Barkies

(The cars:1932 Ford high boy roadster, and a 1950 Rocket 88 Oldsmobile) 

This little place was actually called the "PUP CAFE" and it was located at 12732 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles.  At the time I painted this I could not remember ever seeing a sign displayed, nor could I remember the name of this place.  In terms of the painting however this was not important at the time. 

What I was focusing on was parking some of my favorite old rods and customs in and around some of my favorite roadside architecture.  There is something truly American about the Hot Rod and America's first Automobile oriented roadside eateries.  There is an element of fantasy involved here which is obvious in the architecture and in the persona that California was projecting to the rest of the world - that southern California is a fantasy land.  

Although I visited many of these places as a child on Sunday drives with my family, most of them were gone before I reached driving age.  So I would Imagine or daydream about cruising these roadside marvels before they became history.  I began to wonder if any of these other car nuts Imagined themselves cruising back in time to some long gone roadside novelty or hot spot cruise night.  So I posed my question in the form of a painting.  Memories have a way of becoming embellished and romanticized with time and a little imagination.  It was this sense I wanted to convey rather than historical accuracy.  On the other hand I do remember the "PUP CAFE", so the building is accurate. There was just enough room to walk in, order, and then walk out.  (oil on canvas 1990)