Lawrence Garrison

Before becoming a world-famous artist, Lawrence Vincent Garrison was just a young car enthusiast growing up in San Diego, California. Born in Detroit in 1923, Larry’s family split their time between Michigan and California, but by the late 1930s, they had settled on the West Coast, right as custom cars were taking off. A skilled painter and designer, Larry worked for Coca-Cola painting billboards by hand while still in high school. In 1941, he put his artistic talents to use on his first custom, a sleek 1936 Ford Cabriolet. He gave it a 1939 Ford front end, shaved the running boards, and added a chopped and padded top. Finishing touches included fender skirts, flipper hubcaps, and ripple bumpers. Photo courtesy of Paul Garrison.

Here's a photo of a chopped 1939 Ford Convertible Sedan that Paul Garrison came across as he was going through some of his dad's old photos. Unfortunately, we don't know if this Convertible Sedan was one of Lawrence's builds or just a car he snapped a photo of. What we do know is that in addition to a chopped and padded top, the car has also had the running boards removed. It was dressed up with whitewall tires, flipper hubcaps, skirts, and ripple bumpers! Lawrence had family in Boston, Massachusetts, and after he was discharged from the Marines in 1947, he enrolled at the New England School of Art in Boston, where he studied for three years. Lawrence lived in Quincy, Massachusetts, and he was also a welder. "Dad worked for a company called OJ Kellys that made some kind of aluminum tanks. He would go to art school during the days and weld at night." If you look at the sign behind the car: "Thomas Bishop & Co," a Google search tells us that that is an accountant company in Northampton, Massachusetts. You can also see that there is snow in the photo, so there is a possibility that this might be a San Diego Custom that has made the trek across the country. This could absolutely by Lawrence's own custom. Photo courtesy of Paul Garrison.

Based on a self-penned design, Larry transformed this 1940 Mercury into a sleek, low-slung masterpiece while living in Massachusetts. He channeled the body, sectioned the hood, and chopped the windshield to achieve a streamlined European-inspired look. Full fadeaway fenders, nosed and decked bodywork, and push-button doors added to its elegance, while 1947 Buick bumpers and spun hubcaps gave it a distinctive flair. Larry built the car entirely himself, fabricating parts, stitching the Spanish leather interior, and even installing hydraulic window lifts. His Mercury wasn’t just a showstopper. It was a symbol of how custom culture was spreading across America. Luckily, the car has survived, and today it is currently located in Norway. Photo courtesy of Paul Garrison.

Lawrence Garrison's 1940 Mercury Convertible

Lawrence Vincent Garrison (June 12, 1923 - April 12, 2007) was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 12, 1923. He enlisted in the Marine Corps during World War II, and while serving on Midway Island in the Pacific, fellow Marines paid him to make sketches of them that they could send home. After his discharge from the Marines in 1947, he enrolled in the New England School of Art in Boston, where he studied for three years.

After a short stint driving stock cars, Lawrence moved to San Diego in 1951 and went to work for Rohr Corp. in Chula Vista as a production efficiency expert. Four years later, he opened a studio near Fifth Avenue and Date Street downtown to devote all his time to painting.

Larry Vincent Garrison followed his muse and became a portrait artist, painting couples, families and children. He made his living as an artist, but after several years he felt restricted by the structured nature of portrait work. Encouraged by fellow artist Julian Ritter, Mr. Garrison switched to painting nudes in 1963. He took to the form immediately and spent the next four decades trying to capture the graceful line and subtle tones of the human body. Works by Mr. Garrison, who painted under the name Vincent, are on display at more than 300 galleries around the world.

Aside from being a celebrated artist, Lawrence interests further included sailing, racing cars, building custom cars, travel and photography.

Lawrence Garrison's Cars

Lawrence Garrison's 1936 Ford Convertible
Lawrence Garrison's 1940 Mercury Convertible