Art on Wheels

On a memorable day in 1981, Harrod Blank pulled into his high school parking lot in Santa Cruz, Calif., with his white Volkswagen Beetle sporting a new look.

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That act of expression catapulted Blank into a whole new identity. His status at school changed from uncool to ultrahip overnight, and the transformation spurred him to continue modifying his basic transportation.

“That encouraged me to do more far-out things, like putting a shot-up TV on the top,” says Blank, 44. Now a filmmaker and author in Berkeley, Calif., he went on to become a creative guru to dozens of other car-decorating enthusiasts coast-to-coast—people who proudly consider themselves “art car” artists.

“People are in love with their cars,” Blank says. “A real affection develops, especially if they’ve had it for a long time. It becomes part of their life, part of their identity. It’s intertwined in who they are. Making an art car out of it has become a way of giving an old car new life.”

Beyond paint
Car artists frequently go to outrageous extremes to turn their automobiles into one-of-a-kind works of self-expression. They come from every region of the country, says Blank, who adds that turning an auto into an art car is more involved than simply applying some paint.

“Painting on a car is one thing,” he says. “Driving what you’ve painted takes it onto a whole other level. Suddenly the driver becomes part of the performance. It is very similar to the effects of a bumper sticker, only much more dramatic, because there’s a little more ‘distance’ between a manufactured bumper sticker slogan and the driver.”

Blank, the son of artist parents, has produced, written and directed two films on art cars (Wild Wheels in 1992 and the new Automorphosis), written two books on the subject, produced a TV special for PBS, hosts several art-car websites and plans to open a museum—Art Car World in Douglas, Ariz.—this fall dedicated to his passion.

In the early 1990s, before there was an Internet to facilitate online communities, Blank canvassed America the old-fashioned way, personally dropping in on 50 U.S. cities to introduce his first movie and book, and to seek out others interested in turning their vehicles into mobile pieces of art. Thanks to his grassroots effort, hundreds of artistically inclined car owners hopped aboard the art-car bandwagon, and the art car became more accepted within the greater world of traditional art.

“As far as I’m concerned, art cars are fun,” says John Cavaliero, owner of the Cavaliero Fine Arts gallery in New York. “Everything that’s done in the name of art is valid and is a legitimate expression.”

Inspiration and admiration
Emily Duffy, 49, a folk artist from El Cerrito, Calif., with a background in fashion design, cites Blank as her inspiration. She turned her 1984 Nissan Sentra into a traveling tribute to artist Piet Mondrian by covering her car with the Dutch painter’s trademark bright, bold rectangles. “I wouldn’t have done art cars if not for Harrod,” Duffy says. “He feels art car artists need to be respected and treated like any other artist. He’s the guru.”

As you might imagine, unusual things sometimes happen to art car owners. Duffy once returned to her parked art car to find a $100 bill placed under the windshield wiper—an unsolicited gift in admiration for her creation.

Trial and error with prepping, paints, lacquers, adherents and other tools of the trade are par for the course for the car artist. Tim McNally, a graphic arts student at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., put hundreds of hours over several years into his Plaidmobile—an ’85 Buick Skylark—before he was satisfied with his creation. “I ended up using different kinds of products and spray-on lacquers, and they weren’t compatible,” says McNally, 46. “I learned the hard way about what to use.

“I’m Irish,” he adds. “People look at the Plaidmobile and ask if it’s the ‘official McNally tartan.’ I say, ‘No, it’s generic.’ Someone once asked, ‘Clan Generic? Where are they from?’” Jeff Lockheed, 53, owner of the Venice Cafe, a restaurant and bar in St. Louis, started painting art cars in 1985. He cites the total commitment required for “living” your art car.

“Every time you get out in it, it’s a parade,” Lockheed says. “People want to talk to you. That’s the beauty of it. You go to the drugstore and come out and have to answer umpteen questions. I like it.”

Blank offers one final challenge. “Take a paintbrush to your old car and see how it feels. You’ll reveal a lot about yourself.”

Alan Ross is a writer based in Columbia, Tenn.

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Here are some of the current comments about this article. To read more or post your own comments, visit our message boards.

7/15/07 10:04 AM

gillettedale wrote:

I really can't believe that anyone could consider this art. Anyone can glue things to cars. All these people are doing is messing up some good old classics.

7/16/07 4:22 PM

BUGEYE wrote:

I think art cars are a wonderful expression of Art. If you have ever been to an art car parade you might agree. How many "Smiles per gallon" does your car get?

Most art cars are not made from classics. Old VW Bugs & Buses are used a lot. A lot of art cars would be in the junk yard if their owner hadn't decorated them for the enjoyment of others.

Dave in Kansas

7/16/07 4:53 PM

Timcnally wrote:

Just because "anyone can" glue things to a car, or whatever, doesn't mean it's not an art form - the car being a blank canvas. (Not to be confused with Harrod Blank). Ha... Objects can be carefully chosen and arranged as a sculptural "collage."

And, just because you may not like it, doesn't mean it's then "not art." I've heard some say that "anyone" could throw paint at a canvas like Jackson Pollack (the famous abstract expressionist artist). What I say to a person like this is: Well, you didn't make that painting, and he did! And by gosh, his paintings sell for millions of dollars, are in many big museums, and some people in fact, like them!

I think some people are just too close-minded and critical of things that are different.

Tim McNally
(who "ruined" a perfectly good 1985 Buick SkyHawk, Ha, Ha!)
and who is currently defacing a "classic" 2005 Honda Civic!

7/16/07 9:33 PM

Yaz wrote:

Hooray for the article on art cars! (Although you have Harrod's movie title wrong--it's "Wild Wheels" not "Wild Tracks") I have a car I've painted w/ cartoons about my iguanas + I've glued hundreds of plastic lizards to it. Seeing as I'm a new vet tech who plans to work in iguana rescue someday, I welcome the conversation it produces. At a filling station, a little boy once even gave me his plastic lizard for the car!

To me, it's a wonderful means of self-expression (I didn't drive prior to purchasing my '94 Toyota in '02--I only bought a car so I could decorate it!) and meeting folks wherever you go.

Thanks for the spotlight, Harrod (and so many others) are American originals!

7/20/07 9:54 PM

650AM wrote:

I enjoyed the article and the cars shown. Just one correction, though. Dave McNally's "Plaidmobile" is a Buick SkyHawk, not a Buick Skylark. They are two completely different models. Dave's car, aside from the plaid, of course, reminds me of the dark red '84 SkyHawk I owned, bought new with money saved up from my first job out of college.

7/21/07 10:44 AM

Timcnally wrote:

I should know that the Plaidmobile is indeed a 1985 Buick SkyHawk, since I am TIM McNally and it has been my car for about 16 years. I started painting it plaid in 1995. It had 34,000 miles when I bought it used in '91 for $2,000. It now has over 200,000 miles on it and is on its second engine and transmission (manual 4 speed). It is registered with the NJ State Motor Vehicle Commision as being the color "Plaid".

DAVE Major is the Dave in the article. Dave McNally was a pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles '62-'74 (retired with the Monteal Expos in '75). Sometimes there are little mix-ups in communication. It's fine and understandable.

However, from experience, I have noticed that reporters, no how much you make it clear to them, about what the facts are, have their own ideas about what is true. The Buick Skylark is better known I think, so perhaps assumptions are made ("It must be a Skylark, because whoever heard of a SkyHawk").

Likewise, Emily Duffy did not create the MondrianMobile as a tribute to Mondrian. She created it to poke fun at him and her art school professors; to make fun of "the cold unemotional, sterile, high-art, male, intellectual snobbery" she was experiencing at art school. (-Emily Duffy in Harrod Blank's book "Art Cars: the cars artists, the obsession, the craft") She says that it's kind of funny that most people think it's a tribute to Mondrian.

Anyway, mistakes and all, I'm glad so many appear to have enjoyed the art cars article.

7/21/07 8:39 PM

timklein wrote:

For those interested in seeing art cars in person, check this web site for an art car event near you!
http://www.artcarcalendar.com

Tim Klein
Dallas, Texas
http://www.yarncar.com

7/23/07 1:35 PM

pstagg123 wrote:

Houston has the world’s oldest and largest Art Car Parade, sponsored by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. There is also an Art Car Museum. Check out their web sites at http://www.orangeshow.org/artcar.html and http://www.artcarmuseum.com.

7/26/07 12:10 AM

TheNetworkGirl wrote:

I got myself involved in Art Cars back in 2000 when I hosted my first 'Mutant Vehicle Social' for Art Car artists and Burning Man artists. I had the privilege of meeting Harrod Blank that year and have been amazed ever since with his outstanding achievements.

It was funny today my sister knowing my interest in 'Classic Cars' thought I may be interested in 'Art Cars' too and sent me the link to this article. I laughed and enjoyed sharing that Harrod is a great friend to me, to everyone in the art community and beyond...

Its really cool how far an article can go to reach people...I hope that people read the article and explore this alternate reality of art cars which anyone can participate in on a daily basis just by doing something a little different to their car. Once you get started you will never go back. If you need more inspiration you will need to check out his movies...they are great! There was a sneak preview of Automorphosis a couple weekends ago in Reno and the theater was packed with all ages...kids were laughing adults were in awe.

Note: I bought a 59 Ranchero, "Nameless" with the thoughts of making her into an 'Art Car' but decided she is unique as it is and will save the art car for another project http://59ranchero.blogspot.com/ But I can't wait till I take her on a road trip to Harrod's Art Car World in Douglas, AZ http://artcarworld.org/ where Art Cars go to find a second life and where I will go south of the border for a Margarita too. Long live Art Cars!! Jeanavive - TheNetworkGirl http://www.networkgirl.com
TheNetworkGirl

**sorry for the cross-post.

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