“You’re driving along in traffic and suddenly a car covered in multicolored swirls of gravel pulls up next to you. Or it may be a truck with plastic cowboys glued all over it, or a Lego-encrusted convertible. You’ve had a close encounter with an art car.” Thus began a feature story I wrote entitled, “Frill ‘er Up,” that was published on the front of the Dallas Morning News’ “Today” section in February 1998. It grew out of a love of art cars that I’ve had ever since attending a unique wedding in Austin, TX in the late ’80s, where the bride and groom were carried away in a car completely covered in mini gold trophies and other miniature gold bric-a-brac. It brought a big smile to my face– I’m sure my mouth dropped open in astonishment as well. I then started noticing more art cars over the next few years– like a Dodge Dart that rolled past one day with a big gold and black Sphinx on its hood. And another car I spotted that was painted up to look like the old Alexander Calder-designed Braniff airplanes. I found out that art cars were a “thing” all across America and in some foreign countries– there’s been an art car show as part of the Freemont Solstice Parade in Seattle; an art car parade in Minnesota, an Art Car Park in Las Vegas and, by the time I wrote about art cars in ’98, their popularity had been gaining in Texas for 15 years. Houston now hosts the largest art car parade in the world each spring, starting with 40 entries in 1988 and growing to more than 270 entries in recent years and 100,000 people lining the parade route. In addition, Houston has a great Art Car Museum that displays art cars, modern art, and other types of cars as well. The two times I’ve been able to attend the Houston Art Car Parade (and one visit to the museum), I’ve enjoyed every minute.
space
I mean, what’s not to love? Traffic, and cars, are such a mundane part of life, and so many cars are so similar when it comes to color and design, that when someone dares to go outside the box and turn their car into rolling, often whimsical, art, and share it, I just want to applaud (or at least honk my horn and give the driver a thumbs up if I see one in traffic). Especially when it’s an old car that has been given new life through art. And/or when it creatively uses “junk” in its decoration that might otherwise get trashed. I’ve seen a car artistically covered in empty Pez dispensers, a station wagon covered in plastic fruit and a van covered in old cameras. The creative reuse ideas are endless. In addition, art car parades and shows, in general, are family friendly. Some car artists even let kids touch their creations as well as look.
space
According to the book “Art Cars: Revolutionary Movement” published in 1997 (and based on what I’ve seen in the Houston parade), an “art car” can be any motor-driven vehicle which an artist alters in such a way as to suit his own aesthetic. This includes motorcycles, advertising vehicles (like the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile) and even glammed up riding lawn mowers. These “altered vehicles” can be further divided into two categories –those that can hold up to weather and actually be driven on a daily basis, and those that are created just to drive in a parade or sit for a few hours in a parking lot show and can’t really last past the day. So, with so many types, there’s definitely “something for everyone” whenever a lot of them are on display at once (I especially like the “daily driving” kind).
space
One more thing about art cars to like, that puts them further into the “reuse/renew/second chance” category: some artists find that spending hours transforming their cars is like therapy, giving them a purpose when they previously felt lost, and sometimes helping them get through grief when they create their masterpiece in honor of a lost loved one. Others have found friendship in the art car community; still others have felt a sense of importance and made new friends as random people stop to admire their cars and ask them questions, when they’re getting gas, putting groceries in their car, etc.
space
Would I ever want to transform one of my own cars like that? Well, first, as you might be able to tell from past posts on this blog, I’m all about fast and easy art/craft projects, and an art car would not be one of those. And I don’t think I’d like all the attention that comes with driving an art car. But– that doesn’t mean I’d shy away from donating an old car to a nonprofit organization that might want to keep it and work their magic on it. For example, every year, high school and junior high art classes enter cars in the Houston Art Car parade (some schools even have “art car clubs”), and how cool would that be to see what one of those groups could come up with?! And, I just happen to have a dark blue minivan with almost 200,000 miles on it, that is just about in need of a new life…
Stay tuned!!
space
Above photo, taken by the author: A Volvo covered in “hair ” at the 2002 Art Car Parade
For a further look at art cars, check out the 1992 documentary, “Wild Wheels,” directed by Harrod Blank, and visit www.artcars.com for lots of photos and even tips on how to create your own art car.