An exhibit of the artwork and artifacts of late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire will be in the Walldog Mural and Sign Art Museum in Pontiac, Illinois, by May, reported the Pontiac Daily Leader.
The show, named the Bob Waldmire Experience, will be made in cooperation with his brother, Buz Waldmire, who has been a primary caretaker of Bob’s estate. Bob Waldmire died of abdominal cancer in 2009.
Liz Vincent, director of the Walldog museum, had some intriguing details about the show:
From home movies to newsletters, Vincent has been helping with research for the purpose of getting to know the personal side of Waldmire. This research will aid in the design and general inspiration of the exhibit.
“We want to get to know Bob, his story and his travels,” Vincent said. “What makes him intriguing for me is his interest in living life on his own terms. He lived on the road and I think there is a lot to be respected about that. He went against the conventions of society and made a living with his art.”
The nearby Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum also has Waldmire’s Volkswagen minivan and his school bus that was converted into living quarters when he lived in Rochester, Illinois, during the summer.
The Walldog museum, which specializes in paying tribute to billboards and murals, is moving into the Old City Hall Shoppes at 321 N. Main St. Meanwhile, the National Society of Gilders is taking over the entire space of the building it shared with the Walldog museum at 217 N. Mill St. Both locations are within two blocks of each other.
Waldmire’s fingerprints can be found in many places on the Mother Road — mainly through his intricate artwork on murals, postcards and prints. Waldmire also served as the indirect inspiration to the Fillmore VW minibus character in the Disney-Pixar “Cars” films.
(Image of Bob Waldmire in 2006 by cobalt123 via Flickr)
I am happy to see a larger and more impressive collection of his work being displayed. The Kingman display was disappointing, it was just a few drawings. I have his Mustangs on Route 66 postcard collection and share his car connection passion.
I had the honor of seeing Mr. Waldmire at the Cozy Dog on Route 66 in 2007, during a road trip with my wife. He was having lunch at the restaurant and his Mustang was parked right outside. I made a decision not to interrupt his lunch with my silly comments as I felt he might be tired of fans walking up to him while he was eating, but I realize now that he might have enjoyed the visit as I am a retired specialized automotive machinist. It would have been a highlight of my life to meet him and hear about his interest in Route 66 and cars. My loss. May God bless Bob.
I missed a golden opportunity more than once. For years I had been driving past the Hackberry store he owned for awhile. I did not know about him then and was not aware it was a Rt 66 historic place. Had I stopped and met him during that time it would have been awesome. After I became familiar with him through EGroup and other Rt 66 sites I realized I had missed an icon.