Michelle LaRae      paintings to escape in...

24x30 oil on canvas

The elegant Auburn Boattail Speedster 852SC was a supercharged elegant dream to view. Designer Gordon Buehrig and engine designer Augie Duesenberg were tasked with creating a new design. The Art Deco inspired 852 featured pontoon fenders, split raked windshield, accented with chrome trim throughout, and a famous tapered “boat tail”.

Powerful, the supercharged straight 8 in the Auburn Speedsters allowed racer Ab Jenkins to take an Auburn to the Bonneville salt flats, where he set 70 records including averaging 102.9 mph for 12 hours. A dashboard plaque on each car contained a signed guarantee by Ab Jenkins that it had been driven to more than 100 mph before shipment.

Giclee prices

• 16x20 giclee

  $195

  



• 24x30 giclee

  $295

  

16x20 oil on canvas

The Water Cooler Bag pictured on this 1928 Model A Ford was used for several purposes. Because the bag is porous, the wind kept the water in the bag cool (unlike a canteen). When the bag was placed in front of a radiator it kept the Ford running cool on trips through the desert.

1928 was the first year for the Ford Model A, replacing the Model T. In 1928, $385.00 could get a Roadster and $395.00 would get you a beautiful Phaeton. At $495.00, the new Ford Coupe was nice but for $550.00 the Sport Coupe with a standard Rumble Seat was a hot seller. The Engine was a flathead 4-cylinder; with 40 horsepower at 2200 rpm. Typical gas mileage was between 20 and 30 mpg using a Zenith one barrel carburetor.

Giclee prices

• 16x20 giclee

  $195

  



• 24x30 giclee

  $295

  

11x17 oil on linen
SOLD

Giclee prices

• 11x17 giclee

  $145

  

6x6 oil on gessoboard

What better subject for a painting, than the elegant hood ornament of a 1934 Packard.

6x6 oil on gessoboard

This painting captures the hood ornament of a 1949 Packard Woody... one of only 472 made. If you look carefully, you can see the swan reflected on the hood.

8x10 oil on canvas

This is a classic 1946 Ford Woody Sportsman that was at the Grand National Roadster car show in Pomona, CA.

24x30 oil on canvas

I fell in love with this car when I saw it at the Corona Del Mar Classic Car Show, and decided it would be the subject of my next painting. The Bentley Speed Six Le Mans has a history of racing and winning.

Giclee prices

• 16x20 giclee

  $195

  



• 24x30 giclee

  $295

  

16x20 oil on canvas

The Coppertone Belair was accepted into the 2010 Oil Painters of American Western Regional Exhibit.

I saw this car at the Corona Del Mar Classic Car Show, and knew it would be the subject of a painting. The 57 Belair is one of the most popular collector cars I know of.

Giclee prices

• 16x20 giclee

  $195

  

24x30 oil on canvas
SOLD

It was an honor to have been selected to paint this year’s Collectors’ T-Shirt for In-N-Out Burger. We worked together to create a scene that captures the post World War II era, and celebrates America’s Military.

Being the granddaughter of a Lt. Colonel in the Marines, I could not have been more honored. My grandfather served in the Marines over the course of three wars, earning the bronze star for his heroic efforts in World War II. I know he would be proud of In-N-Out Burger’s and my efforts to show our support for America’s troops today.

As a classic car artist, I loved re-creating this era. My husband and I are regular classic car show attendees. We own a 1934 Plymouth, which we take to many shows. This experience truly lent itself to creating this painting – allowing me to take in the current trends in restored cars and produce a scene heavily influenced by my own taste in classic cars.

11x14 oil on canvas

This is the first in a series of three paintings representing different perspectives of a beautiful 1956 Cadillac Eldorado.  For those of you who attended our wedding, this was the car that Brad drove during the ceremony.  Because the photograph beautifully captured such an elegant car, and the fact that the car has such a significant meaning for us, I wanted to do a painting of it.  Based on a photo taken by Jessica Cox

Giclee prices

• 11x14 giclee

  $95

  

18x36 oil on canvas

This is the second in a series of three paintings representing different perspectives of a beautiful 1956 Cadillac Eldorado.  For those of you who attended our wedding, this was the car that Brad drove during the ceremony.  Because the photograph beautifully captured such an elegant car, and the fact that the car has such a significant meaning for us, I wanted to do a painting of it.  Based on a photo taken by Jessica Cox

Giclee prices

• 14x28 giclee

  $195

  



• 18x36 giclee

  $295

  

11x14 oil on canvas

This is the third in a series of three paintings representing different perspectives of a beautiful 1956 Cadillac Eldorado.  For those of you who attended our wedding, this was the car that Brad drove during the ceremony.  Because the photograph beautifully captured such an elegant car, and the fact that the car has such a significant meaning for us, I wanted to do a painting of it.  Based on a photo taken by Jessica Cox

Giclee prices

• 11x14 giclee

  $95

  

24x20 oil on canvas

This painting captures the feel of a typical Southern California summer day. Let's hop into our classic car, and head to Laguna Beach for a drive down Pacific Coast Highway.

This painting was a finalist in the Art-A-Fair poster contest.

11x14 oil on canvas
SOLD

This is a painting of a 1959 Pink Cadillac which I saw at the Viva Las Vegas car show last April.

What better setting to paint this car into than Las Vegas!  I realized that the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign was built in 1959.  Since they were both born in the same year, I had to put them together in the same painting.

The buildings in the background represent the casinos on the Strip.  You'll notice that they are not viewed from this angle.  Instead, I decided to use artistic license to create an interesting composition -- capturing how Las Vegas suddenly pops up after driving through miles of desert.

11x14 oil on canvas
SOLD

This is a beautifully restored Chevy that I saw at the Moon Eyes car show last December.  For its setting, I wanted to re-create a 1950's era gas station.

Do you remember how they used to stack the oil cans for sale?  If you look carefully, you will see them on the right.