Roadside Strongman

Medium: Acrylic on canvas panel
Size: 8X10 inches
Location: Waxahachie Texas
Year: 2024

This piece captures a classic roadside sign—bold, weathered, and full of personality. The Lord’s Gym stands as both subject and symbol, its hand-painted lettering and strongman figure echoing an earlier era of grit, routine, and physical craft.

Set against a bright Texas sky, the sign feels grounded yet iconic, framed by loose, expressive greenery that contrasts with the structured geometry of the post and panel. The limited palette of reds, whites, and earthy greens gives the painting a nostalgic warmth, while the visible brushwork preserves the immediacy of the moment.

Painted en plein air in Waxahachie, Texas during the Paint Historic Waxahachie event, this work celebrates the overlooked landmarks of everyday life—the places we pass without thinking, but that quietly shape the identity of a place. It’s less about the gym itself and more about what it represents: endurance, character, and a bit of roadside mythology.