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The old ghost town of Cherry Creek, Nevada is the location of this dilapidated vehicle that I used for the subject of the painting. Weathered and rusted with lichen covering the fenders, nature had been hard at work to reclaim the ground where the old car sat. I enjoyed painting the little bit of chrome remaining on the car that reflected many colors, and the area within the window openings appeared to me to be almost smaller paintings of the rustic landscape beyond. I once had a date with a guy who owned an old Model A sedan, and though not the same model of vehicle, this relic reminded me of that old-time classic. I�m sure that the seats were once a scratchy fabric and it had a horn that made an �OOGAH� sound..before it became a �Rusty Ride�.

After 32 years of teaching elementary school, I decided to retire. Just prior to my retirement, I took a few watercolor classes at Shasta College to see if all the "desire" to paint that had been waiting patiently for its turn in my busy life could materialize into something that would represent my best efforts to replicate the beauty I see in the world. I wanted to share it in such a way that people would want to "take the closer look" and further appreciate the world and creation around us. In the first two years, I produced 20 paintings and framed them all with the encouragement of my husband (who doubles as my easily available art critic). As I painted more and more, I became more adept at putting together the elements that create...