Ship it on the Frisco! | 9×12 | Oil on Linen Panel

Inspiration for Ship It on the Frisco!

Who could resist painting an orange caboose with “Ship it on the Frisco!” boldly emblazoned on its side! 😀 The client commissioned the piece after falling in love with my previous painting of the caboose Frisco Ocher. However, that painting had already sold to another collector. The solution was obvious—we simply had to create a new painting! The client’s Father worked on the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway, or “Frisco,” for most of his career. Unlike modern times, the middle of the 20th century still reverberated with many thundering passenger trains. The collector vividly recalls traveling by rail on many occasions with her “Daddy.” I love the nostalgic America she relates in these magical stories!

Returning to “SL-SF 1102”

Ship it on the Frisco! tallies the second painting of this particular caboose. I started the first en plein air at the Milton/Bagdad Plein Air Paintout my first year participating. This time around I tried to capture the train car from the perspective of a little girl. While scouting the perfect angle, I tried various techniques including kneeling, climbing on things, and even lying down in the grass! I finally settled on this angle, which is a kneeling angle. This perspective creates a pleasant, three-quarters view while still maintaining the sense that the caboose towers a bit above the viewer. Click here to learn more about the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway, including a photo of a caboose like this with a classic red paint-job!

The Creation Process of Ship It on the Frisco!

Not long after I delivered the painting to the client, I made a short film documenting its creation. I really enjoyed this little film project, and will probably do many more in the future! You can read more about the video and some of my thoughts on painting styles and art appreciation on my Artist’s Insights page!