MEDIA: Galvanized sheet steel, fiberglass, wood, and polyester on 1976
Vespa motorscooter. Paint is acrylic lacquer, topcoated with polyurethane
clear coat. Seat is covered with hand-tooled leather, stained and selectively
overpainted with acrylic color.
DIMENSIONS: Length 70" , width 28" , height 42" , weight ~230 lb.
REMARKS: This scooter is an encore to the Dragon Vespa. It is
similarly inspired by old opulently carved carousel animals, like those
solid, magnificent horses with flowing manes, flashing eyes, and jewelled
saddles, that were such a thrill to ride as a child.
This mobile sculpture will also take you anywhere, not just round in
circles. Another plus is the tooled leather saddle, with its wonderful
vegetable-tanned aroma. It creaks oblingingly under your weight. Like the
carousel horses, crafted before the advent of plastics, the coachwork is
built as solidly as possible. The Vespa is again chosen for its steel body.
The head is made of galvanized steel.
The design of tail fins started with sketches:
Then cardboard mock-ups, to get the form.
They are later built of galvanized steel and wood.
The design, comprising flames and nudes, is painted over a silver basecoat.
The artwork is overlaid with translucent burgundy candy apple lacquer. The final color is deep with an inner glow. Highlighted with silver touches, it approaches its final richness.
