I bought my truck just a few days before Christmas of 2015. Now it's been juuuust over 1 year, and I am... not quite as finished working on it as I thought I would be. The Baby is a Tween now - not quite of a marriageable age yet, but growing every day!
Until nearly the end of MAY 2016, the 'mobile studio' was an empty aluminum-body stepvan with nothing in it but a drivers seat and stereo. At that point I finally got that pesky window put in, and over the past 7 months I have, with a lot of help......
xperimented with dozens of iterations of interior layouts in SketchUp and in cardboard models, then created an exact (within 1/8th of an inch) 3D model of the truck in SketchUp.
emoved all non-essential interior fixtures, including the lift-gate style door which made up the entire rear wall of the truck
designed and commissioned a new rear wall with two doors and a drop-down ramp
scavenged and installed two new windows - one in the side, one in the new back door
invited the public to help paint the truck at 2 events: the Street Art Festival, and a smaller event at CreateSpace RVA.
showed the truck at Talk20, RVA Creative Marketplace, and PechKucha Williamsburg
spec'd out a solar power plan with Bert Green of SolarMill, bought most of the necessary components
framed out the interior of the truck in wood to support insulation in the walls, floor, and ceiling, which I then covered in plywood sheathing.
esigned and built custom sliding shelf cabinets to hold up to 600lbs of paint
built secure shleving in the rear for exterior painting supplies and tools
framed and built a locking closet for ladders, scaffolding, extension poles, etc.
In October 2016, I was able to move out of Createspace where I had been storing my equipment and working on the truck. I am officially free of studio rent, and all of my studio supplies and painting equipment are not only stored in the truck, but functional as a work truck! I've painted two murals from the truck, and look forward to finishing off he studio work area (the front half) now that the storage (rear) area is basically complete.
Currently I am still in the process of mounting solar panels on the roof, and have already purchased nearly all of the equipment for the solar system (inverter, charge controller, connector box, etc.) Continual huge ups to SolarMill for the advice and assistance, and also to IPS of VA.
Tis whole process has involved lots of ground-up learning about basic building processes, like framing, insulation, sheathing, layout, woodworking, metalworking, electricity, etc. eyond just making this space a reality, this process is bringing me to a point where I can take a position of guiding people who are just beginning similar pursuits.
I'd like to thank the Cultureworks Grant committee once again for their support of this project - it's my life. f you haven't gotten a chance to see the truck in person yet, I plan on rolling up at various future Richmond events including RVA Makers, MakerFest, and Gather's Maker Talks. Thanks for following along, and also for putting up with the whole creepy growing-my-own-metal-husband thing (◕‿◕✿)
on the job at Gather!
on the job with Sarah!