Drawing Similarities Between Car Culture and the Old West
The following digital artwork was done by automotive writer and artist Jesus R. Garcia. His art style is heavily inspired by car culture, American history, and Western TV and film. These two art pieces are part of a continuing collection titled The Highway Cowboy, which expresses and explores the similarities between the automotive hobby/lifestyle and the American Frontier era (1607-1920). It is car culture set in the Wild West in an attempt to capture the anxiety, skill, beauty and expression of freedom often associated in both lifestyles.
Highwaymen
This art piece features a 1979 Dodge Lil’ Red Express pickup truck and a third-generation Chevrolet Camaro running side by side through a desert canyon alley. The scene shows the driver and shotgunner of the Lil’ Red Express truck fighting back against the would-be Camaro bandits. Highwaymen represent a time during the Wild West era when stagecoaches were often at the mercy of bandits and ambushes.
Quick Shift
This art piece shows the iconic cinematic shot of two cowboys playing a deadly game of pride. Retro-styled manual transmission shift levers, with one lever commonly referred to as a “pistol grip,” are placed in their holsters instead of firearms. Quick Shift represents the ties between dueling and vehicle drag racing as both are feats of skill, speed, courage, and a little bit of luck.
See more of his art and illustrations on Instagram under the handle @auto.toonz where he accepts commissions for logo designs and personalized artwork.
Jesus Behind the Wheel 