on the road...

www.plaidmobile.com

on the road...

The Plaidmobile first attended a small gathering of other artcars in Montclair NJ in the summer of 1999. It was great to meet other people who were also creating and driving artcars.

I searched for other artcar events and went to Baltimore's ArtScape in 2002. There were more than 60 artcars in attendance, and it was there that I first met filmmaker Harrod Blank, got connected with his artcar agency http://www.artcaragency.com, and was later filmed for a documentary of his that is still in production.

In September of 2002 the Plaidmobile attended the Burning Man festival in Nevada for the first time. 2003 brought the Friendship Festival in Buffalo NY and Ft. Erie Canada, The "Just for Laughs" festival in Montreal, the "Gobsmacked Festival" in Toronto, the "Maude Lewis Folk Festival" in Digby Nova Scotia.

I had so much fun in 2003, in 2004 I decided to bring my car back to ArtScape in Baltimore again, and for the first time with my car, to the huge "Artcar Weekend" event in Houston. Later that year I brought the Plaidmobile back to "Burning Man" in Nevada and to the ArtcarFest in California.

The trip to Nevada and California was a 5 week 8,500 mile road trip where I visited Yosemite National Park, Crater Lake in Oregon, the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the Badlands of South Dakota. I removed the passenger seat and back seat from my car, and made a place in my car to sleep.

at the "Just for Laughs" Comedy Festival

Montreal Canada, July 2003

The "Just for Laughs" Comedy Festival in Montreal Canada invited eight artcars to appear July 10-20, 2003. They included Harrod Blank's "Camera Van" and "Pico de Gallo," Tim Klein's "Yarn Car," Geri Ann Siwek and Steve Karch's "Funomena Mobile Museum and Chevelle from Hell," Dave Major's "Aero Car," David Crow's "Red Stiletto," and Emily Duffy's Mondrian Mobile."

Just for Laughs Festival

Montreal

We started our "work" in the late afternoon, and were there with our cars for five our six hours each evening for ten days. As each night wore on, the huge crowds got rowdier as more alcohol was consumed, and the festive atmosphere overloaded our senses. We did a lot of sightseeing during the days and went out on the town until late at night. It was a lot of fun, although most of us were exhausted by the end of our stay.

night painting in Montreal

photo by Tim Klein

I was working on repainting the hood at the time, and my work here turned into somewhat of a "performance piece."

filmed for television in Montreal

photo by Tim Klein

The "Just for Laughs" Festival was also a big media event and we received international media exposure that included Canada's national network, a network in Ireland, and an internationally broadcast cable program. Some of us were also broadcast on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

ArtScape, Baltimore, July 2004.

photo Sarah Ovenall

ArtcarFest, September 2004

Berkeley CA

Auto Fair

Charlotte NC, April 2005