M/M Handcar, 12″ x 9″, acrylic on wood

I’ve had this reproduction of a vintage Mickey Mouse toy on my shelf for years. I enjoy its kitschy sentimentality and fairly cool design.

So I had to make a painting of it. I wanted to make something that was visually playful.

The object’s design is very symmetrical. Except for the differences between Mickey and Minnie (which, per Mr. Disney, are just enough to make a difference), left and right are pretty much the same. This nicely echoes the reciprocal pumping action of the toy.

But, as I’ve said before, I’m not a symmetrical kinda guy. Or, at least, artist. I like the surprise and precariousness of asymmetry. I took the cut out, complex shape of the object and placed it on a simple square—off center. The fact that we tend to read left to right and, as the little Goofy illustration on the red box indicates, the car is visually moving to the right. So I have it zipping off the square to the right.

For the background square, I chose a weathered hunk of old plywood. I laid on successive layers of bright cartoony colors (yellow, red, and blue) and then wired-brushed them to emphasize and reveal the wood grain beneath. This effect mimics the “speed lines” of cartoons.

M/M Handcar is currently in the MAC Gallery in downtown Greenville as part of the Greenville Open Studios 12″x12″ Exhibit.