1982 VW Camper Van 'Tortue'

1982 VW Camper Van 'Tortue'orig. watercolor, 8x10in approx (matted to fit 11x14in frame)
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Today's feature is this 1982 VW Camper Van 'Tortue'. 

I painted it on location this summer during St. Andrews' annual VW camper van meet called 'gathering of friends'. I painted an orange VW during the same event, you can see the post about it here.

Bummer, I didn't take a proper photo of the painting before I matted and framed it up for sale at our Europa Restaurant. All I can post are those photos you see here. I try and snatch a proper pic once it slows down a bit.

What I liked about this one, was the different colors used. This is the factory original paint job, but as it was produced in Mexico, they used different colors then the Euro market models.

VW had stopped producing the old fashioned kind of VW campers by 1982, except in Mexico the factories still produced, and this was where this baby was born. It belonged to a National Geographic photographer who worked in Mexico. This explains the name 'Tortue', or turtle in english. As the photographer retired, he came back to Canada, bringing the VW with him. He died and his widow looked for a good new home for this 1982 VW Camper Van 'Tortue'. The current owners were looking for a VW and friends connected both parties and the rest is history. The only request of the widow was, that the camper be held in honors and be not sold for big profit after the family was done with it, but kind of pay-it-forward pass it on to someone new who would lovingly use and tend the sweet camper.

As I was painting, the proud owner came over and told me this story. I hope I got it all right here, as I was painting and focusing on my work. But the story was so unique and lovely, I wanted to share with you all.

I hope it made you smile- surely did make me smile;-)

I'll be here again tomorrow with another painting, hope you can pop on over;-) thanks for stopping by!

Simone