
I was contracted by the CVB to design and paint the shoe sponsored by General Petroleum, Inc., a wholesale lubricant distributor located here in Fort Wayne. The shoes are constructed of plaster and are eventually bolted to a wood base. They're pretty light and easy to move around, thank goodness.
After visiting GPI's web site, I thought it might be fun to use a racing theme. I needed to incorporate several logos, so it seemed fitting. What you can't see in the photo is the Mobil 1 logo on the toe of the shoe, and "General Petroleum" — a cartoon character painted on the back. After presenting the initial design, I had to make a small revise, and then I was ready to begin painting. The shoe was delivered with a design already painted on it, so I had to prime it before I could even put on the first coat of paint. The checks and Pegasus where projected on to the sides, sketched on and then painted with exterior enamel paints. I also included a design on the sole of the shoe and on the base (in reverse) to make it appear as though it had stepped in oil. The folks at GPI loved it.
It's been fun to watch the reactions of visitors to Headwaters. They often stop and point out details, and pose for photos with the shoes. It's been a long time since I've done a project like this one, and it felt good to do something that will benefit Fort Wayne. You might say that we're a city with a whole lot of sole.