A Place Called Hope

What two famous men were born in Hope, Arkansas? Former President Bill Clinton, and former Governor Mike Huckabee of the "Huckabee" Show on the Fox News Channel, came from this famous little small town.To learn more about the print of Hope, AR, check out this link.

The artistic team of Tommy Thompson and his two daughters, Michelle and Melanie, has produced composite drawings of more than 300 towns across 12 Southern states. These drawings can be viewed on the web site, Village Prints. The drawing of Hope was done by Thompson's daughter, Michelle Rideout, who is the one of the South’s most prolific artists in capturing small town Americana.

Struck by the pride of older Americans in the heritage of their towns, Thompson transformed glimpses of the past found in old, faded photographs and memories into composite drawings, which were then printed as limited editions. Collectors of Thompson's prints sometimes find it difficult to locate someone who is willing to part with their prints once all the prints of a particular town have been sold.

Many people have asked Thompson how his unique art business originated. In 1984 Thompson was traveling through a small town called Iron City, Tennessee, and happened to stop by one of the stores for a soft drink and was amazed at the town pride that he heard in the voices of the old men sitting around a pot-bellied stove in the store. After listening some more, he learned that a community group needed a fundraiser to help refurbish a park along a creek that ran through the town. The people in the general store, through their descriptions and recollections, helped the artist capture in a pencil drawing the essence of the buildings that had long ago been torn down. The project was quite successful, selling all prints in a month or so, to benefit the small town. From that spark, the artistic team preserved the memories of bygone days for more than 300 towns in twelve states across the South. 

Town of Iron City, TN, No Longer Exists

According to the July 27, 2010, issue of the Times Daily of Florence, AL, the town of Iron City, TN, no longer exists. According to the Times Daily, the town will become an unincorporated community within the county of Lawrence County, TN.This town was the first town featured in a print produced by Tommy Thompson when he began a unique business called Village Prints. The artist became interested in the small town when he became involved in a conversation with a group of older gentlemen about a grand old hotel that used to stand in town. "I heard so much pride in their voices," he said. Thompson produced the drawing primarily from old faded photographs and the memories of older people in the town. He drew the hotel primarily based on descriptions that the townspeople gave him. The prints that he produced from the drawing were sold to purchase picnic tables along a creek that ran through the town. Thompson has only 16 prints of Iron City, TN, remaining in his stock. Interested parties can order them at this link: http://www.villageprints.com/tnironcity.html.

Fayette, AL Art Print

Artist Tommy Thompson created this beautiful hand-pulled silk-screened print of Fayette, Al. We have a few artist proofs of the print remaining if you would like to purchase one for a Christmas gift or other occasion. Please click on this link: http://www.villageprints.com/alfayette.html.

Haleyville, AL Art Print

Artist Tommy Thompson created this beautiful hand-pulled silk-screened print of Haleyville, AL. We have a few artist proofs remaining if you would like to purchase one for a Christmas present or other occasion. Log onto http://www.villageprints.com/alhaleyville.html

Hartselle, AL Hand-Pulled Silk Screen Print

Tommy Thompson created this beautiful hand-pulled, silk-screened print of Hartselle, AL. We have a few artist proofs of the print remaining. To purchase a print for a Christmas gift or other occasion, please check this out: http://www.villageprints.com/alhartselle.html

Jasper, AL Art Print

Tommy Thompson created this beautiful hand-pulled silk-screened print of Jasper, AL, the hometown of George Lindsey, "Goober," on the legendary Andy Griffith Show. If you would like to purchase one of these prints for a Christmas gift or other occasion, check out: http://www.villageprints.com/aljasper.html.

Cullman, AL, Art Print

Tommy Thompson created this beautiful hand-pulled silk-screened print of Cullman, AL. We have a few artist proofs of the print remaining. If you would like to purchase one as a Christmas gift or other occasion, please check out http://www.villageprints.com/alcullman.html.

Ennis, TX

Are you longing for a memento of your birthplace, Ennis, TX? Are you searching for that unique Christmas gift for a loved one who has a special place in their heart for Corsicana, TX? Do you belong to a club or organization that is looking for an unusual fund-raising idea? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to check out Village Prints.

Greenville, TX

Are you longing for a memento of your birthplace, Greenville, TX? Are you searching for that unique Christmas gift for a loved one who has a special place in their heart for Corsicana, TX? Do you belong to a club or organization that is looking for an unusual fund-raising idea? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to check out Village Prints.

Memories of Marshall, TX

Are you longing for a memento of your birthplace, Marshall, TX? Are you searching for that unique Christmas gift for a loved one who has a special place in their heart for Corsicana, TX? Do you belong to a club or organization that is looking for an unusual fund-raising idea? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to check out Village Prints.

Memento of Jacksonville, TX

Are you longing for a memento of your birthplace, Jacksonville, TX? Are you searching for that unique Christmas gift for a loved one who has a special place in their heart for Corsicana, TX? Do you belong to a club or organization that is looking for an unusual fund-raising idea? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to check out Village Prints.

Home to Corsicana, TX

Are you longing for a memento of your birthplace, Corsicana, TX? Are you searching for that unique Christmas gift for a loved one who has a special place in their heart for Corsicana, TX? Do you belong to a club or organization that is looking for an unusual fund-raising idea? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to check out Village Prints.

Homesick for the South

Are you a transplanted Southerner? Are you homesick for your Southern roots? The hometown drawings of 12 Southern states available through Village Prints offer transplanted Southerners the chance to soothe their homesickness by having composite prints of their hometowns hanging on their walls. We received a call recently from a lady originally from Tennessee, who is now living in Florida. She told us how homesick she was for the South, and memorabilia like our prints of Southern towns would be so welcome in her home. Although she already owns our print of her hometown of Columbia, TN, she immediately ordered prints of three other towns around Columbia, TN.

Last October we met M. L. Rose, the author of The Road to Eden's Ridge, at the Factory in Franklin, TN. Ms. Rose is an exuberant writer and interesting conversationalist. When she learned about the 350+ pencil drawings that the artists of Village Prints have done, she became very enthusiastic about the prospect of promoting these prints because during today's economic downturn so many Americans are now wanting to return to basics--to return to their roots. Be sure to check out the website at http://www.villageprints.com to see if we have drawn your hometown. You will find drawings of towns in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Hope, Arkansas, Birthplace of Mike Huckabee

The artistic team of Tommy Thompson and his two daughters, Michelle and Melanie, has produced composite drawings of more than 300 towns across 12 Southern states. These drawings can be viewed on the web site, Village Prints. One of the prints is Hope, Arkansas, the birthplace of former Governor Mike Huckabee, who now has one of our favorite television shows, "Huckabee." The drawing of Hope was done by Thompson's daughter, Michelle Rideout, who is the one of the South’s most prolific artists in capturing small town Americana.

Struck by the pride of older Americans in the heritage of their towns, Thompson transformed glimpses of the past found in old, faded photographs and memories into composite drawings, which were then printed as limited editions. Collectors of Thompson's prints sometimes find it difficult to locate someone who is willing to part with their prints once all the prints of a particular town have been sold.

Many people have asked Thompson how his unique art business originated. In 1984 Thompson was traveling through a small town called Iron City, Tennessee, and happened to stop by one of the stores for a soft drink and was amazed at the town pride that he heard in the voices of the old men sitting around a pot-bellied stove in the store. After listening some more, he learned that a community group needed a fundraiser to help refurbish a park along a creek that ran through the town. The people in the general store, through their descriptions and recollections, helped the artist capture in a pencil drawing the essence of the buildings that had long ago been torn down. The project was quite successful, selling all prints in a month or so, to benefit the small town. From that spark, the artistic team preserved the memories of bygone days for more than 300 towns in twelve states across the South.

Iron City, Tennessee, Origin of Village Prints

In 1984 artist Tommy Thompson was traveling through a small town called Iron City, Tennessee (link to http://www.villageprints.com/tnironcity.html) and happened to stop by one of the stores for a soft drink and was amazed at the town pride that he heard in the voices of the old men sitting around a pot-bellied stove in the store. After listening some more, he learned that a community group needed a fundraiser to help refurbish a park along a creek that ran through the town. The people in the general store, through their descriptions and recollections, helped the artist capture in a pencil drawing the essence of the buildings that had long ago been torn down. The project was quite successful, selling all prints in a month or so, to benefit the small town. From that spark, the artistic team preserved the memories of bygone days for more than 300 towns in twelve states across the South.

For more than 20 years, Thompson and his two daughters, Michelle and Melanie, preserved small-town Americana for posterity in their drawings. Check out the newly redesigned web site to see if you can find the place of your roots. For example, you will see a composite drawing of Hope, Arkansas (http://www.villageprints.com/arhope.html), the birthplace of two famous men, Governor Mike Huckabee and former President Bill Clinton.

In their travels as painter, photographer, and writer, Tommy and Marie Thompson have met some very interesting people. Last fall in Franklin, TN, they met M. L. Rose, the author of the new book, The Road to Eden's Ridge. In a conversation with Tommy Thompson, Rose learned of his original career as an illustrator (Village Prints.com). She was fascinated with the artist's concept for the unique business that has preserved memories of the past for many Americans who grew up in small towns across the South. Rose advised Thompson to promote vigorously his unusual web site, Village Prints.com, because, she said, in the present economic downturn Americans want to return to the basics and are longing to reminisce about their roots--the place where they grew up.

Newly Redesigned Web Site at Village Prints. Com

Artist Tommy Thompson has now redesigned his web site for Village Prints. com. During the two decades, the artist has recorded for posterity the main streets of small-town America. Thompson has more than 30 years' experience in art, photography, printing and marketing. The native Mississippian studied graphic art at Mississippi State University, where he also supervised the art and photography division of the Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station. Thompson began his unique business, Village Prints, in 1984, and since that time he and his daughters Michelle and Melanie have drawn more than 300 towns in 12 states across the southern United States. Struck by the pride of older Americans in the heritage of their towns, Thompson has transformed glimpses of the past found in old, faded photographs and memories into composite drawings, which are then printed as limited editions. Collectors of Thompson's prints sometimes find it difficult to locate someone who is willing to part with their prints once all the prints of a particular town are sold, which sometimes occurs in a week or two. Because these art prints are limited editions, they represent an investment that increases in value over time.