The Red Rooster Cafe, Mineral Point.

The Red Rooster Cafe has been a Mineral Point landmark for over half a century, simmering with local charm and Cornish comfort food in its historic late‑19th‑century building on High Street. Known for its pasties, figgy hobbin, and a cozy vintage vibe filled with rooster décor, it’s more than a café—it's a living piece of small‑town Wisconsin history, one that’s threaded through with family pride and community memory.

I painted the cafe in a signature post‑impressionist style, using thick, expressive brushstrokes and a warm palette to echo the atmosphere within. The reds, golds, and deep shadows of the exterior aren’t just colors—they’re echoes of the Cornish miners who once packed this town, and the families who still gather here. Mineral Point’s history runs deep. Back in the 1830s, before Milwaukee or Chicago, this town surged with lead mining and Cornish immigrants creating stone cottages like those at Pendarvis. That legacy lives on, still cherished by locals and visitors alike.

In this painting, I wanted to capture that same timeless feeling: warm dusk light reflecting off the windows, a sense of familiarity, and an invitation to step inside—even if you’ve never been there. The brushwork is playful rather than precise, a nod to the fauvist and post‑impressionist influences I live by—Andre Derain, Maurice de Vlaminck, Raoul Dufy, Van Gogh. Their work taught me that recognizable scenes—barns, cafes, streets—don’t need to be photographic to feel deeply real. They just need energy, color, and a sense of presence.

This piece measures 11×14″ and is painted in oil on canvas, framed and ready to hang. It draws the viewer in with bold contrasts and complimentary tones—crimson walls, ochre trim, deep charcoal outlines—evoking the warmth of a cafe glow against the chill of Driftless dusk. You can almost feel the yawn of sunset, the cozy weight of chairs inside, or hear the hubbub of familiar folks over pasties and coffee.

I didn’t paint this to make a statement. I painted it so someone who walks by High Street would say, “Hey, that’s the Red Rooster.” It’s a painting that’s both snapshot and painting—you know the place, but it feels somehow more alive, more colorful. It’s Mineral Point shown through the lens of a painter who believes art should make you feel good—like seeing a memory, but brighter.

Whether you’ve spent mornings sipping pasties inside the cafe or you simply love the charm of small‑town America, this painting brings a moment of warm nostalgia home. It’s not just décor—it’s a touchstone: a conversation starter, a story recalled, a memory awakened. It belongs on your wall because somewhere, down an old high street, it belongs in your heart.