This Summer, I got to work on the WILDEST commission in my career. I made a bespoke artwork for the ultimate next-level VW ID BUZZ Electric Camper van! Besides the colourful exterior, the interior is just as impressive. With luxury minimalistic finishes and solar panels, this camper is an ideal and fully self-sustainable adventure van.
Since I started using resin as my main medium in 2015, I've had the pleasure of working on some really fun collaborations. From surfboards to swimsuits and poetry, I love the co-creative process of merging skills and talent to materialise unique ideas. So when Matt saw my artwork at SummerHouse and reached out to me in the early Summer of 2023 with his wild idea of an art-wrapped electric Volkswagen camper van, I was on board instantly.
This is the story and process of the Pipedream camper van.
SOME WORDS FROM MY CLIENT.
Pipedream definition: “An unattainable or fanciful hope or scheme”
"In whose opinion? Who’s to say what’s actually possible? Often people may not be able see your vision, and in their eyes your ideas may seem like a Pipe Dream. But how many ‘Pipe Dreams’ have come true, and the nay sayers proven wrong? Who decides what is a dream and what is possible?
As an artist, athlete, entrepreneur - provided you have the talent and work ethic - if you can see an outcome clearly enough, and you know it’s achievable, you have to set about achieving it and block out the noise, until it’s done.
Pipedream Co. is changing the definition. Pipe Dreams are aims beyond the obvious, beyond the perceivable, but not the realistic. By paying attention to every detail and caring deeply about the outcome, an extraordinary result can be achieved. Just at the point where most stop, we continue.
Pipe Dreams are formed with an optimistic mind, rooted in a reality unique to the individual. The person with the talent and vision sets the goal and is the judge of what’s possible. Once it’s achieved, these individuals are the ones we remember, and ultimately change our perception.
Zee captured this essence, and for me the base colours and textures of the artwork provide the picture of effort that goes into solving important problems / challenges. Ironically, the flow of the artwork replicates the effortless nature of solving problems when you can see the outcome so clearly before it’s done. At that point, it simply requires effort to get it over the line. The use of explosive fluorescent neon signifies the intensity of effort we often use to solve these problems."
TEAM WORK & PROBLEM SOLVING
When Matt purchased his brand new Volkswagen ID BUZZ, it was a regular cargo van. So before the creative process began, he first had it converted into a camper by the UK-based Love Campers. At this time, there is still only a handful of converted ID BUZZ campers in the UK, how cool is that?!
Once we talked through the conceptual and visual aspects for the van, it was time to focus on logistics. A collaboration of this size essentially comes down to a list of problem solving and orchestrating the right people for the job.
THE ART & THE PRINT
Of course, I couldn't apply the resin artwork directly onto the van due to the nature of the medium, so we opted for a super high quality vinyl wrap by local a company called Cornish Print. This meant that first of all, we had to work out the dimensions of the paintings. As someone with dyscalculia (numbers dyslexia) this was a challenge; the images ideally would wrap around the vehicle seamlessly and had to be blown up to the massive size of the actual van, while maintaining the colours and crisp details. This is where my partner Anthony came in, he worked out the ratios and told me which size panels to order. He then shot hundreds of images of the original artworks, which he then 'stitched' together digitally to create a seamless high-quality detailed image of the complete wrap.
Due to the elongated shape of the panels, I temporarily changed the layout of my studio. I put two tables together to make one long one, so that I could pour the two 136x50cm panels simultaneously and seamlessly.
I used deep dark blues and various shades of turquoise, light and neon pinks, and some hints of champagne and copper to bring out the submerged textures in a playful yet balanced composition. All while imagining where each section would end up on the van. The process really flowed out of me effortlessly and it was an absolute joy to create. You can watch the PROCESS VIDEO for the "Making Of the Volkswagen camper van" here.
THE WRAP Alex and Frank at Cornish Print were absolutely amazing and patient with working out the final print colours, sizing and wrapping logistics, which were then applied by a highly professional dream team with 20 years of experience (big shoutout to Bogdan & Elena!) over the course of five days. Watching them work together and seeing the van materialise right in front of our eyes was a pretty magical experience.
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THE FINAL REVEAL Finally, after a few months of aligning all the various timelines and creative processes, the Pipedream van rolled out of the Cornish Print car park for its maiden voyage on a late Summer afternoon. We parked her up by Fistral Beach, overlooking the iconic Headland Hotel and Newquay Bay for its final photoshoot.
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I'm super excited to see where the journey leads for Matt, as he's now in the early stages of getting his brand off the ground. You can follow it here. I can't thank him enough for this insane opportunity, the amazing team at Cornish Print and Anthony for his photography and video skills - and of course you guys for all the love on social media so far! Go and check out my latest process & reveal videos of this collaboration on Instagram. Don't forget to enter my competition of The Making Of video for a chance to win a £250 gift card or 1 of 4 limited edition prints! Speak soon.
x Zee
