Odd Couple

I did a plein air sketch of these two retired fire and dump trucks when I saw them at the edge of a sandy lot in Yarmouth, Maine. They are part of the Mahon-Bickford Collection of vintage trucks and equipment. They seemed an odd couple, coming to the lot from different work lives, and now parked together at the far side of the lot. They were right up against the verge of the woods, under overhanging braches, indeed a large limb had fallen across the left front hood and cab of the fire truck. It seemed to me that, yoked together, they now faced oblivion after what had obviously been long years of service. I sought to capture their final moments, so I did a sketch on the spot, and after returning to my studio, turned it into this small watercolor.

This painting is currently unframed.