Art Cars Invade Northern California

"The Shuttlevan"

Yes, it's that time of year again -- that special season when the vehicles encrusted with bric-a-brac gather to strut their stuff at ArtCar Fest, the self-proclaimed "largest gathering of Art Cars on the West Coast."  But what's an Art Car?

You certainly know one when you see it, but here's the Wikipedia's definition:

An art car is a vehicle that has its appearance modified as an act of personal artistic expression. Art car artists usually drive and own their own work. They are sometimes referred to as "Cartists". Art car artists or owners often dress in a matching motif when displaying their cars. Art cars and car artists come from all walks of life, uphold a wide range of personal philosophies and beliefs and come from all political groups.

An important aspect of art cars and car artists is the general belief that there are no standards. Ideally, there are no super stars nor is any car better than any other. Art cars are unique in that no art car is a "bad" or "wrong" art car.

Holy Kumbaya! Group hug! ArtCar Fest is organized very much in this vein, and over the weekend participants paraded their rides throughout the Bay Area, from Oakland down to Santa Cruz.  Links to additional photos can be found below.

"Sashimi Tabernacle Choir Car "

 

"Hellout"
"Rev. Bill’s Vacation Bible Camp"

LINKS:
ArtCar Fest 2007, Santa Cruz, CA (Flickr set with 250+ photos by Paula Worth)

7th Annual Art Car Exhibition (Flickr photoset with 52 photos by Dill Pixels)

Art Car Fest 2007 (Official website)

Art Car Index (at Artcars.com)

(Photos: Top, "Shuttlevan" by Fetching. Below, "Sashimi" and "Hellout" by Dill Pixels. "Rev. Bill" by Telstar Logistics)

Comments

[Paula Wirth]

(I have all 568 photos up, now, including the fashion show!)

I hope all the art car folks (and photographers) will come join the Flickr Art Car Pool (and add their photos of ArtCar Fest 2007).
http://www.flickr.com/groups/artcars/

[Paula Wirth]

(I have all 568 photos up, now, including the fashion show!)

I hope all the art car folks (and photographers) will come join the Flickr Art Car Pool (and add their photos of ArtCar Fest 2007).
http://www.flickr.com/groups/artcars/

[Paula Wirth]

(I have all 568 photos up, now, including the fashion show!)

I hope all the art car folks (and photographers) will come join the Flickr Art Car Pool (and add their photos of ArtCar Fest 2007).
http://www.flickr.com/groups/artcars/

[Paula Wirth]

(I have all 568 photos up, now, including the fashion show!)

I hope all the art car folks (and photographers) will come join the Flickr Art Car Pool (and add their photos of ArtCar Fest 2007).
http://www.flickr.com/groups/artcars/

[kpli]

Hi..just stopping by to say a Happy New Year...interesting post there, and i've bookmarked this blog too...keep up the good job ;)

[Terry (thecar finder) Bolton]

great blog , its my first time to hear the definition of art cars I didnt think that there is one

thought you can disagree with some thing .

i think that there is a bad artcar but the bad here is not the art its the car>>>> :)

[noclegi Ustka]

Sashimi Tabernacle Choir Car is my favourite one;]