In the right hands, anything can be an tool for art. For Sam Ward, that tool is a power washer. Not your typical art supply, it can usually be found in home improvement stores, and yet, Ward’s results belong in a museum. The Texas-based man uses his power washer to create images on concrete driveways, relying on different nozzles and levels of pressure to get the details and shading in each picture just right.
Ward's adventure in power washing art began as a chore that then turned into a sort of hobby to pass the time during the COVID pandemic. It all started when he bought a box of chalk to keep his kids entertained. After they’d spend the day drawing on their concrete driveway, Ward would clean it up with the power washer.
It turned out to be a tiresome task, which made him only erase a little bit before putting the instrument aside. But before abandoning the task altogether, he noticed something interesting: the power washer was just as good as the chalk at drawing on the ground. Ward tried with a few circles and squares before he got the gist of it. And so, when he picked it up where he had left it the next day, Ward looked forward to drawing something too.
“My entire career, and life for that matter, has been driven by art and design. I have always felt a need to create, starting with a passion for drawing and building with LEGO at a really young age,” Ward explains. “I’ve tended to have a very practical view of art and creativity. In other words, I appreciate art for what it is, but like it better when it serves a purpose.”
Ward's subjects are mostly pop culture icons, like Star Wars‘ AT-AT walkers and Iron Man. Musicians also seem to be a favorite subject of his, as he has depicted Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, and The Grateful Dead logo, as well as the late Taylor Hawkins from Foo Fighters. Ward has also created a cute portrait of the family cat and a touching tribute to 9/11 first responders.
While this isn't his day job, it has gained him a large following on social media due to the intricacy of his creations. “When I’m not working at my ‘real job,' or doing PowerWashingArt, I’m spending time with my two super active sons and my amazingly supportive wife,” Ward shares. “Without their patience and encouragement, I wouldn’t have ever had the time or motivation to continue this odd hobby.”
To stay up to date with his power washing art, follow Ward on TikTok.
Sam Ward of PowerWashingArt uses a power washer to create images on concrete driveways.
Watch on TikTok
He relies on different nozzles and levels of pressure to get the details and shading each picture requires.
Ward's power washing anrt adventure began during the COVID pandemic, when he would clean his driveway.
Watch on TikTok
After noticing the power washer was great for drawing on the driveway, he tried with a few circles and squares before getting the gist of it.
Watch on TikTok
Ward's subjects are mostly pop culture icons and musicians, like Johnny Cash and Tina Turner.
Watch on TikTok
“I’ve tended to have a very practical view of art and creativity. In other words, I appreciate art for what it is, but like it better when it serves a purpose,” he says.
Power Washing Art: Website | Instagram | TikTok
h/t: [Oddity Central]
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