There is a small dive bar north of Gruene, Texas in Hunter called Riley’s Tavern. In September of 1933 James Curtis Riley, at the age of 17, drove to Austin, Texas from his home in Hunter. The purpose of this trip was to obtain a beer license for his soon – to – be beer joint. It was now at the end of prohibition. He camped out on the steps of the Capital building and waited for it to open. He was the first person in line in Texas and got the first beer license!

It was at this little tavern that my husband, Chuck, and I attended a car show a few weeks ago called “Rods at Riley’s”. We both drove our vintage trucks and when we got there, we parked in the bar’s driveway along the old building. Several vehicles came in after us. As the afternoon sun started to glow on the rural little crossroads, I walked around the parking lot and started to take pictures and videos of the various vintage cars and trucks. That’s when I noticed the ’55 Chevy Gasser parked towards the back of the parking lot by some little buildings.

The sun streamed down on the car’s roof and I noticed the long shadows and dappled light streaming through the trees onto the driveway. That’s what happens when an artist goes to a car show. We look at the way light hit’s surfaces. I began the painting soon after the Rods at Riley’s car show and then worked on it during the Hill Country Mile Rod Run in Boerne where Chuck and I both brought our trucks again to show. I was able to set up my easel right next to my truck under a tree.

The red Chevy Gasser car wasn’t for sale by the way. The FOR SALE sign was something I added to help the narrative of the painting. My new story for the scene is that a man was driving down the road in Hunter and happened to notice the vintage Chevy car for sale. He stopped and got out and take a look. Will he add it to his collection? You know how these vintage car guys can’t have enough! That’s where the title comes in. “One for the Money”, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go!