vacationland

vacationland
Vacationland (detail)

Friday, June 19, 2015

About Those Tire Tracks

In the last post I ended with a tease about an upcoming post.  I hinted at images of a Ferris wheel and tire tracks.  And while I may be slow to post, I am at least a man of my word.  Here are two recent paintings.

Our World's Fair, oil on linen on panel, 22 x 45 inches, 2015
It's not unusual to see yards in Maine with old boats and cars as part of the landscape.  It is unusual to see an old Ferris wheel in someone's yard.  Along Route 1 between Sullivan and Steuben there is a house with such a lawn ornament.  It is awesome and odd and always catches my eye. "Our World's Fair" uses this scene with favorite model Lauren and younger son Corin in the foreground.

Town Hall, oil on linen on panel, 22 x 45 inches, 2015
Thanks to miles of isolated pavement and the need to find creative outlets, one can find some intriguing tire mark patterns throughout the state.  Several years ago a documentary was made about this art form.  "Town Hall" feature's a parking lot in the town of Sullivan and a local model named Victoria wearing a yard sale prom dress and my wife's winter hat.  The painting was just delivered to Quidley & Company's Nantucket gallery.