Rust In Peace

This pre-war Ford Coupe, now a rusted relic, is a paradox of faded elegance and timeworn decay. Its once-sleek, sculpted lines, designed to whisper speed and sophistication, are now softened by decades of neglect. Its chrome trim, once a sparkling crown on this car’s curvaceous silhouette, has powdered into rust, leaving only ghosts of its former shine. The body, once smooth and gleaming, is pocked and scarred, a canvas of decay painted in patches of mottled brown and orange oxidation. Where the headlights once lit up the path to adventures ahead, there are only hollowed eyes, a missing hood and windows now letting the elements in.

But what of its former occupants? What of the dreams they fantasized about while careening down the highway? Were they realized, only to step up to even greater heights? Or did they fade away, like the shell of this once-coveted treasure?

Too many things — and plans and people — in our lives are discarded for newer models or left to rust. But closely examine them and they still carry their former beauty and fond memories that one can yet cherish. While this car may have lost some of its detail to the passage of time, the overall shape remains unmistakable and recognizable — perhaps just one restoration away from reclaiming its former glory.

Watercolor on cotton paper 22x30 in.

Pricing and availability on request