The painting above was inspired by two photographs of my grandparents and by a painting by my Grandma Lizzie. It was painted by M Goodwin about 1969. M never titled it, but I titled it The Goodwin Family Tree. During the 1950s Lizzie took painting classes at the Jewish Community Center that were taught by the painter John Baldessari. Her style was primitive and M modeled this style in this painting.
The photos that inspired the painting are shown here. The photo at the right of Grandpa with his arm around Lizzie, holding a bottle of beer in the other hand. The other was the photo of Grandpa smelling the blossoms on the peach tree that was in their backyard.
The painting that inspired M is to the left. It is of the peach tree in blossom with the sun coming through. The palm trees Grandpa planted to raise and sell surround the tree. He did not understand the slow growth of palms and the variety he planted never had the popularity of other palms. When Rozzie had the house moved she didn’t make anything on the palm trees.
Lizzie’s Paintings
When I was in the Coopersto
wn Graduate Program I did a project on Lizzie’s paintings for my Folk Art class. The instructors, Louis and Aggie Jones wanted the paintings for the Fenimore House Museum collection, I gave them the slides instead.
I have two of her paintings. One is of trees and hills reflected in a pond, although they don’t match. 
The other is of me. It has the notation To Dora Frumkin, May 10, 1963. I was eight years old.