The act of repurposing holds a special significance in artist communities, especially these days. Entire Facebook and Instagram pages are filled with people from across the globe posting their transformations online for viewers to share in the satisfaction of witnessing an old bathtub become a pond or a sticker-encrusted dresser become a luxury wardrobe. Clark Whittington had an idea in the late 90s to do just that.
Inside Lambert Tire Co. in Carrollton sits a retired cigarette dispenser – not to sell cigarettes, but to dispense miniature pieces of art from local creatives. The machine: an Art-o-mat. Invented nearly twenty-seven years ago, the pocket art vendor has spread from North Carolina all the way into the southern hemisphere. Today, I want to dive into the story behind this repurposing phenomenon and how its own reflection creativity begets an outlet for more creativity to emerge.
Preserving cigarette vending machines and their iconic style wasn’t actually on Clark’s mind when he took one to his home state of North Carolina and repurposed it to dispense miniature pieces of art. He had wanted to humor a friend trying to quit smoking by creating a way for him to preserve the ritual of having that palm-sized box drop into his hand – without the damaging habit as a return.
No doubt smoking had had its glamor days in American culture. Cigarettes had a certain edgy, artistic aura that nothing else has been quite able to replace. However, Clark’s idea to substitute boxes of cigarettes with boxes or blocks of original art introduced something new while paying tribute to the machine’s original purpose. Incredibly, the invention has been a hit in numerous cities across the country.
Ash Edwards with Lambert Tire Co. reveals that there used to be a large cigarette machine where the Art-o-mat stands today, but once the machines were formally banned in 2010, it was taken away by its tobacco company, leaving a void in Lambert’s front office.
“When I saw one of the Art-o-mats on social media, I knew we had to have one,” Edwards states.
He smiles when detailing how Clark Whittington designed the machine with the tire shop’s services in mind: parts of the colored glass inside the Art-o-mat harken to a brand of spark plugs used by the shop.
“At first, I didn’t even think that the Art-o-Mat would do well in that kind of location,” Whittington admits. The ones that do well tend to be in larger cities and in busy areas. But Edwards assured him that there were plenty of people who would be interested – and he was right.
Since this past May, Edwards has made a few orders of art. If you walk into Lambert Tire Co., you’ll see the twenty-two art block or art box options to choose from. You’ll have to have a special coin, though. If you ask, Edwards will hand you a silver coin stamped with “Kerplunking Culture Since 1997” stamped around someone approaching the machine.
I sampled one of these art pieces myself by inserting the coin and tugging a knob. Sure enough, a block of wood plunked down into the drawer. My treat? A very cute portrait of a calico cat by someone named Imelda. In the spirit of sharing artwork like the Art-o-mat, you can check out her work here.
If you’re an artist, you can certainly apply to partner with Art-o-mat. All the specific guidelines and the artist application are here.
“We need more artists, for sure,” Whittington urges. “We’re looking for strong concepts and skill showing their dedication to whatever they’re doing. We want [customers] to have an experience that’ll stick to them and make their life better.”
Many of the pieces available in Art-o-mats aren’t even blocks. Some are boxes, also wrapped in cellophane for easy dispensing, and filled with trinkets like pins or charms. So no matter what novelty you seek, there’s a special, thoughtful piece waiting for you at your local Art-o-mat.
Check out Carrollton’s Art-o-mat located at Lambert Tire Co. They are open Monday through Friday from 7:15 A. M. to 5:15 P. M. and closed on the weekends.
