Ol’ Smokey

"Ol' Smokey" By Eric Buechel, Watercolor on Paper, 2018, 22" x 30". The photograph I worked from is courtesy of Donna Rose.

Ol' Smokey is quite the nostalgic truck. She has been in Cumberland County, Tennessee since 1950. Mr. Shields purchased the truck from the original owner in 1970 and has owned her since. Mr. Shields son, Dennis, remembers the truck as a distinct part of his childhood; in a sense, he and the truck "grew up" together. Ol' Smokey eventually ended up in a barn, waiting for a rebirth. A few years ago, when Mr. Shields turned 70, the ole girl was taken out of the barn and put back on the road, where she belongs. The drive train was modernized so she was easier to drive; otherwise, she's been restored to near original condition. Today Ol' Smokey can be seen just about any time there is a car show on Main Street in Crossville, Tennessee. SaatchArt