A chocolate-coated car was placed in front of a supermarket in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, on Valentine's Day. This eye catching car was the work of seven employees from a local car company. The car was wrapped in a plastic wrap before being painted with melted chocolate. A total of 200 kg of chocolate was used in its making.
April in UK means that the British Rollover Championships is going on full "tilt". This video is hilarious and when I saw it I knew it would make the art car central "hall of hillarity" (and I am not talking about any presidential candidate in particular) The cars are painted somewhat artistically therefore I think they be included here.
Danny Scheible is the amazing "Tapigami" artist who created an entire city scape using regular masking and painter's tape. I met Danny at Art Car Fest 06 in Berkeley CA, where he came to visit all the cars and was gracious enough to make and give out small versions of what he does. We talked for a while and during that time he created a small city scape that I have in an old 100 CD plastic container to protect it from dust. There is not a lot of mention of him on the net but since we drive art cars through cities, I figured it would be OK to write about him on art car central. Maybe he can do a city scape inside a car!!! Danny you rock and you have inspired me with your art.
Originally the car was painted matt black overall but John got tired of it and in April of 1967, visited J.P. Fallon Limited, a coachworks company located in Chertsey, Surrey. They then commissioned "The Fool" - a Dutch team of gypsy artists, to paint the car "psychedelic" at a cost of £2,000 (or about $4,200 Cdn).
John’s newly painted psychedelic car drew some public outrage when a old woman, in London’s downtown, attacked the car using her umbrella and yelling: "You swine, you swine! How dare you do this to a Rolls-Royce." Obviously, the Rolls-Royce is passionately regarded in England as one of the many symbols of British dignity!
This is one car we won't be seeing in any of the parades, and by far the most expensive and famous art cars that was bought for $2,299,000 in 1985 by Mr. Jim Pattison’s Ripley International Inc. for exhibition at Ripley’s "Believe It Or Not" museum.
John Lennon's car is featured in more detail in this tribute youtube video of him and his Rolls-Royce, with the "Lucy in the sky with diamonds" sound track
Kelly Lyle's house was featured on HGTV and in is one of the most fun and inspired houses I have seen in a long time. Since this is Art Car Central we do have her art car covered in the wild kingdom of wild cats.
Leopard Bernstein is a 1989 Subaru DL wagon. We've travelled to art car events and parades all over the U.S. My vehicle is quite modest compared to the other spectacular sculptured, glued, welded, transformed autos you'll see on these links and in my paintings.
Bernie is covered with hundreds of big cats -- lions, tigers, leopards, and cheetahs. He has welded ears and a tail. Driving an art car is a definite ice-breaker at cocktail parties and a definite deterrant to road rage.
My best comment came from a child - "Look mom, it's a party!"
Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear presents a segment about some really strange cars and compares the pros and cons of each. Ultimately one question remains to be answered in this piece, which one is the fastest on the track. Take a look as a motorized couch, dumpster, shed, and on-road powerboat are put to the test.
Leonard Knight has the spent the last fourteen years working on a project called Salvation Mountain. Its a three story multicolored monument made out of mud, old paint and adobe and surrounded by an encampment of brightly painted vehicles. The theme of his project is the message of the gospel: Gods love for mankind and salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.
The mountain and the message are now renowned and visitors from around the world come to see Knight daily. His work is now on display in the Visionary Folk Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland and has gained much respect from the folk art community.
