"Grown Man's Tonka Toys... A CASE Tractor!"

Forgotten Junk or a Storefront Icon?

About six months ago, someone decided to park this old tractor in front of a supply store on LA Highway 59 just aside of Abita Springs. Two days ago, someone moved it from the left of the building to the center which means the store owner or manager either wants it to put out to pasture somewhere else, or they are centering it as an attention getting icon.

Well, the move got my attention.

Ever since its first appearance, I've been wanting to stop and sketch the red, rusted "Tonka Toy." But, I'm never, it seems, in the right frame of mine to give it the justice it deserves. It seems my "muse" isn't lately and so days, weeks and months go by and still, I haven't taken the time.

Well, two days ago, on Sunday, I decided to sit in my parked car and sketch this baby. I "sumized"that there would be no traffic in the store's parking lot which gave me time to do some kind of justice to the tractor.

Well, this is a nice edition to my "Grown Man's Tonka Toy" series and now, whenever I drive by, I will no longer suffer that irritating feeling that comes to artists when they have sense they have missed a rare and monumental moment.

If you're an artist, you know what I mean.

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III