I came across this truck, a 1951 F1 Ford at the Goodguys Rod and Custom show in Pleasanton, Ca. As per usual I took a couple of pictures and moved on. It's not until I get home and download my pictures that I can see what I treasures I might have got that day. Luckily I was smart enough to have taken a picture of the owners tag too so I knew who this car belonged to. A year later I came across it again in Reno at the Hot August Nights car show and got a chance to meet the owner Allen Mann from Blue Lake, Ca. I was excited to see it again and to finally meet Allen because I was using it as the subject of this painting which will be in an upcoming show at the
Blue Line Arts Gallery in Roseville, Ca.
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| "Mann 51" oil on canvas, 24" x 24" |
Allen says his wife bought him the truck a few years back. Since then he's been driving it to shows all around the west coast. He was a winner at the
Hot August Nights in 2018 . He had some funny stories to tell about owning an old truck and driving it around to do errands. Allen says he would come out of a store and see some guy under his truck checking out the suspension. People are always stopping him to ask about his truck and what he's done to it. He says you just have to factor that in when going out for milk which may take an hour longer than expected.
I like these old trucks. I like the shapes of the body panels. They look fun and friendly and they seem to bring a smile to everyone who sees them.
The composition I chose for this one is one of my favorite views of looking straight on and low at the headlight level as if you are looking into the eyes of a face. The background adds to a sense of something fun happening. It says this truck goes places and does things.
