Life Savers Candy

by Mike Pitzer, 2023

Lifesavers have a very special place in my heart, especially at Christmas time. I remember my Grandma (my Mom’s Mom) would put one of those assorted flavor Lifesaver books in each of our Christmas stockings. OMG, I loved the butterscotch! I also remember my Dad driving our big old silver-blue Chrysler station wagon with all of us 5 kids and Mom doing a road-trip vacation somewhere in Michigan. Dad would pop 1 Lifesaver in his mouth for every 1 he dolled out to each of us kids. The guy was smart… he got 5 to 1 and we never caught on.

It’s those sort of memories which is why I drew this 6’ wide Lifesaver and then submitted it to the 102nd Anniversary Exhibit of the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto, CA. Well, I was just notified that it had been purchased by a collector. Which is great, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that by the time I finished and framed it, it only hung in our hallway for about a week before I had to drive it 243 miles to Palo Alto for the art exhibit.

If you didn’t know, that’s why I call these Pop Realism drawings my “Happy Art”, they just seem to bring back great memories. Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy a Lifesaver!

Credits: