Dreams airship a reality.
By LESLIE ANNE JONES Special to the Daily Press
Santa Monicans weren’t dreaming this week when a 40,000-square-foot rainbow colored blimp cruised overhead. But for the more than 5,000 kids who painted the world’s largest piece of airborne public art, it was a dream come true.
Originally slated to take off from the Santa Monica Pier on March 30, the launch was delayed because of high winds. It finally took off from Los Angeles and soared overhead throughout the week, passing over Santa Monica for the first time last weekend.
The Soaring Dreams Airship set sail in celebration of innovation and achievement. The brightly decorated mural that adorns it is the product of 72 painting sessions in 50 different towns across California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. All of the art was done by youth through a community volunteer project made possible by Ameriquest Soaring Dreams and Projects of Hope.
The final product took six months, 450 gallons of paint, and a tarp that now weighs approximately 1,400 pounds to make the Soaring Young artists participated in the project from afterschool programs and pediatric facilities. Organizers made an effort to include all children: Telescope brushes were used by children in wheelchairs, shoe brushes were used by children who could not use their hands, and fruit-flavored paintbrushes were utilized by kids who could not use their hands or feet.
The Soaring Dreams Airship can hold up to eight passengers, plus the pilot and co-pilot. It is about seven times the size of the Sistine Chapel, and larger than a professional basketball court. It can fly at up to 58 miles per hour and travel 13 hours without refueling. Since it is a non-rigid airship, if all power were lost, the pilot could descend the airship as if he were flying a balloon, making it one of the safest aircraft around.
Ameriquest Soaring Dreams is the philanthropic organization connected to the Ameriquest Mortgage Company. The purpose of Ameriquest Soaring Dreams is to help foster healthy communities through education and economic opportunity.
Projects of Hope was conceived in 1995 by artist Ed Massey and social entrepreneur Bernie Massey as a creative therapy program for physically disabled and seriously ill youth. Since then, the program expanded to include an array of adults and children. The primary goal since Projects of Hope’s inception has been to inspire individuals through involvement and exposure to unique and high-profile art projects.
The blimp will appear above baseball diamonds and stadiums across the country this summer as an ambassador for the hopes and dreams of children everywhere.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 9, 2005. Read the original PDF.