‘Roll Me Away’ – Acrylic – 23.5 x 35.5 inch
This painting is about our farewell to the most amazing, clever, enigmatic rebel ever. Gary built this coffin sidecar so it could be towed as well. The idea was that he could take it anywhere and just crash in it if he had had a couple too many beers without having to worry about accommodation or drink driving. Awesome.
He took it on a long road trip, had too many beers, crashed in it… and then it started to rain. The thing wasn’t mentioned again for a month or 4 or 5 and I thought it had died a premature death. Next minute Gary has started a free community service: anyone who wants to be buried by the mayor can be carried out in style in the coffin bike. He was actually quite busy with that!
Then the time came that he wanted to move on from his role as rebel biker mayor of a small Wairarapa town and the service became less popular. Then came the day we all feared… we took him to the pub for the last time and gave him one for the road. We buried him the next day in his coffin sidecar.
Gary McPhee, we salute you. You so could not be missed. Actually, not a day goes by that I don’t miss you so very much my friend.