Shirts, Prizes, Artists, and Kickstarters.

Here’s a look at what you get if you pledge $50 for my kickstarter project, Pakistani Cargo Truck Initiative.  At this pledge tier, not only do you get the Postcards, the Bumper Sticker, and the handmade 11” x 17” Woodblock print by the Print Factory, but you also get the Pakistani Cargo Truck Shirt, printed by our friends at Printosaurus in Kansas City.

You can pretty much pick any color t-shirt, but note that we’ll print white ink on darker fabrics, and black ink on lighter fabrics.  Pitch in $50, and let us know your size, color preference, and where to ship your prizes, and we’ll get the package out as soon as the project goes over the top!  This package goes out free of charge to folks living in the contiguous United States, and for as little as $5 more for shipping internationally.  

I want to take a moment to point out that by supporting this Kickstarter, you’re supporting not just me and my project, but over a dozen artist and craftsmen in Kansas City who are bringing their talents to the many details involved with making this truck a gorgeous piece of art.  Take a look at some of the artists below, who are making this project ROLL.

The Artists:

Brock Deboer & Linda Lighton are local ceramicists, and each of them are involved with many of the ceramic details we have planned for the truck.  One of the little known facts about Kansas City is that it is a MECCA for ceramic tile and paneling, which can be seen on the crownwork around Kansas City’s historic buildings.  Each of these artists take it to the next level.  Linda Lighton has already produced several pieces for the interior knobs and panels in the truck, and Brock DeBoer will be largely focused on its exterior., a local ceramicist will make ceramic aspects of the back body of the shell of the truck, including panel work.  

Chris Foxworth and Lauren Travers of Printosaurus.  Both founders are friends and artists in Kansas City, and they’ll be handling the printing of our Pakistani Cargo T-Shirts.  These are local hand-made shirts with custom colors that go out as gifts for people who pitch in $50 or more.

Bill Heineken will be making the truck bling, with custom spinners for the wheels.  You heard right, it wouldn’t be Midwest meets Mideast without $PINNER$.  Heineken is a genius with laser production metal fabrication and has worked with starchitects and artists alike. 

Jorge Calvo is an artist whose talents in production cabinetry and woodworking are unrivaled in the midwest.  For our Kickstarter, he’s heavily involved in the production of planking and exterior woodwork, of which there’s quite a bit: The truck’s grill, doors, and bed are all wood intensive.

Jesse McAfee is a local artist, printmaker, and furniture craftsmen.  A few years ago, he and Will Burnip developed The Print Factory, a mobile woodblock printing studio which travels the country giving handmade prints away, and selling custom versions of their Printing Press.  For our Kickstarter, Jesse McAfee will be building a compact printing press which will ride around as cargo in our Pakistani Cargo Truck.  

Kathy Bernard is a local Kansas City glass artist who will create stained-glass-like elements for the top of the cab and cargo bed.  The glass will elegantly illuminate the interior of the vehicle, providing a gorgeous multi-colored display of natural light.  

Will Burnip’s name is synonymous with the printmaking community in Kansas City.  What is lesser known about Burnip is his prowess with wood carving, which makes him perfect for hand-carving the detailed work we’ve envisioned for our truck’s doors.  I attached a photograph of a Cargo-Truck door that I took in Pakistan, which shows just how insane we’re going to get.  

The drawing shows what direction we’re going with this, which is to say, American traditions, meet Pakistani traditions.  

The project also will not be possible without the help of Carla Malone Steck, Donald Ross Scribe, George Rousis, Kayti Doolittle, Maryann Hammond, Travis Petrovich, Randy Steinkamp, Paul Smith, and Daniel Richard Myers, who shot our Kickstarter video, David Fuller, who has been an incredible source of help in the shop, designing everything from mailouts to the new pctinitative website, and Tex who built the website for my new portfolio.

So NOW that we’re starting to scratch the surface of what’s going into this project, I hope you can help, either financially, physically, or both!  This project will help jumpstart not just me and my project, but will bring everybody up with us, too.  That’s the idea, the genesis.  Join us.  Visit the Kickstarter for the PCT!

The print factory for the pcti photo shoot