Paint Up The Town

[Mister Jellyfish Mister]

Tired of looking at big white RV's on the playa with no artistic direction? Offer to "Pimp their ride" with washable art, decoration, or large poetry. Looking at it this way, we are surrounded by erect canvases and all you would need to bring are paints, brushes, and something to haul them around.

Is it possible that roaving artists and poets would "paint up the town" to be rewarded only by food, liquor, and sex?

[dragonfly Jafe]

we are surrounded by erect canvases and all you would need to bring are paints, brushes, and something to haul them around.

Actually, we are surrounded by expensive vehicles (many of which are rented) that no one in their right mind (granted, sometimes a rarity on the Playa) would let anyone near with a paint brush.

If you want this to have a chance of working, you would also have to provide something to drape over the RV's to paint on. This something furthermore must resist high winds, etc, and be cleaned up properly afterwards. Not an impossibility, but difficult.

Maybe pre-made tapestries to "gift" to the ugliest RV's near your camp....

[GuinivereElise]

Pimp their ride" with washable art, decoration, or large poetry

as long as it can be washed off, I think it's a faboo idea...

[dragonfly Jafe]

I also think it is a great idea. I missed the washable part (selective reading)

Even so, where would this washing occur? Obviously within BRC could be a problem (not unsolvable....). So a car wash on the return trip. No car wash near where I live allows things like excess mud, paint, solvents, etc to be washed off in their facility. I suppose one could do it anyways (especially late at night when no one is around...) Around where I live you are also not allowed to wash such stuff in the streets (drains go to river).

I also question how clean one could get an RV after such painting. It would have to be 100% removeable, without damaging the exterior finish in a recognizeable fashion. I simply would not allow this to be done to any RV I brought to BM (which has yet to happen, but...) unless it was a "BM-only RV".

That is why I suggested pre-made tapestries instead. Roll them up for next year when you leave. Any suggestions for a material that is cheap, strong enough to take 70mph+ winds for a week, yet easily takes and holds paint? Tyvek would be great except for the cost...Perhaps old billboard material?

[AntiM]

Old billboard vinyls are cheap if not free. I don't know how well they take paint, but we've been using them for tarps and more. We also have several where we selectively cut out the graphics: big faces, a christmas cookie village, the word "WATCH." Then we clip them to our trailer, shade structure, whatever, using big spring clamps. So far this has worked well even in high winds.

Sure, this is found art, but we've had fun with it.

And vinyls can be cut with regular scissors and can be stitched on a regular sewing machine. Making a hanging for an RV should be fairly easy. You just need a large area to spread it out to work with, standard size is 14x50 feet.

[dougaldutch]

As a child I used to play with fuzzy felts, shaped bits of felt that could be stuck to the board to make interesting scenarios, especially when you mixed the pieces from different sets up (a phrase, simple things for simple people comes to mind).

Now I know you can buy thin magnetic sheets, which can come blank and you adhere any pattern, image or texture you want to it. So turn the RV into a giant fuzzy felt board with dinosaurs being abused by large furry bananas or a piece of painstaking mosiac art. Easily removed at the end of the burn, leaves no trace and can be used again.

Admittedly it may not last the week depending upon how light fingered people are or how wind resistant it is, its not perfect but it might just work.

DougalD

[Bob]

That was my idea years ago. Art Car Colorforms.

It was meant to sound pathetic, though.

[AntiM]

Make sure you have a vehicle which magnets will adhere to. RVs and many cars are simply plastic or aluminium. I tried to stick words on a friend's car and the hood was the only piece made of metal! Just did not have the desired effect.

My BRC magnet (which I made from a sticker) actually stayed on our jeep through the car wash! Plays hell with the paint finish, all that micro-abrasion under the magnets, I had to take them off eventually.

[Mister Jellyfish Mister]

As a child I used to play with fuzzy felts, shaped bits of felt that could be stuck to the board to make interesting scenarios, especially when you mixed the pieces from different sets up (a phrase, simple things for simple people comes to mind).

Now I know you can buy thin magnetic sheets, which can come blank and you adhere any pattern, image or texture you want to it. So turn the RV into a giant fuzzy felt board with dinosaurs being abused by large furry bananas or a piece of painstaking mosiac art. Easily removed at the end of the burn, leaves no trace and can be used again.

Admittedly it may not last the week depending upon how light fingered people are or how wind resistant it is, its not perfect but it might just work.

DougalD

Hi Lee. How was the London decom??? Good stuff there on the refrigerator art. My youngest duaghter, Bubblegum Girl, is into that felt creativity very much.

Speaking in code: I have replaced "Large Marge" and the new girl is quite something to behold. I'll respond to your great e-mail as soon as I can.

AntiM: That sounds like a great way to use Lee's suggestion and our shared creativity in a way that works for everybody. I love "found art" and webistes like www.cbabuse.com that we discussed elsewhere are just that.

"Every musician is a magpie and a thief" -Elvis Costello