The “Blue Swallow Motel” is a painting by Bob Dylan, created in 2019. It is a depiction of the Blue Swallow Motel, a historic motel located in Tucumcari, New Mexico, on Route 66. The motel was built in 1939 and is one of the best-preserved examples of a Route 66 motel. It is known for its distinctive blue neon sign, which is featured prominently in Dylan’s painting.
The painting is done in a simple, folk-art style. The motel is rendered in shades of blue, with the neon sign glowing brightly. The background is a desert landscape, with a few cacti and mountains in the distance. The overall effect is one of nostalgia and Americana.
The painting is a reminder of a simpler time, when Route 66 was a major highway connecting the United States. It is also a tribute to the Blue Swallow Motel, which is a cherished landmark for many people.
The painting was part of Dylan’s “The Beaten Path” series, which was released in 2019. The series features 12 prints of American icons, including the Blue Swallow Motel, the Empire State Building, and the Grand Canyon. The prints were all hand-signed by Dylan and were limited to an edition of 100.
Blue Swallow Motel, Route 66 (2019)
Mixed media
61 x 43 cm
[Tucumcari, New Mexico]
Beaten Path
The painting depicted a motel at night, its neon sign flickering while shadows danced behind closed curtains. The lonely parking lot bore witness to the countless transient souls seeking solace within its walls, their secrets hidden under dimly lit rooms, as the moon watched in silence, offering its ethereal glow as a temporary guide through the darkness of their journeys.
The crown jewel of all of Route 66, was where I got to devote my time. The Blue Swallow is the perfect symbol of Tucumcari: still alive, still authentic, still beautiful. It was like stepping into 1939. The place was meticulously authentic (not to mention spotlessly clean and bright). Whatever wasn’t actually original to the room (and almost all of it was) was carefully restored to the correct period—right down to the 1939 Bell rotary-dial phones.”
“Built on Route 66 in 1939, the L-shaped Blue Swallow Motel has retained its original floor plan and historical charm while adding modern-day comforts. Inside its thick terra-cotta-colored clay walls, you’ll find 13 guest rooms with a selection of full- and queen-size accommodations. And true to its connection to the Mother Road, many of the rooms include an attached garage! Don’t miss the James Dean mural on the side of the motel.”
Cansu Demir
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