Three Machines 1963

Wayne Thiebaud made this painting, "Three Machines," with oil on canvas. It's a fairly traditional medium, of course, but Thiebaud's choice speaks to the way that he elevates everyday subject matter. Here, the materiality of the oil paint becomes a central element, creating an interesting tension between representation and abstraction. The thick brushstrokes and layering of paint give the gumball machines a tactile quality, making them almost sculptural. You can practically feel the weight and form of the objects through the artist's application of pigment. The process is deliberately revealed, and the painting reads as a kind of constructed reality. Consider the social context, too. Gumball machines are emblems of consumer culture and childhood indulgence. They are about repetitive consumption and instant gratification. Thiebaud is interested in how these desires are manufactured. Ultimately, the painting is not just a representation of gumball machines, but an exploration of how materials, making, and context intersect to shape our experience of the world.