University Star

Scott Wade sees a dirty car window as an art canvas.

In his art, the cars need to be covered with a dust like dirt. Living on a dirt road for more than 20 years inspired him to start doing this type of art. He draws on dust-covered rear windows, but did not start improving the art until the summer of 2003.

“I lived on a dirt road. (As kids), we always had dirty cars and would go out to play,” Wade said.

Wade said his paintings are a quick, easy way to have fun. He started by using his fingers to do his drawings and now uses paintbrushes. He first started doing cartoon drawings and now continues to do drawings that gather people’s attention.

“My father was a great amateur cartoonist and I must have picked that up from him, because mostly I would draw funny faces,” Wade said.

Having inspiration is not a problem for any of his drawings.

“I’m constantly inspired. All kinds of things inspire me,” Wade said. “Nature inspires me. People’s space inspires me.”

Robin Wood, Wade’s wife and publicist for the San Marcos Public Library, said people like Wade’s art because no one expects it to be good.

“No one expects a quality piece from dust,” Wood said.

Wood said she thinks the artwork is wonderful. She also looks forward to the driving once a drawing is done on her car. Usually the driving is to a grocery store and to the parking lot of the library, which, understandably, causes people to approach.

“If a person is driving right beside me, they will jump out of their car and take a picture with their cell phone camera,” Wood said.

The dust on the car is important to Wade’s paintings. It has to have the right amount of dust on it.

“I prefer to work on a (dirty car) to where you can’t really see through (the windows) easily,” Wade said.

Wood said her husband’s artwork is not a career at this point. Wade works as a graphical user interface designer when he’s not changing people’s perceptions of art. Wood is involved in her husband’s artwork every step of the way.

“I go to appearances with him. I am a basic assistant (to him),” Wood said.

His hobby is bringing him lots of attention from people and the media. Wade has been featured on CBS’ “The Early Show” and in the past, has been hired to do drawings for companies. Wade is also a musician and is currently designing a play for a theater in Wimberley.

Visit to www.dirtycarart.com for more information about Wade and to see pictures of his dirty car art.