Like a child in a candy shop

MT. PLEASANT — Internationally recognized and award winning watercolor artist Nash Cox enjoyed some of his favorite things in Mt. Pleasant this past Thursday.

Cox is especially known for his watercolor paintings of vintage automobiles.

His love for these vintage muses came early in life.

“My parents drove really old cars,” Cox said. “Cars from like the mid-40s.”

Cox keeps with tradition in driving vintage cars.

His everyday commuter vehicle for the last 13 years is a rusty ‘53 GMC pickup truck.

A mellow guitar soloist played inside the art center, and peppy sock-hop music floated through the car show just outside it’s doors.

While he was here to attend his exhibit reception at the Mt. Pleasant Main Street Art Center, it was obvious he could not pass up the opportunity to take in all of the vintage cars just outside the center’s doors.

“This is incredible,” Cox said as he popped out of his reception to take in the beauty of a vintage car that had just joined the car show.

Cox took in the shining dark blue vehicle with delight clearly evident on his face.

“That’s a sexy car,” Cox said as he lowered himself to take photographs.

“I want to take pictures of all of the cars,” he added.

Cox is a recently self taught artist who finds it ridiculous, in a good way, that a many of his paintings have received awards.

The most rewarding part of the process, for him, is the ability to communicate what it is that you like about a subject.

“When you’re painting rusty cars, you’re painting the car itself,” Cox said. “When you’re painting shiny cars you’re painting everything around it in the reflections.”

Once an observer has stared into the reflections of Cox’s paintings, it is no wonder that they may begin to see those reflections as they take in beautiful cars as well.

As Cox attempted to pry himself away from his newest vintage fixation, Todd Brandstetter of Middletown asked sign a print of one of Cox’s cars.

Cox, being a friendly and approachable man, quickly obliged.

While the night was only beginning, Cox pried himself away from the beautiful cars, after taking many reference photos, and rejoined his exhibit reception.

Perhaps, however, in the not too distant future, Mt. Pleasant residents might see their rusty vintage car or the reflections of downtown in one of Cox’s creations.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com