BY TAMARA BELKOV
You'll find Garson's acclaimed realist artist Gordon Drysdale
either at home in his garage, tinkering with his 1974 Dodge
Charger, or in his art studio painting nostalgic images of
garages and vintage automobiles.
Drysdale is best known for his detailed recreation of
historic scenes featuring old buildings, cars, trucks and farm
machinery. His passion for historical accuracy and his
attention to detail make his paintings lifelike and almost
photographic.
"I really like details," Drysdale says looking over at his
soon-to-be-completed painting titled Corner Gas.
"That's Hank's truck over there and the grain elevator. I'm
just waiting for the Dog River Police logo to finish off the
cruiser."
Drysdale was invited to visit the set of the popular TV show
by the set designer of Corner Gas while he was in Saskatchewan
doing research for a different painting.
No detail is too small for Drysdale's brush. He spends hours
pouring over historic books, catalogues and photographs of gas
stations and garages all the while surrounded by replica
Studebakers, Thunderbirds and Mustangs in his studio.
Incorporating artistic licence, Drysdale skillfully captures
time by bringing life, warmth and character to inanimate
buildings, vehicles and landscapes and tells warm and
compelling stories through his work.
In his piece Generations, Drysdale depicts the four
generations of a local family with their beloved collection of
Chevrolets in the driveway.
While in his painting Home for Lunch, Drysdale is able to
portray a prairie family gathered at the homestead on a fall
day without showing them. Instead, he lets the house, yard and
vehicles tell the story. The Monday morning laundry flaps on
the line in the backyard and the hardwood's leaves change
colour out front. There is a Woody station wagon pulled up
beside the shed and the kids have dropped their bikes at the
gate and gone in for lunch on their first day back at school.
With skill and patience, he recreates familiar scenes from
Sudbury's past and present. Drysdale has recreated Gloria's
Restaurant, circa 1960, complete with a yellow delivery truck
pulling in as folks make their way from the parking lot 
into the popular eatery.
His realistic painting of Science North is a marvel.
Drysdale was perched on an 80 foot tall construction crane in
order to view the building from the perfect angle. This unique
perspective looking down over Ramsey Lake is almost
photographic in its detail.
On a recent visit, Drysdale was discovered in his studio
preparing for an art exhibit this weekend. On his easel are
dozens of photographs of his latest muse, muscle cars and a new
"petrolianna" painting he is researching and sketching out. The
new acrylic will feature a Super Test gas station based on two
former stations and will come complete with cars and other
memorabilia.
Drysdale has become more interested in petrolianna, also known as gas station memorabilia.
Collectors purchase and restore old gas and oil cans, pumps,
advertisements, signs, decals and even old Coke and Pepsi
machines, a standard in every garage.
His original artwork hangs in the Ontario government's
permanent collection and in private collections around the
world. He has won numerous awards at the Art of the Automobile
competition, including the national first place award.
Drysdale's work will be on exhibit this weekend at the Travelway Inn on Paris St., next to Science North. The show opens today at noon and runs till 9 pm, and continues Saturday (9 am-9 pm) and Sunday (9 am-5 pm.)
