Click Pix to enlarge
" Flash," the real naked,
costumed skater on which
painting was based. I think
he's dressed in photo to
celebrate Lincoln's Birthday.
costumed skater on which
painting was based. I think
he's dressed in photo to
celebrate Lincoln's Birthday.
Dear friends,
Thanks for being so curious about my art. Here are the answers to your questions.
Q. But what are those things you painted?
A. They're called Utility Boxes and are on almost every corner. I guess they have to do with electricity.
Q. Aren't/weren't you worried about the health issues such as sterilization working close to the box?
A. No.
Q. How many days did it take you?
A. A week.
Q. Looks like it's on your block-it that right?
A. Yes. Across from Hooters and the beach. In front of Burger King.
Q. Was it hard cartooning such large characters?
A. I drew them on tracing paper my refrig (which was similar in size). Then traced them onto the Util. box (after
Jack primered it in white for me).
It was very windy and hard to tape drawings and graphite paper down in the wind! It looked like an episode
of I Love Lucy, except not funny.
Paint was exterior house paint, which dried too quickly in hot sun.
Skin formed over open paint cans in seconds! It was hot and there was not a speck of shade after 11 AM.
I had tons of paint and supplies I needed every day, so I secured a parking space on the street next
to Burger King and kept my paint, ladder, supplies in the trunk and left the car there for a week.
Then I walked over every morning with my little foldable rolling cart to haul over jars and jars of fresh water
to clean my brushes, thin my paint and drink.
Q. Was it fun?
A. Tons! Met and chatted with hundreds of people: surfer dudes, tourists, neighborhood dog walkers, hotel
workers, the Burger King workers, fellow artists, and absolutely every drunk in PB. All were very
complimentary over the city's painted util. box program and also liked my memorializing our local naked skater,
"Flash." Every older lady said she was the model for "Granny Gone Wild." Many people said "Thank you for
the art and for making us laugh." That was my "pay."
Q. Did the town hire you to do it?
A. Article in local paper re "looking for artists to volunteer to paint boxes". No pay, got to advertise my website
on the art, plus got $40 for paint supplies.
Q. I'm just curious to know how you got that gig.
A. Wrote to local volunteer who's running program for local Town Council. Submitted design via JPEG for
council's approval. Got approval.
Hondled with them over which box I would get to paint.
Q What's the story with the naked skater?
A. A local beloved eccentric skater called "Flash" who wears a different g-string costume every weekend (see
attached). Waiting for Halloween not necessary.
Q. What about graffiti?
A. The city coats the finished art with three coats of polyurethane boat sealer - which protects the art from
graffiti artists. I have already been graffiti-ed but most of the graffiti artists are more or less respectful and
work their tag into the art rather than defacing the art entirely.
Q. Is there a running theme?
A. It has to be about the beach.
Q.Are they all-in-one cartoons?
A. Mine is the only cartoon. Typical box art are pictures of fish, mermaids, shells etc.
Q.Have you gotten any press coverage yet?
A. No.
Q. Can you paste-on logos of your Blog site?
A. My website is painted on the bottom of my painting and I've already had many Emails from people even
though I only finished Saturday.--
Thanks for being so curious about my art. Here are the answers to your questions.
Q. But what are those things you painted?
A. They're called Utility Boxes and are on almost every corner. I guess they have to do with electricity.
Q. Aren't/weren't you worried about the health issues such as sterilization working close to the box?
A. No.
Q. How many days did it take you?
A. A week.
Q. Looks like it's on your block-it that right?
A. Yes. Across from Hooters and the beach. In front of Burger King.
Q. Was it hard cartooning such large characters?
A. I drew them on tracing paper my refrig (which was similar in size). Then traced them onto the Util. box (after
Jack primered it in white for me).
It was very windy and hard to tape drawings and graphite paper down in the wind! It looked like an episode
of I Love Lucy, except not funny.
Paint was exterior house paint, which dried too quickly in hot sun.
Skin formed over open paint cans in seconds! It was hot and there was not a speck of shade after 11 AM.
I had tons of paint and supplies I needed every day, so I secured a parking space on the street next
to Burger King and kept my paint, ladder, supplies in the trunk and left the car there for a week.
Then I walked over every morning with my little foldable rolling cart to haul over jars and jars of fresh water
to clean my brushes, thin my paint and drink.
Q. Was it fun?
A. Tons! Met and chatted with hundreds of people: surfer dudes, tourists, neighborhood dog walkers, hotel
workers, the Burger King workers, fellow artists, and absolutely every drunk in PB. All were very
complimentary over the city's painted util. box program and also liked my memorializing our local naked skater,
"Flash." Every older lady said she was the model for "Granny Gone Wild." Many people said "Thank you for
the art and for making us laugh." That was my "pay."
Q. Did the town hire you to do it?
A. Article in local paper re "looking for artists to volunteer to paint boxes". No pay, got to advertise my website
on the art, plus got $40 for paint supplies.
Q. I'm just curious to know how you got that gig.
A. Wrote to local volunteer who's running program for local Town Council. Submitted design via JPEG for
council's approval. Got approval.
Hondled with them over which box I would get to paint.
Q What's the story with the naked skater?
A. A local beloved eccentric skater called "Flash" who wears a different g-string costume every weekend (see
attached). Waiting for Halloween not necessary.
Q. What about graffiti?
A. The city coats the finished art with three coats of polyurethane boat sealer - which protects the art from
graffiti artists. I have already been graffiti-ed but most of the graffiti artists are more or less respectful and
work their tag into the art rather than defacing the art entirely.
Q. Is there a running theme?
A. It has to be about the beach.
Q.Are they all-in-one cartoons?
A. Mine is the only cartoon. Typical box art are pictures of fish, mermaids, shells etc.
Q.Have you gotten any press coverage yet?
A. No.
Q. Can you paste-on logos of your Blog site?
A. My website is painted on the bottom of my painting and I've already had many Emails from people even
though I only finished Saturday.--
PUBLIC ART in San Diego, CA