August 14, 2009

Art Cars

One of the things I like most about Baltimore is that you never know what you’re going to see when you turn the corner. Today, I was taking a lot of clothes and household things to the Goodwill and saw a man, who was clearly an artist, buying up all of the naked Barbies in the store. When I went back out into the parking lot, it became clear to me who this man was… he is the owner of one of the many art cars you see in Baltimore. art car2

Because Baltimore is home to both the Maryland Institute College of Art and the American Visionary Arts Museum, there are probably more art cars here than in most cities. According to Wikipedia, “An art car is a vehicle that has its appearance modified as an act of personal artistic expression”. Art cars are usually driven by the people who own them. One of our friends has a 1970’s Lincoln Continental, which is about 25 feet long, and he’s painted it with black chalkboard paint and lets people draw on it with chalk.art car1Today’s art car actually had a theme: Adam & Eve in the Garden. There were hundreds of dolls, plastic figures, musical instruments, Mardi Gras beads, thermometers and more stuck on the car. art car 008

It’s certainly not going to win any awards for its gas mileage, but it certainly turns heads. While the artist and I were standing and talking, several cars pulled up and checked out the car.  art car 012Here’s where the Barbies are:art car 015Hundreds of babies and even more Barbies,art car 017Bears, which weren’t more than two inches tall, art car 018 Buttons,art car 020and the Baby Jesus.art car 021This is why I love Baltimore. 

7 comments:

  1. I'm missing Baltimore a little lately. I was born and raised there, but I've been gone for 15 years. Your post is great.....this is what makes this city so weirdly attractive!
    Just found your blog and really enjoy. Thank you:)

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  2. All I can say is "WOW", Hon!!!

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  3. A sight to behold, would love the wide shot. The chalkboard paint- best use yet, inspired. la

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  4. I went to Grad school in Baltimore, so it will always hold a special little place for me as kind of "my city," where I spread my wings on my own.

    My favorite part is the benches that say "America's Greatest City." They make me smile everytime I think of them because only those who really love Baltimore would appreciate them.

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  5. OMG I'm horrified.

    Then again, the Statue of Liberty and the large bottle brush placed at baby Jesus' left foot must mean something, huh?

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  6. Art cars are so fun! Crazy, yes, but fun! There's an annual Art Car Parade in Houston. I miss that!

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  7. the cars are very unique.. actually, i am planning to design my own car as beautiful as this.

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