1950 Chevrolet Delivery Sedan
I am bringing this watercolor back out into public view after a brief hiatus. The art festival at the Levitt Pavilion in Arlington, Texas begins at 4:30 this afternoon, and will continue nightly through Sunday. I drove my Jeep to school, fully loaded, and will leave directly for the festival grounds once I get out of school today. I am ready and anxious for another festival after being out of the circuit for over a month. This weekend promises to be interesting: the ten-day Paint Historic Waxahachie officially opens Saturday morning, so I will journey to Waxahachie to take part in the two-hour “Quick Draw” competition, two blocks south of the town square at the feed store and historic railroad depots. Around noon, I will begin my second plein air watercolor of some scenic site in that quaint town. Then, by 4:30, I’ll be back in my Arlington booth for the second evening of the Levitt Pavilion art and music festival. Sunday will be the same schedule. Then, all next week, I will do school by day, and Waxahachie by afternoon-evening, creating as many plein air watercolors as possible for the competition and sale to take place on the following weekend.
The posted watercolor is of a 1950 Chevy Sedan Delivery that I found in a field north of Hillsboro, along Highway 77. The owner proved to be a very gracious and accommodating man, inviting me onto his property to paint this vintage car along with several others he had lined up in his pasture. I was fascinated from the beginning with the layers of color and texture all over this vehicle, as well as the way the later afternoon light was playing off the wild grasses that surrounded it. I loved the stand of trees and fencing in the background as well. I believe this was my first watercolor that was larger than mid-size. It fills nearly an entire sheet of D’Arches cold-pressed 140-pound paper. This is my fourth painting of this subject, the first three being smaller, plein air sketches made in an attempt to “get it right.” I hope this original painting finds a good home some day. If not, then perhaps I will custom frame it and hang it in my own space. I do enjoy looking at it and remembering those idyllic late afternoons in that Hillsboro pasture, far away from the town. There was a real peace and solitude in the country that I seldom find in my working lifestyle.
Thanks for reading. If you are local, I would love to see you at the Levitt, or in Waxahachie. It looks like we have a splendid holiday weekend approaching, for the enjoyment of the arts.
Recollections 54 The Art of David Tripp 