The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

It's rare to take a country walk without seeing them.

Hidden in the grass, hiding behind trees, half in and out of ditches: rusty old decaying trucks peek out, inviting us – pleadingly -- to stop a moment and look.

"Every old truck has a history of service," says Walla Walla watercolor painter Randy Klassen.

"They transported all kinds of material from its base to where it was needed: agricultural products, machinery, lumber, and all kinds of items."

Like people, every truck has its history, but unlike people, trucks can't speak theirs. So Klassen, fascinated by the untold story of abandoned vehicles, went on a journey of painting them.

Who owned the trucks? How many owners have they had? Did children ride in the back, creating lasting memories of life on the farm? What finally happened to result in the trucks being put out to permanent pasture?

And while Klassen does not have the answer to these questions, his paintings give new life to vehicles that thought they had reached the end of theirs. Teasing meaning out of unexpected subject matter, Klassen, who worked in Christian ministry for 45 years, explores the beauty and mystery of life, a beauty that he feels is God's gift to enrich people's lives.

"This beauty is best seen in flowers, sunsets, and mountains, but even the rusting colors of old trucks can bring a smile," Klassen says.

Through September 21, Wenaha Gallery (219 E. Main, Dayton) is featuring an assortment of Klassen's abandoned vehicle paintings. As many of these trucks were painted from local venues, the gallery invites viewers to step in and see if they recognize any from their own country walks.

The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.