<< Black Heritage >> (2025)
Location: Stacey's home in Houston, Texas, USA
This hood is a project close to Mary’s heart. The idea came about during a phone call with a good friend of hers from the USA; the two met while traveling together. Since her friend has African roots, the conversation turned to Black Americans who have made a significant impact on the world. They decided then and there to create a hood featuring various African American figures in order to tell their stories and honor their legacies. Both friends immediately set to work, selecting motifs and launching the new project. I have to say, the "Black Heritage" hood has turned into a truly special work of art—one that possesses great depth and brings history to life.
This hood is a project close to Mary’s heart. The idea came about during a phone call with a good friend of hers from the USA; the two met while traveling together. Since her friend has African roots, the conversation turned to Black Americans who have made a significant impact on the world. They decided then and there to create a hood featuring various African American figures in order to tell their stories and honor their legacies. Both friends immediately set to work, selecting motifs and launching the new project. I have to say, the "Black Heritage" hood has turned into a truly special work of art—one that possesses great depth and brings history to life.
Before you get to the photo gallery, we’ll use "Black Heritage" to show you what this kind of work process looks like:
The "birth" of a work of art
I don't know if I'm exaggerating or not... anyway, I'm just comparing it to the "process" all parents know. I know it's not really comparable, but somehow it is... I think! You'll probably see what I mean in a minute, so where does it all begin?
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The decision
It begins with Mary's decision to choose a specific theme she wants to explore artistically. When she tells me about it, it almost sounds like a woman telling a man she wants a child. Well, I'm exaggerating a bit, but it's pretty close! The sparkle in her eyes is incomparable. Almost like a woman who has decided she wants to be a mother. The "act of conception"
Decision made, let's get started! Action is required: motifs need to be found, selected, and prepared. After Mary has made a preliminary selection, we'll choose the final motifs together. Once that's done, we'll begin planning the hood: which motif goes where and how to arrange them. How big should or can the motifs be? Then the drawing and stencil preparation begins. I can almost hear your question...like the act of conception? Yes, that's the moment when the idea, imbued with just as much love, passion, and energy as in the act of love, fertilizes the new project, and everything begins. The pregnancy
The project has been sown, and the magic of creation is underway. Mary draws the designs onto Mylar sheets, at least twice, resulting in three stencils: one each for the background, outlines, and shadows. In some cases, additional stencils are made for colored accents or details. These are then cut out using a stencil cutter (which you can think of a bit like a soldering iron). What does this have to do with being pregnant? Quite simply, the "child" is developing, with the mother experiencing the exact same side effects as during pregnancy. During this time, cravings, joy, lots of love and energy, but also deprivation and all sorts of mood swings are commonplace. These can change at any moment, and in the blink of an eye. The tension is rising
The preparations are complete. Things are about to get exciting, but first, the hood needs to be prepared. That means a few tasks for me. The hood needs to be stripped of unnecessary things, like the grimy soundproofing material on the inside. A few parts will also fall victim to the angle grinder so the hood can be hung more easily later. Then the old paint has to come off, which means the hood will be sanded. Finally, Mary works her magic. She arrives with a whole box of paint cans and stencils and sprays the hood with a primer, then decorates it with different background patterns. So, the preparations for the birth are underway. I call this nesting before we head into the final stretch. The birth
A full program, everything happening somehow simultaneously and yet one after the other. Mary prepares everything: the stencils, the paints, the spray gun, the compressor, water, and much more. I'm sure you'll agree that expectant mothers do the same thing...everything has to be perfectly prepared. The moment has arrived. My darling retreats to the nursery and begins spraying stencil after stencil, paint after paint, plus shading and highlights. Yes, you guessed it. We're in the delivery room. It really is like giving birth! Mary then goes into labor, and with each contraction, a new part of the artwork emerges. Then it's done. The artwork is finished, Mary happy and exhausted. The parallels are unmistakable and, for me, always astonishing and incredibly beautiful. |
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It's done!
It is finished! The burst from Mary's airbrush has been fired and the new artwork is born. Now it's my turn again. The new piece needs a coat of clear varnish, just as a newborn needs some affection and cuddles from its father.
I always find it fascinating when a new car hood is created. That's why I really wanted to take you along and describe this process to you.
Greetings from Augsburg
Felix and Mary
It is finished! The burst from Mary's airbrush has been fired and the new artwork is born. Now it's my turn again. The new piece needs a coat of clear varnish, just as a newborn needs some affection and cuddles from its father.
I always find it fascinating when a new car hood is created. That's why I really wanted to take you along and describe this process to you.
Greetings from Augsburg
Felix and Mary
Finally, a few photos from when Stacey came to visit and we were finally able to finish packing up her car hood to ship it to the States.
