Car Backs 24” x 32” Oil on Canvas
This is a complex composition but it works. The early fifties Chrysler trunk and its rear window introduce the viewer to the painting. The ’64 four door Chevy holds its ground and anchors things. The eye goes to the old Dodge dumptruck. Originally the truck had big sheet metal pieces on it but it was confusing and distracting. A dump truck is something everyone understands. There are the mysterious cars in the far background to draw the eye back.The trees are always easy to mold and shape to support the composition. I’m a big fan of “support bars”— lengths of content of one type that help frame a work. The Chrysler window frame and the vertical weeds on the right help the eye move upwards. The weeds and grass are fun; like the trees, they can be put anywhere to support the overall. The rust on the Chrysler was fun also. Its closest fender line and the 55 Chevy pickup fender on the lower right help the framing there. The Chrysler rust line helps turn the eye upward. The Chrysler window frame and the vertical weeds on the right help the eye move upwards and also frame. The green fifties Packard and forties Dodge bulk in the rear fore ground. The green Packard roof and tree line guide the eye across the painting. There is plenty to see. Junkyards are fun!
