[car fanatics]

Chevrolet
Photo credit: Chevrolet
February 14, 2012
By: CF staff

• Renowned artist uses remote control cars to create canvas artworks
  

• Chevrolet Spark mobile art gallery inspires community art groups
  

• Young Creative Chevrolet 2012 registration deadline announced
  

Zurich. Ian Cook like no other fine artist swaps paint brushes for the wheels of radio-control cars (RCs). He also uses his Chevrolet Spark, aka 'SpART', as a moving art gallery when he works with community art groups and artwork in public spaces.

Cook, from Solihull, U.K., transforms a childhood passion for art, toy cars and Chevrolet into a unique style of painting. He dips the cars' tires in acrylic paint to create 'brush strokes' for bespoke contemporary artwork by driving the small vehicles in short bursts over canvas.

"The artwork I produce is defined as a 'PopBang' – a friendly explosion of color exploring themes with vehicles, toys and mass produced objects," said Cook. "It all started when a girlfriend bought me a radio-controlled car as a present. She told me not to take it to my studio and not to get any paint on it, so of course I immediately did both!"

Making art accessible
Ian's diverse 'PopBang' artwork has appeared in shopping centers, at motor-racing circuits, art galleries and has graced the covers of countless magazines beyond the U.K. and in Europe – most recently in Barcelona, Spain. Ian also created one of his 'PopBang' pieces on live television!

An artist in residence at the Heritage Motor Centre motor museum in the U.K., Ian owns more than 100 RCs that create small to large brush effects by 'driving them into acrylic paint'. His favorite RCs include a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro and WTCC Cruze, given to him by Chevrolet racing driver Rob Huff.

"Although I've got a Bachelors' degree in fine art painting, I don't like to conform to rules in art. I think outside the box – I love the idea that art can be produced with a sense of fun, be easily accessible and elicit a reaction from the viewer. All this can be interpreted by using toys in a gallery, at a live event or when people see the 'SpART' on the road."
Ian, who has created more than 250 original car artworks, is not constrained by space or location. His biggest canvas is an eight meter high and 12 meter wide portrait of Lewis Hamilton, displayed by London's famous Tower Bridge in 2008. Cook has also used a 1,000 BHP racing truck and real cars as paint brushes in his work.

"Quirky and unique ideas are powerful and can have an immediate impact whatever the image is, portraits or cars," adds Cook. "People sometimes don't believe artwork is created in certain unorthodox ways – even after watching it being created!"

SpART Attack!
The biggest remote control car in Ian's paint-splattered collection is a road-going Chevrolet Spark affectionately nicknamed 'SpART' to expand the theme.

The urban city car is 'wrapped' in a vinyl covering of his work and looks like one of his radio control cars and used to support his work as a community artist working with schools, colleges and youth groups.
"I am a strong believer that the process of art creation should be accessible to everyone, challenging some of the prevailing elitist ideas about Art. With its vibrant colors and appeal to young people, the SpART instantly connects with anyone who sees it and starts conversations.
"The SpART has gained a global fan club on the internet who follows the car, tweeting its location and also discovering it as a mobile artwork of its own."

Since creating the Camaro Concept at the 2008 London Motor Show — his first artwork for Chevrolet – Ian has created 12 pieces for Chevrolet and over 100 individual artworks using his car-inspired technique. Not one of these pieces has seen a paintbrush!

Ian is a keen supporter (and past U.K. judge) of the pan-European Young Creative Chevrolet art competition that brings together art students across Europe to compete in a series of disciplines, including photography, video, fashion and visual arts. Schools registration deadline for the sixth YCC contest is January 31, 2012.

"I've done many commissions for Chevrolet," concludes Cook. "I've always loved Chevrolet cars, as far back as classic Camaro models. As a car fanatic, the association with Chevrolet is a fantastic duo."

For more information on Young Creative Chevrolet 2012 for schools and creative arts students, please visit http://www.youngcreativechevrolet.eu
Ian's Chevrolet SpART and PopBangColour studio can be followed on Twitter (@Popbangcolour) and Facebook (Popbangcolouriancook).

[The 'Burg]

How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title? How many times are we going to repeat the thread title?

[car fanatics]

Fixed.

[GotMopar?]

I like the artwork and how he creates it. The Spark on the other hand...meh.