Golden Dodge 1971

Ralph Goings made "Golden Dodge" with paint, though it's hard to believe, because it looks so much like a photograph! I like the way he focuses on the everyday. It's almost nostalgic, with this older truck and the architecture behind it. Goings really captures how light bounces off these surfaces. The way the sky and clouds are reflected in the windows is particularly great, making them look like abstract paintings within the painting. He pays so much attention to texture, from the rough concrete to the smooth glass and the worn paint of the truck. It all feels so real, but at the same time, it's clearly mediated by his hand and eye, the selection of details and the rendering of light. It reminds me a little of Edward Hopper in its quiet observation of American life. Both artists find beauty in the mundane, and there is a bit of loneliness, or perhaps just a meditative calm, in that. Ultimately, paintings like this remind us that art isn't just about grand gestures but about seeing the world around us with care and attention.