Houston Art Car Parade brought creative cars to Downtown Houston
HOUSTON - The Houston Art Car Parade returned on Saturday for a day of beautiful mobile art driving through Downtown Houston.
The Art Car Parade, the largest celebration of art cars, featured nearly 250 cars from artists all over the nation this year. People got to line up on the side of the street and see the cars ride by in amazing designs and decorations. Some even with live music playing in the back.
The parade started at Dallas Street at Bagby Street and headed into Downtown Houston.
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Jonathan Beitler with the Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts says, "Once the parade rolls you have performance, you have artists really showing off their artwork to a huge crowd."
Before and after the show, can enjoy music, and food, and meet the artists to see the cars up close.
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Art car for Grand Marshal Marilyn Oshman
The Grand Marshal for the parade this year was the founder of the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art Marilyn Oshman.
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"She has been a staple in Houston's art community for many decades and she was the impetus for the Houstons art car parade to be founded," Beitler adds.
Rebecca Bass, an art teacher at HISD has made 36 art cars with kids throughout the years, and this year she had help for at least 16.
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Art Car by Rebecca Bass and her students inspired by Stevie Ray Vaughn
"This one of the prettiest ones. The biggest part about doing art cars with kids in a group, is you become fore of a family. It's a real bonding experience," Bass says. "This is a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn. The students come up with the idea, they really love old music."
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Bob Ross inspired art car
Vaughn says she loves seeing the kid's excitement when they see the cars. "I love that. I think that it proves that art is everywhere and it doesn't have to be on a wall in a gallery."
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TxDOT Houston car for the Houston Art Car Parade - Traffic Safety Road Monster.
The Texas Department of Transportation Houston District even entered their first car into the parade names the Traffic Safety Road Monster!
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Another artist, Travis Smith, helped create the art car for Grand Marshal Oshman. "I’ve been doing it since I was a kid." He says creating the cars has given him an outlet and enjoys bringing the art to life for kids to enjoy.
"That's the whole purpose. To enjoy their day, to brighten their day," he said.