Sarasota, Florida: Thirty years ago, Sam Campbell ran away from home and moved onto his boat. For 19 years, Sam and his beloved steel trawler would mostly be found in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, but they did make some excursions to the Great Lakes. Along the way, Sam met Susan. It wasn't long before they were married and both enjoying their life at sea.
Eventually, Sam and Susan sold the boat, built a home in Sarasota, and became active landlubbers, volunteering many hours for numerous deserving organizations. Susan's collection of many original art pieces influenced her interest in art, so it was no surprise when she became the coordinator for the first ever "Group Artists Show" at Sarasota's Unity Gallery. Susan realized that art can be found in many environments, so she included the unusual among the other more conventional forms of art. Around this time, she met the artist known as Letterfly. She invited him to bring examples of his remarkable motorhome artwork to enhance the show. Little did Susan and Sam realize, at that time, how wonderful a friendship would develop from that meeting.
Boating still exerted its influence, so it was no surprise when Sam became restless and bought a land "boat," the Fleetwood "American Dream," to see if they would like this new lifestyle. Sam and Susan discovered that motorhoming is a lot like boating. The compact living area still allowed them to take their things with them wherever they went. Five months and 17,000 miles later, they were ready for the next step, and decided to order a '97 American Eagle. At the Fleetwood plant in Decatur, they renewed their acquaintance with the artist Letterfly. They were already familiar with the concept of personally painted murals, so it was easy for them to select an appropriate theme.
These sea lovers knew that an underwater tropical coral reef scene would
be perfect for them. Sam had a very special relationship with the trigger
fish. If no other fish could be caught, Sam could always spear a trigger
fish, a constant source of glee for this couple. Susan jovially crusades
to "Save the trigger fish" and even has a trigger fish as a tattoo. In addition
to the extensive mural for the back of the motorhome, the Jeep Cherokee was
to receive depictions of a fan sponge and a trigger fish. Both of these paintings
were completed at their home in Sarasota in April. During the same time,
Susan, as artwork coordinator, happily included more examples of Letterfly's
motor home artwork in the Second Group Artists Show at Unity.
Why do people love to decorate their motor homes? This lets them show their individuality and gives them a chance to be different from everyone else. A mural transforms the coach and lets it be part of the painting, letting the proud owners become part of the picture. The mural becomes the most prominent feature of the vehicle, and everyone talks about it. People appreciate the works doubly, not just as observers, but as participants. These works are not only an expression of what they believe in, they are also a source of inspiration, comfort and cheer.
This artist has been called mysterious. People are attracted to his art because the artist has done such a good job of transferring his sense of glamour onto the canvas. We believe in what we see, we react to it and talk about it. Art lets us communicate, love and respect our surroundings. To be loved, one must participate in the community, and these expressions of individuality let us communicate. The exchange between the artist and the patron is a sharing of love. The customer's love of his surroundings must be experienced by the artist, so that he can begin the creative process of putting that love into a mural that expresses the patron's love for his community and his fellow man.
The Campbell's stand up for what they believe. They support their friends;
and participate in the spirit of caring, celebration and integrity. This
is, of course, all part of the reality of mural art. With love, the Campbell's
have achieved a personal imprint that touches the heart and soul of the viewer.
Their love is reproduced, for all to see, in mural art, a premium for all
to see. It's all about love.
