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The American Car : A Family Portrait

 

In countless vintage photos, families, couples, and even dogs are posed in front of their cars-- as if the vehicle itself is a member of the family. These pictures show both pride and affection. Fascinated, I decided to use them as the starting point for a series of works.

 

Through copying and recopying, I transform each photograph before digitally printing it onto canvas. In this greatly enlarged image I can imagine

and create the life of the people in the photos. Who were they? What were they doing the moment the photo was taken? What happened to them later? I abstract the images with layers of acrylic paint in an attempt to recover those faded lives: a visual perception/translation of how I imagine the past locales and the people in the photos in a romanticized way. I feel as if I have come to know them personally, creating a connection to them through color and texture.

 

When I process these imaginings I realize how similar feelings of family and pride are a constant emotion in human lives, and how transient we humans really are: the only difference is time, and it flies faster than a speeding green roadster.

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