Alicia Morgan
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE —
Terre Haute’s art community will soon be leaving its tracks all over the city. In the spirit of the painted colts fundraiser in 2007, the Swope Art Museum is rolling out mini cars at 7 tonight. Get a sneak peek at the decorated cars during a First Friday event at the Education Center of the museum at Seventh and Ohio streets.
“The colts were so much fun, and we had such a great response from the community. So we thought we wanted to do something similar,” said Brian Whisenhunt, executive director of the Swope. Each of the 24 cars was chosen to represent a business or organization in the Wabash Valley.
The designs are “all very unique and specific … through theme and color,” Whisenhunt said.
The car Baesler’s Market is sponsoring is painted with all sorts of vegetables. Another is completely covered in 6,000 smooth glass pieces “in a variety of different colors. It was such a big process,” said Whisenhunt, who helped glue some of the pieces.
The project is called “Cruising around in Terre Haute.” Organizers came up with the idea from the influences the Indianapolis 500 has on the city. There’s also a great interest in racing and car collecting in the Wabash Valley.
“Terre Haute is car country. We also wanted to do something that is kid-friendly,” Whisenhunt said. Children can sit in the cars and even have their picture taken. “We wanted to make sure it was interactive. We’re also doing a contest, once they’re placed in the community,” he said.
Small colts stickers, in a variety of different colors, will be placed on each car. People can visit each car, record the color of sticker and be entered into a drawing to win one of the leftover colts. There will be entry forms on the Swope’s website and at the museum.
“We have two [colts] that were done for the museum that we still have in our possession. [One is] called ‘Star Gazer’ and it was done by Petra Nyendick, and it’s in the lobby of the museum,” Whisenhunt said.
A combination of professional and community artists designed and completed the cars. West Vigo Middle School art teacher Anna Lee Chalos-McAleese created the Thompson Thrift glass-covered car.
Some designs were the sponsors’ original ideas, but “some sponsors had an artist,” Whisenhunt said, explaining that organizers asked professional artists to come up with some ideas. There are “a couple that are being done by people who paint actual cars. They approached it more from a perspective of car design,” he said.
There was a delay on the arrival of the cars, and artists had a little more than three weeks to complete the project. The time spent on each car varies according to how complex the design is.
“It does take some time even if you’re painting it,” Whisenhunt said. In some cases, sponsors pulled in friends. In other cases, artists worked around the clock, he said.
It’s “a community art project first,” he said. It also raises funds for Swope programs and activities. A sponsorship costs $2,600; for an extra $400, sponsors are allowed to keep the cars.
Whisenhunt explained that after the showing this weekend, a clear coating will be applied to the cars. “They have to be coated, since most of them will be outside in the elements,” he said. “They should be in the community about the middle of the month.”
The intention is that the cars remain on display until early December. “We’re planning on the program lasting through Dec. 3. After that, the sponsors can do what they want with them,” Whisenhunt said.
“Seven or eight aren’t signed up to keep” the cars, he said. “We’re going to be auctioning the ones that aren’t being kept,” although after the sponsors see their cars out in the community, they may change their mind, Whisenhunt said, laughing.
WHAT: Unveiling “Cruising Terre Haute,” an exhibit of mini cars decorated by Wabash Valley artists. Join the sponsors and artists at the museum. Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres, a drink from the cash bar and conversation with friends. Peruse the cars, plus works of art created by students during the Summer Youth Art Program.
WHEN: 7 to 9 p.m. today and 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: The Swope Art Museum’s Education Center.
COST: Free.
HITS THE STREETS: The tentative display date for the cars in the community is Aug. 16.
ON THE NET: For more information on the Swope mini car project visit cruisingaroundinterrehaute.blogspot.com.
}Alicia Morgan can be reached at (812) 231-4298 or
alicia.morgan@tribstar.com.
