Cars & Trucks & Grandma’s House

The holidays are over and I finally have a few moments to catch up with you all. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind, but now the peaceful days of January are here and things are settling down. The house seems so quiet after a week with lots of family, excited dogs, great food, crazy board games, new toys, home movies and cold winter walks. We had a wonderful time!

One of the things I was most excited about on Christmas morning was seeing my grandson Nicholas open the gift I made for him, a set of three paintings of the things he loves best: cars, trucks, and just about anything with wheels and an engine. 

Nicholas and his new paintings

The paintings coordinate with the cars and trucks quilt my mom and I made for him.

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The panels tell a story about Nicholas’ world…

Acrylic on canvas, each painting measures 16″ x 20″

The left panel (below) shows grandma and grandpa’s house on the hill with a swing hanging from the tree in the yard. Nicholas’ older sister, Lilly, is riding her bike up the driveway with their dog, Daisy, following close behind. Grandpa Freddie’s Super Cub has just been pulled from the hanger and is preparing for take off. Coming up the driveway is mommy’s van with Nicholas and baby Callista peering out the window. Our dog Buckley is greeting the van while the kitties rest contentedly in the grass.

The road from grandma’s house leads onto the center panel and passes by the Pittsburgh Airport where colorful flying machines fill the sky. Trucks and cars hurry along the road, busily going places. Nicholas’ favorite vehicle is front and center… a bright red fire truck.

Finally, the road curves around onto the third panel and leads to Nicholas’ house where Daddy’s car is parked in the driveway and Buddy the kitty watches from the window. Along the way, we see a cement mixer, grandpa’s Ford pickup truck, a postal van, great-grandma’s little red car, and another of Nicholas’ favorites, a big yellow school bus just like the one that stops in front of his house twice a day.

The paintings hang over my grandson’s bed where he dreams of piloting planes, driving big trucks, and visiting one of the happiest places he knows – Grandma’s house!

2 Comments

  • What a wonderful gift. Each image is filled with so much meaning and I loved reading about all 3 panels.

    Reply

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I’m Leslie. A painter, teacher, and lover of all things creative. A sketchbook artist who captures everyday life on the pages of my illustrated journals. I love sharing, connecting, and encouraging people to find their creative voice through sketchbook journaling. Read more about me, my art, and my life HERE.

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