So last week Friday, February 3rd 2012, I got the chance to drive from Buford Ga to Salley SC for a job for my client Eudora Farms, the traveling Zoo! Mark Nisbet owner and operator of Eurdoa Farms is not your typical guy. He is a man of the animal kingdom and when you meet him or encounter his world, you feel a welcoming to Madagascar. A world of every exotic creature your mind could possibly ponder.
I was actually there to do some high end truck graphic applications to 3 box trucks and 1 eighteen wheeler. A very detailed logo application of some of his most famous animals with a powerful typographical “Eudora Farms” copy across the base footer. A simple but clean design implying everything his show would entail.
There were 4 helping hands and a few dogs to greet me upon arrival. It was nice having the assistance to pull off the vinyl. The hardest part about the installation was removing the current graphics. After all it had several years of sun beating on it so the vinyl was old, dry and cracked. I had to break out the heat gun to get the plastic malleable enough to slowly remove it. I would have showed photos but, the more interesting stuff is to come. The goo gone was not enough to get the remaining adhesive off, so I had to improvise with gasoline. It came off like a charm. I finished prepping the surface with ample amounts of windex and hard whipping to remove any fuel residue. The top grade 3m vinyl applied like a dream and the trucks looked completely official. The guys helping me out totally agreed the imagery was strong.
Once everything was completed, I asked if it would be ok to check out the other folks on campus (eclectic animals). They agreed and I followed the guys and 3 dogs up the dirt path to a wooden entrance entitled “Eudora Farms”. Comming around the ben was an attropolis of enclosures and life like I had never sean. I had seen them in action at the North Georgia Fair and I could tell they were at home here. Pastures of contrast, colors and trees. I could see Zebras, Sheep, Coatamundi, Bamboos, Camels, Giraffes, Porcupines, Goats, Donkeys, and so many more beautiful exotic creatures. The one I noticed most was the Dachshund Weiner dog because my son is a 2 year old Piebald Dachshund.
My drive up to do the installation was about 3.5 hours from my home in Buford GA. When getting close to the actual farm, I noticed a great detail of powerful countryside with history, character and personality… So I had to document the sights along the way. I noticed old western style architecture and a historic 76 filling station. Across the street is what appeared to be a condemned and left abandoned and overgrown hardware store/filling station. The front pillars had lost their shade to the covering that had simply weathered away. The interior flooring was left to fade to shades of grey. An old weathered counter top was the only thing remaining in the building except for debris including an ancient South Carolina rusted license plate. It was a sight that anyone with a heartbeat could feel the history emitting.
When editing the photography I was literally getting chills. The HDR (high dynamic range) results were more powerful then I could ever imagine. Now you too get the opportunity to see what I did and judge for yourself. Click here to see the full gallery and videos! I hope you enjoy!
