My editor, Edgar Reewright, couldn’t restrain himself when I told him last week that my next opus would be another entry in the Art On Wheels series.
“Neil, you’re straining my patience, not to mention your readers’ patience, with your ridiculous Art On Wheels stories!” Edgar shouted into his phone. “Good lord, one episode would have been enough, and yet number seven is in the works. What’s the matter with you? Can’t you think of something else to write about right now instead of trucks and vans that catch your attention? Sorry, fella, but I’m not going to edit this one. You’re on your own with it.”
Edgar paused for a couple of seconds before continuing. “Listen, Neil, I have to end this conversation. I’m about to head out to an appointment with my psychotherapist who, unbelievably and thankfully, is also a proctologist. He’s trying to help me understand why I deal with writers who turn out so much shit, such as you.” Without another word, he hung up.
Eh, screw Edgar! He’s a philistine. As far as I’m concerned there’s nothing wrong with spending some time now and then in search of snazzily-adorned motor vehicles. It gets me out of the house. It helps me pay attention to what’s going on around me. And it pleases my artsy-fartsy side. I’d rather look at works of art in museums, true. But I’m decently content to gaze at those that rest above axles and wheels.
I used to try to track down in a single day or two all of the good-looking vehicles that I would need for a story. And, by dumb luck or who knows what, I met the goal several times. But I missed the goal for episodes five and six (click here to read number six). And was even farther from it this time around, as I needed four days in January and February 2021 to encounter enough attractive vehicles for this story. What’s more, there were a few more days during those months when, on the prowl, I didn’t find any examples of vehicular art that met my standards or were capturable.
Now, capturable is a key point. Generally I locate my victims in the parking areas of supermarkets, strip malls and other businesses. And occasionally I run across them on residential streets. Usually they are making deliveries or service calls, so getting close to them and taking their portraits at those times is a relative snap.
However, sometimes things don’t work out. On more than one recent occasion, for example, I spotted fine specimens in parking lots that I was walking or driving around in, but they were pulling out and too far away for me to photograph. And, needless to say, I often see beauties on the road while I’m on the road. No way, though, that this ol’ boy is going to try and grab their pictures when he’s behind the wheel. If I were dumb enough to give that a go, I’d pretty much guarantee myself an ambulance ride to the nearest hospital emergency room or, even worse, a journey in a hearse!
I like the designs on all of the vehicles that illustrate this essay, some more than others. Big-Lil Heads is cooler than cool. Have green, orange, white and black ever looked better together than they do on that bus? And the Target truck’s design, so goofily minimalistic, is irresistible to me. I’ve never owned a dog, but if the Target dog should become available for adoption, I’ll be first in line to fill out the required papers.
Still, as much as those two ring my chimes, neither is my favorite. I have to give the nod to the W.B. Mason vehicle. The Mason design is, to me, perfection. Bright, solid and beautifully balanced, it is impossible to ignore and easy to love. W. B. Mason, as is noted on the truck, was founded in 1898. Based in Brockton, Massachusetts for its entire life, the company distributes office and janitorial supplies, and numerous other products, throughout the USA. Whenever I see a Mason truck I find myself attracted to it like a magnet. But I normally spot them when they are in motion, not when I can have a good long look at them. February 24, 2021, then, was my lucky day, because on that date a W. B. Mason truck was sitting quietly in the parking lot that surrounds the Wawa food market in my suburban Philadelphia town.
Yes, the W. B. Mason truck is number one in my book, followed, respectively, by the Big-Lil Heads and Target vehicles. I’d be happy to learn which of the artworks on this page you think are the best. Thanks for reading, girls and boys. Goodbye till next time!
Target and W.B. Mason are joint winners in my opinion.
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Hi there, Peggy. Good to hear from you. Thanks for voting!
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I like the Target best!
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Target did a fine job with that truck. It’s very appealing.
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Edgar has a proctherapist? Is that more of a fartsy thing or an artsy thing? 😉
I like the Target truck, too.
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Definitely more of a fartsy thing.
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Target’s my choice!
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Everybody so far likes Target. Hi, Audrey. Thanks for voting.
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It’s that goofy looking cute dog.
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Target is getting a lot of things right these days. I agree and love the simplicity and sheer fun of its design.
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Hi. Target is on target!
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Neil, as a journalist I encountered some who would literally chase ambulances … this image came to mind as you’re chasing lorries down the road to snap a photo! Glad you’re not doing this whilst behind the wheel! I like the Big Lil best … is it an actual pub inside or are they delivering for a chain? Silly question probably but everything else seems to be miniaturised to fit in vans and lorries I thought this might be the new thing! 😀
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I’m not sure what the deal is with Big Lil. They have a few taverns in the burbs. But I don’t know what they use this vehicle for. Maybe it’s just to advertise the business.
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W.B. Mason reminds me of a circus wagon, so it’s the winner with Big Lil Heads bus coming in second for me.
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For the last two or three years I’ve wanted to get a W. B. Mason truck into one of my stories. I’m glad it finally happened.
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I love ’em all. Because of your great stories I now look out for them too – but they are not nearly as interesting here in Britain!
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Hi, Basia. Get in touch with Boris Johnson and insist that he do something about that!
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I will, I imagine he has nothing better to do now that he has done!! Brexit, and vaxxed us all!
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Delightful art on wheels Neil 🤓 and I also appreciate your narrative ~ have a joyous day smiles hedy ☺️💫
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Afternoon, Hedy. Glad you like this piece. Have an excellent rest of the week!
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I wish they were s much fun in Costa Rica….nothing worth chasing here!
Target for me.
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Target has gotten a bunch of votes. Who can resist that dog?!
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I like the big, yellow, gaudy W.B. Mason truck. Very old-timey, and appropriate.
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Every time I see a Mason truck on the road, which isn’t too often, I can barely take my eyes off of it.
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As the Grateful Dead advised, Keep on Truckin’!
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An excellent piece of advice.
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Big lil heads and Target are my favorites but l enjoy seeing them all. Keep up the good photography!
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Big Lil was parked a short ways north of the Giant supermarket, on the way to Hatboro. It’s probably still there.
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Hi Neil,
I vote the W. B. Mason as best combination of colours, nice illustration, catches the eye right away.
The Target is best in design and reinforces its brand.
Nice shots!
eden
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Hey, Eden. My wife and I give a bit of business to Target. She was there yesterday, and bought a bunch of stuff.
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I’m with Eden, and I would add typography to the Mason truck’s assets. The Target truck emphasizes the store’s relatability. Both do their job exceedingly well!
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National icons! (maybe)
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When you started this seven cycles ago, these decorated trucks were a rarity. I think you created a trend because they’re all over now.
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I should demand royalties!
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Agree with you about W. B. Mason, much as I dislike their marketing in general.
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I’m not positive, but I think they advertise on Phillies broadcasts.
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The W. B. Mason truck has the looks of circus vehicle about it; those same bright primary colours. A nice one!
By contrast, I made a dash in the rain to collect daffodils from the garden and spent a pleasant half hour photographing them today. The weather is miserable, with worse to come overnight, so it was spent indoors – my bum is widening from all the sitting down.
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The predicted high for tomorrow where I live is 70 F (21 C) — my wife and I will be going to dinner at a nearby restaurant (we’ll be eating outdoors there).
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I cant wait to go out to dinner again. The last time was march 13th last year, justbefore the rde closed in oland and we had to come racing home.
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How lovely to be going out for a meal, even if outdoors. Have a good time – and forget about the trucks for one evening and concentrate on hour meal and your good company!
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It’ll be fun. I’m looking forward to it a lot.
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I’m going to have to with Target and W.B. Mason, too. Running with the pack. 😉
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Two good choices!
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I go with the green! Nice story, nice pix!
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Greetings. Big Lil for sure is an eye-catcher. And it has the correct color scheme for St. Patrick’s Day. See ya!
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Hi, Neil. I like the Target one best (no surprise as an animal lover), but they’re all pretty nice. 🙂
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Afternoon, Jennifer. I had lunch with friends in a beautiful park today, in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill section. This park is a favorite with dog owners. Saw lots of dogs there today, including a Bassett hound.
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Sounds lovely!
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Is dairy pure….. an oxymoron? It’s a sad commentary whenever I see the stars and stripes or an eagle clutching something, I reflexively flinch. Ya never know what you’re gonna get, these days and times in the good old USA. What point of the Philadelphia compass are you? I have a good friend who moved to Philadelphia year and a half ago. Really looking forward to visiting her when the pandemic is “over”, whatever the heck that might mean, who knows. She lives in Mt. Airy.
-Jason
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Mt. Airy is very nice. Loads of trees. Nice old houses. I live about 10 miles from Mt. Airy and about 15 miles from central Philadelphia.
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Here’s the first vote for the Backlund Plumbing truck. They painted all sides of the truck (it’s a rolling advertisement, after all), but mostly I was drawn to the blues-to-white transition, especially for a company dealing with water services. Very clean and appealing. Even if you miss the words as you’re driving by, the big spigot lets you know what they’re all about. I’d hire them on the truck artwork alone.
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Hey there, Dave. I like that vehicle a lot too. They put plenty of thought into creating the design.
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I, too, consider the Mason design the best of the bunch. Target comes in second.
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I think that those two have gotten the most votes so far. They’re real nice.
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Yeah, I’ve seen W.B. Mason trucks around, and like that old-fashioned look. I think that guy should adopt the Target logo, and go as “W. B. Mason & Dog”
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An excellent idea!
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I like the minimalist Target truck although I wouldn’t adopt the dog who was the model – he’s got some kind of eye disease for sure.
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The dog is unusual, but is disease-free!
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The Target dog, definitely. Less is more in this case.
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It’s a loveable truck. They did a great job with a mere three colors.
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It’s WB Mason for me too. As someone else said, it looks as if it should be transporting circus paraphernalia. Nice pics.
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I wonder if the Mason design is similar to the artwork that the company used back in the late 1890s. Maybe so.
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Looks very like it might have been.
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Great finds, Neil! The WB Mason catches my eye because of the vintage appeal, but that Target vehicle is so darn cute!
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Right, those vehicles’ designs are great, and in very different ways.
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Yes, they are very different. Mason is retro and ventures to the edge of clutter, but w/o quite crossing the line. Target is modern and minimalist.
On the other hand, both are playful. Mason plays with the notion that “W.B.” might stand for “Who But” while Target plays with the way dogs enjoy car rides. Both have bright colors. Both are carefully composed, so Mason avoids a cluttered look and Target has the dog facing forward. Maybe those similarities have something to do with the popularity of both images among commenters, including me.
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Hi. I’m very glad that I found those two vehicles. My story would be far less decorative without them!
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Yes!
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Well, I for one enjoy your art on wheels posts! And for some reason, I like the old-fashioned one with the flags advertising WB Mason the best. I’m a sucker for old stuff.
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It’s a beauty. They did a great job designing it.
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I love the dog on the Target truck, it’s a great design and fits well with the logo. But all the photos are nice and your editor, Edgar Reewright, clearly has no clue what he is talking about! 😉
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I might have to start searching for a new editor!
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you gotta follow your obsession, Neil; the Target one works best for me: smart, simple and cheeky 🙂
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I like the way you described it: Smart, simple and cheeky.
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You’d expect a Scot to like the one that had an association with drinking, and, yep, it’s the Big Lil Heads one for me! Sometimes you just have to roll with the stereotype.
I remember once on a tour bus in Dublin passing a pub that was also a guitar shop. Think of that, Neil! A pub. And a guitar shop. Very dangerous combination. Perhaps fortunately I never tracked it down.
Keep these up and to hell with Edgar – I’ve often thought of trying to emulate this series, but frankly lorry and van decorators this side of the Pond aren’t that creative…
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Man, you need to go back to Dublin and find that place!
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Alison won’t let me!
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Hey there Neil, I vote for The Big and Little Heads. “Bottoms up!” Have a great day! Jerry
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I’ll drink to that!
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I picked the same 3 as you. I had an uncle who had one of those vans back when that had murals painted on them. His artwork looked like a giant hamster with a set of antlers.
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That van probably drew a whole lot of attention. It was one of a kind.
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What a curious pasttime. Although I must admit, the Mason truck is pretty captivating. And I liked Big Heads a lot, too. I think you’re on to something here. Keep the series going!
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Howdy, Jeff. This series rears its head every now and then. I’ll probably do part 8 later this year. See ya!
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Dog-deprived soul that I am, I’d give first prize to the Target truck, paws down. But I must say, the minor wit on the WB Mason truck (Who But), which has either escaped me numerous times or is a recent innovation, earned it honorable mention for introducing an opportunity for Welcome Banter.
Glad you don’t let your dopamine-deprived editor get you down, Neil. You’re doing just fine flying (or driving, or walking) free.
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Maybe Who and But really were the guy’s first and middle names!
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Ah, that’s a gold-star observation!
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You have a good eye. Your choices in vehicles is fabulous. Right on fella!
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Thanks, Muriel. By the way, in a short while my wife and I are headed to a restaurant. We’ll be in their outdoor area. We’re able to do this because it’s over 70 degrees F today.
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I like the W.B. Mason truck, too, with Big Lil Heads number two. Both are colorful and distinctive.
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Yesterday afternoon, while driving, I saw a gorgeous truck. It had a beautiful multi-color design. But there was no way I could take its picture.
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That’s funny–W.B. Mason caught my eye immediately too! Probably because the image is so old-timey, making me feel like I went back to the ‘;30s in a time machine (not that they had that kind of advertisement back then of course, but you know what I mean).
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The Mason design is one of my favorites of all-time. There’s just something about it.
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Screw Edgar! lol. Love the “Big-Lil Heads” one the best, though there is something nice with the simplicity of the alarm company van. Well done! – Marty
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I’m glad that somebody (i.e. you) has shown some love for the alarm company van. Hi, Marty. Many thanks for stopping by.
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As you responded before: Target really was on target with this design. I also like the Big-Lil Heads.
Start looking for more art on wheels, Neil!
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You know, while on the road tonight I passed a Target truck going in the opposite direction. Its design was different than the one I photographed. There wasn’t a dog on it.
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I hope you will see it parked at some point so you can take a photo and share it with us. 🙂
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W. B. Mason’s design is a standout–and they’re the “official office supplier” of the Phillies! What’s not to love??
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Very true. And baseball season is almost here. The season starts in less than three weeks.
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I agree, the W.B. Mason truck was the best of the lot. You got a great collection here!
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The Mason design is so well done. They really nailed it.
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Very nice! If the world could exit for another 50 years, you cold have an invaluable mobile museum. 👌👍
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Thanks, AOC. Enjoy the weekend. Don’t forget to set your clocks one hour ahead, because daylight savings time is about to start. See you.
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Thank you Neil. You too!
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I think it’s the Big-Lil Heads for me.
I’ve just thought, back in 1996, my wife, Sandy, had a job publicising the Year of the Visual Arts—a huge project responsible for commissioning and promoting many arts projects (big and small) across the north of England. Perhaps the most famous is the Angel of the North, a towering, aeroplane-like statue of an angel with outstretched wings, built from industrial steel. But another project was “Art on Trucks”, where a trucking company turned their vehicles over to a number of different artists to paint. The results turned the roads into a moving art gallery for many months.
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I’d have liked to have seen that. It must have been beautiful. Every year should be the Year Of The Visual Arts.
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Yay! Art on Wheels–I love the Art on Wheels segments! The green truck with the “Big n Lil Heads” makes me happy. I love those faces!
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That vehicle for sure has a lot of pizzazz. Someone in a fairly high state of inebriation probably painted it!
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Hey Neil. Good to see you out walking around and looking at things. The Target truck is cute, clever and eye-catching, but W.B. Mason is my favorite too. It is bright, beautiful and has a nostalgic look. Even though W.B Mason is a Massachusetts company, the Phillies sponsorship logo shows a local touch of class.
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You know, I hadn’t noticed the Phillies logo. Call me Mr. Observant.
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And to think I haven’t even been to Target in the past year. Wow! I need to get out a little more. I’m attracted to simple.
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I just took a look via google to find out how many states Target is in. All 50, and DC too.
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Big Lil Heads caught my attention! Wow! Is this a private RV or advertising for a pub? Both? Great observations, despite what your editor thinks!
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Hi. Big Heads is a small chain of bars in my region. As for the green vehicle, I don’t know what it is — probably it’s just for advertising.
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