I travel a great deal. In most cities and towns I don't get out and see much. I do my shows and head back to the hotel or I drive to the next town that I'm scheduled to appear in. I know it's kind of pathetic, but not getting "out and about" is a combination of the physical effort (load in/show/load out...usually two times each day) required to do my shows and my desire to stay healthy for my next gig.
But recently I booked my TRASH AND RECYCLE school shows in Sugar Land, Texas (just south of Houston) during the HOUSTON ART CAR PARADE. My shows were sponsored by Keep Sugar Land Beautiful and I discovered that I'd be free over the weekend to go see the parade. I have always been a fan of art cars. Basically they are wild expressions of creativity in the form of some sort of mobile vehicle. This can mean almost anything; cars with recycled toys all over them, cars made to look like other things (guitars, flowers, animals), or cars that are not really even... cars. For me, the common characteristic of an art car seems to be that they make me smile. Don't get me wrong. I love beautiful cars... I think the Tesla is almost perfect just the way it is. I think the BMW Z4 series cars are some of the most beautifully designed and sleek autos on the road. But they are beautiful, art cars make me smile.
Early Saturday morning I left for downtown Houston in search of Art Cars. Because I left so early, I was able to see the cars queuing up for the parade and speak with the artists and take pictures. I took hundreds of pictures! I walked up and down the line of cars along Allen Parkway. I'd smile. I'd see another car and I'd smile some more. At some point in my four hours of looking and watching I realized what I liked about the cars. They were doing what I try to do as Rockin' Eco Hero - Steve Trash; bring a little happiness. I try to teach. I try to entertain, but most days, I'm happy if I can just lift my audiences' spirits a little bit. Art Cars are the artists way of doing EXACTLY the same thing. It's perfectly captured by the bumper of one of the art cars (a colorful spaceship car with helmeted driver) that I saw. Printed across the back were these words; "Laugh, Point, Smile, Wave". That's exactly what art cars do. They elicit happiness from the viewer. That's what I try to do. The cool thing is... right now...just thinking about them is making me smile. Thank you art car artists. :)
