

Jed Hanes

For more information on the artist, Chris Cook, click HERE.