About the Project
The Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship is the airborne ambassador of the hopes and dreams of children everywhere. Recognized around the world as the largest flying public art project ever created, the Airship is the amazing achievement of America’s children who participated in the soaring dreams airship project created by Portraits of Hope and Ameriquest Mortgage Company. Dedicated to improving the human condition through the arts, Portraits of Hope conceives and develops wonderfully creative national and international projects that merge the healing arts with inspirational public art.
The mission of the project is to encourage children to believe in themselves,
dream big, set ambitious goals for their lives, and achieve the spectacular.
The triumphant culmination of the project is the Ameriquest Soaring Dreams
Airship. The bold and colorful 40,000-square-foot masterpiece is the creation
of more than 5,000 young people in after-school programs and pediatric
care facilities. Ranging in age from 5 to 18, the young Soaring Dreams
artists hand-painted the airship’s incredible mural during more than
70 special Soaring Dreams events held in California, Texas, Arizona and
New Mexico.
Today, their inspiring creation is flying above America on
a nationwide tour, delivering the message that through collaboration, determination,
and hard work, dreams can indeed come true.
Creating the Masterpiece
The Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship Project was conceived at a meeting held around a dining room table in the Los Angeles studio of artist and Portraits of Hope co-founder, Ed Massey. Portraits of Hope and Ameriquest Mortgage Company forged a partnership at that meeting to create the largest airborne public art project the world had ever seen.
The design on the airship was created by Ed Massey, co-founder of Portraits of Hope, one of several programs developed by the Massey Bros., Bernie and Ed. Portraits of Hope works with children and communities around the world creating inspirational, one-of-a-kind public art projects.
The creation of the airship began in Arlington, Texas and was completed on February 5, 2005 in Bakersfield, California.
The painted panels cover 40,000-square-feet, an area five times larger than the Sistine Chapel ceiling and 7 times larger than a professional basketball court.
More than 5,000 children in after-school programs and pediatric care facilities hand-painted the Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship. Each child’s signature is on the artwork.
More than 450 gallons of paint was required to complete the 40,000-square-foot painting. The entire canvas weighs approximately 1,400 pounds.
72 separate painting sessions were required to create the Soaring Dreams painting.
The painting sessions were held in 50 cities in four states: Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.