I am an artist, it’s just that currently no one is paying me to be one. The need for new artistic challenges still surges through me. Creating is what keeps me alive. I therefore got to thinking that since I’ve made it to 50 without keeling over, perhaps a new challenge was what I needed…one to remember my past and herald in my future. Yes…that’s the ticket! After 17 years a decision to keep or get rid of the truck had to be made as it was getting costly to maintain. I decided to keep the truck…actually no choice to be made it turns out. HOWEVER, “If I’m keeping the truck,” I said to myself, “then I’m going to have fun with it.” A new rainbow truck for the new century and hopefully a new life.
The truck is the vehicle I need to get me noticed by the art community. After 50 years of living in the shadow of mediocrity I want to make an impact…a lasting positive impact. I don’t know what will happen, I can’t yet imagine what will happen…I HOPE that the attention, the interest, the fascination that the truck elicits will be experienced by some, many, all of the right people who can help me achieve this. People who can enable me to realize my lifelong dream of being…and being recognized as a serious artist and a successful one. And even better would be to be recognized as such while I’m still alive and with both ears intact.
It has been an absolute blast observing people’s reactions as I have painted and driven it over the past year:
- I got to know some neighbors I never met before.
- I park in a Wawa parking lot and strangers buy me coffee.
- People have stopped as I paint and praise the work I’m doing.
- I can see people taking pics of “me” in my rear view mirror.
- Everywhere I go people stop to comment and take pictures and compliment the work.
It is so life affirming to get praise like that everywhere I go. I would LOVE to take it on a long cross country trip and stop all over this great nation and make people smile all the while. To make America smile…what an enviable privilege that would be…and is.
So why did I do this?…well there was no choice…I had to.