Bumper Sticker Update

In May I wrote a post about my bumper sticker series. In summary, the series is intended as an antidote to the typical dogmatic bumper stickers that describe the world in black and white terms and try to convince everyone of their point of view in three words or less. One day I realized that, even if I agreed with the sentiment of these stickers, they made me feel uncomfortable, so I decided to make a series of bumper stickers that didn't have any words and didn't try to convince anybody of anything.

070713e

3" x 10"

limited edition of 5

As I started designing the stickers, I ordered them in editions of five (although the company printing them would often send more than I paid for); and I offered them to friends for free because I couldn't see charging for such a small item and because it felt like a gift to me that someone would want one on their car. To my surprise friends liked them, so, as I ran out of an edition, I would design a new one. Soon I was talking about them with people I just met and offering them stickers for free as well -- it just felt better to give them away than to ask for money.

 062913b-072313a

3" x 10"

limited edition of 6

I also found that I really enjoyed the process of designing the stickers and wanted to make more but figured that I couldn't afford to give an unlimited quantity away so I devised a rule that I'd give anyone one bumper sticker for free but that if they ever wanted a second one, I'd have to charge them $10. I haven't sold many at this point but maybe sometime in the future, when cars are being replaced and people need another one, I'll start making money; I don't know, making money with these stickers isn't really the point but, at the same time, I don't want to go broke giving them away; but at the same time, I enjoy giving them away and if I could afford to give everyone in the US a free bumper sticker, I would. 

 081713a

3" x 10"

limited edition of 6

Secretly, I have a fantasy that this project would start of a movement in which mysterious bumper stickers would suddenly fill our roadways and people would start asking about them. I love how the work causes people to ask questions to which there is no right answer and I love how that starts a dialog.

 090113a

3" x 10"

limited edition of 10

Additionally, I really like the idea of filling our road ways with abstract art. The public roadways are an underutilized canvas for making our world more beautiful and interesting, so I feel that I'm doing something to promote the beautification of our roads as well.

 091213a

3" x 10"

limited edition of 10 or 11

When I first wrote about this work, I didn't offer them for free to the general public because I feared going broke giving them away. But as I've thought more about it, I decided not to worry about that because I can still decide not to give them away if it is costing too much and because my blog isn't so popular that I expect to get hundreds of people asking for them. So I'm now offering them to the general public with the caveat that if you ever need a second one, I'll have to charge you $10; and I'm only offering them to people with US addresses. Just email me your address and I'll send you one. I'll post images of new ones on this blog, and if I need to change the rules for distributing them, I'll state them here as well. Regardless, I hope that making them available more widely will give me a reason to design more (if enough people express interest in them).

 100413a

3" x 10"

limited edition of 10 or 11

As of January 14, 2014, I still have two copies

I have to say, it is fun to be somewhere and see one of my stickers, especially if I don't know whose car it is. I have been asked a number of times why I don't sign the work or leave some kind of indication where they come from and I have responded that self promotion isn't the point, the bumper stickers shouldn't have any words on them and I really like the idea that they are mysterious -- that if someone is interested in them they have to ask the car's owner about it. I also like to hear stories about these interactions. That is far more satisfying than putting my name on them (which would answer questions and cause them to be easily dismissed as merely self-promotional).

120213b

3" x 10"

limited edition of 11
As of January 14, 2014, I still have eight copies

So if you want one, and you have a US address, let me know which one you want and I'll send it to you (only the last two are currently available, I'll post more as I design more). Though I might not get rich giving them away, it makes me happy and makes my driving experience more fun, so I'll do it as long as I can afford it.