License Plate Design Take-Home Kit

Inspired by the powerful text-based works of Oklahoma-based artist, Edgar Heap of Birds, and his exhibit HONOR SONG at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, this activity transforms a blank license plate into a meaningful art piece by selecting four words that evoke emotion, using stickers to spell them out, and then applying layers of acrylic paint with a brayer. Once the stickers are peeled away, the words remain in white, creating a striking contrast against the painted surface, echoing Heap of Birds’ signature “wall lyrics.”  
 
This is an opportunity to explore Heap of Birds’ use of monotype printing technique, his use of nontraditional materials such as traffic sign aluminum panels, and his dynamic interplay of color, text, and abstraction to reflect on language, identity, and the power of words in visual storytelling. 

This take home kit is generously funded by Kirkpatrick Foundation in collaboration with Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center.