2008 We The People Biodiesel Artcar

Resurrected from the 2006 Founding Fathers Artcar, the 2008 We The People is the first (and still the only!) biodiesel artcar in the state of Maryland.

To read more about the beginnings of this Artcar as the Founding Fathers Artcar, please click here.

Due to a rear-end accident in June 2008, over 2/3 of the Founding Fathers was completely redesigned, and thus deserved a new name.

One reason it’s called We The People is because this car was very much a collaborative group effort. In brief, the stories on its panels teach how America is “Out of Many One,” and only through uniting as one people can we succeed. Our founders told us that with liberty comes enlightenment, but we lose it if the people themselves are not involved in the process.


New additions to the driver side (above) include Benjamin Banneker (one of our black Founding Fathers), the passenger side (below) now features the Statue of Liberty, and the roof has a new E Pluribus Unum eagle.


The hood (above) is one section that transferred over from the Founding Fathers car mostly undamaged.

The Biodiesel We The People Artists numbered over 10 people at various junctures, with the central crew of seven.

They painted the entire car minus the hood and two front doors (which were transferred from the old Founding Fathers car) in exactly three weeks. The original Founding Fathers Artcar was painted by hand by Bob Hieronimus alone in just under three months. Both cars were painted with a lettering enamel paint called One-Shot, using very small brushes. Learn how to make your own artcar: www.artcars.com.

Below: five people painted the roof in 2 days.

Below, Judy Wolpert and Dr. Bob studying a side panel painted with a map of Washington D.C. and a portrait of Benjamin Banneker. (Judy also worked as an artist and project manager on the Little Help From Our Friends Mural)

Meaghan Harrison did the portraits of Banneker, Deganawida, and started the portrait of Jefferson.

Below: Justin Williams paints Jimi Hendrix, Karly Hansen adds flowers to Jefferson’s garden, and Patch Somerville finishes Thomas Jefferson’s portrait.

Above: Greg McLemore paints the map of Washington.

Thomas Jefferson was largely responsible for saving America from returning to a monarchy after the Revolution. His neo-classical design for his home, Monticello, was the inspiration for many of the buildings in the nation’s capital. “We Are One” was the 1960s Woodstock generation version of “E Pluribus Unum” as Jimi Hendrix jammed out the “Star Spangled Banner” early in the morning in front of the Ft. McHenry flag.

 

LEFT:

The rays in the crown and the torch of the Statue of Liberty are symbols of the enlightenment that comes with the new self-governing structure begun by the young Americans. The Light bus visits Woodstock. Benjamin Banneker was a free black man, self-taught astronomer, surveyor, and almanac printer, hired to lay the boundaries of the District of Columbia. The L’Enfant plan of Washington was possibly based on ancient sacred geometrical measurements reflecting the Golden Ratio.

RIGHT:

The constellation Virgo, symbol of service, is surrounded by 3 first-magnitude stars that are mirrored in what is called the Federal Triangle in DC. The reverse of the Great Seal and the Liberty Bell are both symbols of balance. The eye in the triangle is spirit and the pyramid is matter. The bell is female and the clapper is male, and only together can they create vibration, symbolic of the word of the Creator. The new American republic was heavily influenced by Native Americans, particularly the Iroquois and Cherokee.

BELOW: The Iroquois prophet Deganawida is crowned by an eagle to symbolize the eternal vigilance the people must practice to protect their peaceful union both from without and from leaders that need impeaching. Deganawida taught the Iroquois who later taught the Founding Fathers: ONE arrow breaks easily; MANY together cannot be broken.

Dr. Bob painting symbols of our Native American founding fathers. On We The People we are all ONE.

Invite We The People to be part of your parade or festival: info@21stCenturyRadio.com.