Once a common part of the American landscape, trains are increasingly
fading from public view. Though photographs can accurately convey the
details of what, where, and when, sometimes paintings can better convey
the deeper truths of an era.
Collecting more than thirty years of paintings and renderings, Railroads, Art, and American Life
tells the story of rail transportation in America through the life and
works of artist J. Craig Thorpe. Commissioned by companies such as
Amtrak and General Electric, Thorpe's work can be found featured on
items ranging from catalogs to calendars, postcards to posters. His
artwork depicts not only the golden age of train travel but considers
the present and looks forward to a potential future.
Featuring more than 130 color illustrations and combining history,
biography, ethics, and humor, Thorpe's personal story joins with his
paintings to invite the reader to relive the heyday of American rail and
better understand the role of railroads in our society today.
