Buzz
Cars seem to have a unique appeal as canvases for artistic expression, going beyond traditional painting. This list explores vehicles transformed into artworks or quirky personal projects.
10. Nail Polish
Yvonne Millner from Hopkins, South Carolina, chose to revamp her 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage by painting it with nail polish. Starting with a simple smiley face, she now covers the car with intricate designs, patterns, and messages. Spending hours daily on her project, she has used countless bottles of nail polish in various colors, creating a vibrant and one-of-a-kind look for her car, affectionately named Smiley.
9. Postage Stamps
E. Hadley from Casper, Wyoming, owns a unique vehicle that doubles as a mobile stamp collection. His car is adorned with around 10,000 postage stamps from sixty countries. Five individuals spent six weeks meticulously applying the stamps, which were later sealed with varnish to shield them from weather damage.
8. Coins
Ken Burkitt from Ontario, Canada, has transformed multiple vehicles, such as a 1969 Austin Mini Cooper, by covering them with thousands of gold-plated English pennies. To prevent rust or discoloration, each coin was coated with at least eight layers of polyurethane. Burkitt meticulously shapes the coins using a vice to fit every contour of the car's surface.
7. Chocolate
In 2007, a Chinese car company celebrated Valentine’s Day by coating a Volkswagen Beetle with 440 pounds of chocolate. Workers wrapped the car in plastic before applying melted chocolate and adorning it with candy. The chocolate-covered Beetle was showcased outside a grocery store in Shandong province.
6. Sticky Notes
Scott Ableman and a team of coworkers in Washington, D.C., orchestrated an elaborate prank on their colleague, Walt. In under two hours, they blanketed Walt’s Jaguar with 14,000 vibrant sticky notes, leaving only the hood ornament and license plates untouched. Walt embraced the joke, clearing the windshield before driving the decorated car home to share the spectacle with his family.
5. Toy Cars
James Ford, a creative artist from the U.K., transformed a 1981 Ford Capri into an artistic masterpiece named General Carbunkle. Inspired by the General Lee from *The Dukes of Hazzard*, the car is adorned with 3,500 to 4,500 miniature toy vehicles. Many of the toys were donated globally, while Ford acquired 2,000 by posing as a toy store owner at a trade fair.
4. Grass
Brooklyn artist Gene Pool specializes in creating art with grass. He applies adhesive to surfaces, spreads grass seeds, waters them, and waits for the grass to grow, resulting in unique living art. Pool has used this technique on suits, hats, shoes, and briefcases, but his most notable works include two Buick LeSabres and a St. Louis Cardinals bus, both covered in Manhattan Perennial Rye #2.
3. Crystals
Ken Burkitt, previously mentioned in number 8, and his wife Annie, claim the top spot on this list for their stunning 2004 Mini Cooper adorned with over a million authentic Austrian Swarovski crystals. The design features iconic U.S. landmarks and symbols such as the Statue of Liberty, the White House, and Mount Rushmore. Titled “American Icon,” this masterpiece required six months of meticulous handwork by four artists. The crystals, all uniform in size and available in 50 colors to symbolize the 50 states, create a dynamic visual effect as lighting changes throughout the day. Burkitt remarked, “We aimed to craft a tribute to America that captivates the eye. The car’s appearance transforms beautifully with the light, bringing the crystal design to life.”
2. Cigarettes
Carolyn Stapleton from Orlando, Florida, owns the Stink Bug, a Volkswagen Beetle transformed into a mobile anti-smoking campaign. The car is covered in thousands of used cigarettes, with the phrase “kick butt” displayed on the windshield and a skull-and-crossbones design on the hood.
1. Musical Instruments
Harrod Blank designed “Pico de Gallo,” a Volkswagen Beetle adorned with functional musical instruments. The vehicle includes a rooftop stage and a built-in stereo system. It is now showcased at the Art Car World Museum in Arizona. Blank has also applied a similar creative approach to cameras.
