When I left the Texas Panhandle to come out to Redford, I was working on a project to develope plain air landscapes called Project Mobile Studio. The Origin of the idea came during the days when I was driving a Tractor/trailer across the U.S.A. I wanted to figure out a way to sustain my acrylic painting in the harsh atmosphere of a dry, windy climate, or any climate for that matter. Through the means of abstraction, I developed a series of languages with the acrylic medium in which I began to apply to ordinary subject matter, revealing a layered, extremely fluid outcome. However, given the fragility of the acrylic medium, it made plain air painting near impossible. Furthermore, the pallet set up, canvas size, and incorporation of multiple application processes made it even more difficult, and nearly impossible.
Usually, my original idea always excedes my financial abilities. At the time the idea was realized, I was driving an Eighteen wheeler and spent ten to twelve hours a day with a view of the world at about twelve to thirteen feet off the ground. This gave me the idea that the fully realized and operation mobile studio would definately have to include a full tractor complete with stretched frame, to house a twentyeight foot box, a complete sleeper, with living quarters, and a sissor lift within the box which would lift the painting pad up to a level of approximatly thirteen foot six inches off the ground, providing a unique perspective on all landscapes. The tractors internal, twentyfour volt, four battery power supply, with included diesel generator would allow the vehicle self sufficiency, as well as enough power to run compressors and water pumping systems. This is just a scratch of the detailed blueprints in which this ultimate mobile painting laboratory would include. The price on that ART dream would be around $1.3 million dollars for complete construction.
This was a huge set back. How does a truck driving artist come up with that kind of money and still eat? Well, my solution is to prove my art. Therefore, I have begun out of the back of a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup, featured in this picture, Project Mobil Studio prototype001. Temporarily, to resolve my need for a hybridized machine, capable of sustaining the life of acrylics, I've switched to oil paints and smaller scale works. In my next post I will tell you a bit more about the plans which are already underway for Project Mobil Studio prototype002acrylictrailer.
Thank you, and stay tuned.
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