Description
“November on the Erie Canal” – Original Collaborative Mural Painting by Jan & Charlie
Experience the rich industrial heritage and timeless beauty of New York’s historic Erie Canal with “November on the Erie Canal,” a remarkable large-scale mural created collaboratively by artists Jan and Charlie. Measuring an impressive 7 feet x 3 feet, this monumental artwork captures the quiet atmosphere of late autumn along the canal, where factories line the water’s edge, reflecting the region’s deep connection to commerce, industry, and American history.
Rendered in mixed media on cotton, the painting beautifully combines texture, depth, and vibrant detail to portray the Erie Canal during the peaceful month of November. The muted seasonal palette and carefully composed landscape evoke a sense of nostalgia while celebrating one of New York State’s most significant waterways.
This exceptional collaborative work was exhibited at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York, as part of the exhibition “November on the Erie Canal,” held August 31 through September 29, 2018. Its museum exhibition underscores both the artistic achievement of the piece and its historical significance.
Signed by Jan and Charlie in the lower left corner, this original mural represents a unique opportunity to own a museum-exhibited work that honors the enduring legacy of the Erie Canal and the communities that flourished along its banks.
Artwork Details
- Title: November on the Erie Canal
- Artists: Jan & Charlie
- Medium: Mixed Media on Cotton
- Image Size: 7 ft. × 3 ft.
- Signature: Signed by both artists, lower left
- Exhibited: Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York (August 31 – September 29, 2018)
A striking statement piece for collectors, museums, corporate spaces, or anyone who appreciates American history, industrial landscapes, and large-scale contemporary folk art.
J.L. Munro is one of America’s foremost self-taught contemporary painters, celebrated for more than five decades of creating richly detailed works that preserve the stories of everyday American life. Her paintings are often described as “paintings with a message,” capturing the character, traditions, and history of waterfront communities, rural landscapes, and historic towns throughout New England and New York.
Known for her bold use of color, strong sense of design, and meticulous attention to detail, Munro creates what she calls “pictorial history”—paintings that invite viewers to read each canvas like a page from a book. Her work reflects a lifelong dedication to preserving America’s heritage through realism and storytelling.
Born in Massachusetts in 1949 and raised in New York City, Munro traces her family’s roots to the earliest settlers of New England and New Amsterdam. Entirely self-taught, she balanced raising a family and working a variety of jobs while remaining committed to her true calling as an artist.
Munro’s paintings are held in numerous distinguished public and private collections, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of American Folk Art (New York), the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Fenimore Art Museum, the American Museum & Gardens in Bath, England, the Cahoon Museum of American Art, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Nantucket Whaling Museum, among many others.
Today, J.L. Munro lives in Otsego County, New York, where she continues to paint and celebrate America’s rich cultural heritage through her distinctive and enduring works of art.
