Hawkers ande Peddlers

One of the things I love about art is that it is very personal.  We see it all the time in the gallery.  A client will walk through the door and just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a painting we have on the wall.  They will go on and on about how they like the colors, or how it reminds them of something, someplace or someone.  We will talk at length about how it makes them feel and you can see their eyes light up.  And then, not five minutes later, someone else comes through the door and says “that is the ugliest thing I have ever seen”.  End of discussion.  No further comment.

Another thing I love, there is always a story behind every piece of art.  Maybe the artist is trying to convey a feeling, portray a person or object, or just get the viewer to think.  At first glance you may not like, or lets say appreciate a piece, but when you dig deeper and find the story it always makes the piece more interesting.  You still may not want to bring it home with you, but the story can give you a deeper appreciation for how much thought, effort, research and creativity the artist put into creating a piece of art.

This is so true in Mike DiFazio’s work.  Mike is one of the artists showing in the gallery during our Dream Crusin’ event.  Although all of Mike’s pictures have some kind of car or truck in them what strikes me is the story he is telling.  Besides the cars and trucks being technically correct, Mike’s pictures take you back to a place and time some of us have only seen in the movies or heard stories about from our parents or grandparents.

Take for example Mike’s picture called “Free Samples”.  At first glance it’s an old fashion truck loaded with fruits and veggies.  But what’s the story?  Well up until the mid fifties, hawkers or peddlers were a familiar sight in urban neighborhoods throughout the U.S.A.  Sometimes irreverently referred to as hucksters, they provided a convenient way to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables.  Their vehicle of choice was most often based on a ½ ton panel truck with an open area behind the driver where items for sale could be easily displayed and accessed.  Called a Canopy Express, most were manufactured by International Harvester for GM.  The Dodge version was based on a pickup truck equipped with a wood lath canvas roof.  Ford opted for a conversion to their panel trucks through an aftermarket approach to meet the demand for this unusual niche.  Although most production for these trucks ceased in the 1940’s, GM was able to continue until the 1955 model year.

Although the closest thing I can relate to one of these peddlers is the Good Humor Man, I remember hearing stories from my mom and dad about these men.  So for me although the truck theme is really cool, what resonates with me in this particular picture is the story.  The picture takes me back to my childhood; sitting on my dad’s lap and listening to him tell stories of when he was a kid growing up on London.  About the bagel man walking down the street with the bagels looped around what he described as broomstick handles or the ice delivery man with his ice tongs chipping off big blocks of ice for their ice box or the milkman with his glass bottles rattling in the wire basket as he walked up the front steps of my grandparents home.

So the next time you go to an art gallery, museum, or art fair and see something that you think is ugly, stop.  Take a minute to find out what the “story” is, the artist’s background and why they created this particular piece of art.  You still may not want to buy it and put it in your house, but you may find yourself having a better appreciation for someone’s hard work and effort.