An art car is a vehicle that has had its appearance modified as an act of personal artistic expression. Tracing origins to the late 1960’s/early 1970’s counterculture and once strongest in Texas and the Southeast, the art car trend has expanded throughout the United States.
As most “Cartists” and enthusiasts are ordinary people with no artistic training and are largely self-taught and self-funded, they operate very much like traditional Folk Artists. Many use their art cars as their primary mode of transportation and to transport their art to and from outdoor shows.
This summer, The Quinlan has its very own art car! Gainesville resident, car enthusiast and all-around great guy Allen McClure came into possession of an interesting vehicle from his friend Ralph Love. Part of the car is a 1973 Pontiac Ventura that following some extensive body damage had a truck bed affixed to the back end. McClure saw the potential and loaned it to the Quinlan to become art.
It will be installed for the duration of the HOMEFOLK exhibition AND as an evolving art piece that the students at Summer Art Camp (Folk Art Funky Town) will use for artistic expression. It will be painted and repainted all summer, constantly changing over the next six weeks, serving as temporary art exhibition as well as to raise awareness about the Summer Art Camp program at the center and the HOMEFOLK art exhibition.
For more information on art cars and to see the Quinlan car evolve, see our Facebook page or website qvac.org.
The Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green Street, N.E. is located in the heart of the historic Green Street district of downtown Gainesville, Georgia. A comprehensive visual arts center operating for almost 70 years the benefit of the Northeast Georgia community, serving nearly 20,000 guests annually, the regular business hours of the Quinlan are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Admission to view the galleries is always free to the public. For more information, please call (770) 536-2575, and for exhibition information and photographs, please view the website at www.qvac.org.
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