Food Truck Challenge Results

It was really hard to choose the winners of the Food Truck Painting challenge, because you reported on so many fun adventures and tasty treats. Many of you dealt with weather challenges like unusual heat, blazing sun, or strong wind, or you had to deal with elusive trucks or vehicles blocking your view.

The limited palettes seemed to serve everyone well. Every painting captures a good mix of graphic design, setting, and time of day.

The Grand Prize Winner is Greg Preslicka. Greg went out painting with his daughter Leah. 

He says, "It seemed like an easy task to find a food truck on a hot Friday night. We drove to Minneapolis to all the spots we thought would have one without any luck. In Minnesota we have a lot of Brew Pubs that are not allowed to sell food on premise but have food trucks outside for their patrons. That is where we found this one, outside Able Brewing." 

"While painting it a gentleman who was working in the truck approached Leah and me to see what we were painting. He was honored to have his truck in our pictures and offered us food free of charge. We ordered a basket of fries and finished our paintings. It was a good night painting with family and good food. Palette: Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre, Paynes Grey and white."

Following are the five Finalists, starting with Steve Monske, who showed incredible persistence.

Steve Monske

"I had a semi truck park in front of this entire motif. Last week when I went back to this mobile restaurant it was closed. I started another painting in a different village of a vintage 60's box truck conversion. Then a large pickup parked for 2 hours blocking my view. After the pickup left,..the vintage 60's box truck conversion left early. So I waited a week for the next farmers market, and finish the vintage 60's box truck." 

"But my best laid plans were not to be. Two pickup trucks, both with boat trailers were parked where the 60's box food truck normally parks. Trailers were empty, fisherman were gone, so I scraped that painting. Today was the charm, weather was good, no semi trucks to deal with, and the place was open! Gouache, Aliz, Cobalt bl, Lemon Yel, White"

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Nathan Hicks
"Ice cream truck painted outside Smyth's Toy Store. Winsor and Newton Designer's gouache -- Cobalt Blue, Ivory Black, Primary Yellow Deep."

"The photo doesn't accurately convey the hideously windy conditions in that car park... If I had a chance again, I would use Lemon Yellow instead of PYD, because it's almost impossible to mix decent greens with that palette."

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The next two finalists were friends who went out together and painted side by side.

Mary Sanche
"Perogy Boyz food truck in Calgary, AB, Canada! Little food truck in the city. Venetian red, naples yellow, payne's gray and white - Winsor and Newton gouache."

"My city has really expanded its herd of food trucks - this one is a good looking vehicle."

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Finnegan Matthews

"Same truck as Mary Sanche outside the Calgary Chinese Cultural Center. The sun was blasting down on us the whole time and I wanted to capture the glare of the sunlight reflecting off the metal siding."

"Jack Richeson Casein, alizarin crimson and cobalt blue over a cadmium yellow light underpainting."
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Ray Geier

"Wibby Brewing on a HOT day, but found some shade in the one empty parking space. That did not please a few people when they drove into the lot, but they were nice when they came by to see what I was doing."

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....and the "Scrumptious Prize" goes to Jeremy Neff. 

Here's his description of one of the chicken dishes served from that red food truck:

"Peruvian Point. Seasonings to reflect that nationality included cilantro rice and chicken with an amazing mustard cheese sauce. The salad was a garden greens salad with home made mustard vinaigrette that took this non vinegar dressing customer to a fan of this dressing. I fell in love and could not stop eating this."

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Thanks to everyone for taking part--great work all. Please email me with your mailing addresses, and I'll send you "Department of Art" patches. 

See the rest of the entries at the official Facebook event page for the Food Truck Painting Challenge.