Who do you think you are, Vincent VAN Gogh!
HE’s the white van man who turned himself into Vincent van Gogh — by creating masterpieces on the muddy surfaces of his flower delivery vehicle.
Ricky Minns, 42, who goes by the, er, pen-name Ruddy Muddy, started by sprucing up trucks in need of a wash by drawing works of art with his fingers.
He began decorating vans 11 years ago after getting bored with seeing ‘Clean Me’ and offensive messages written in the mud on the back of dirty vehicles and to stop his children seeing the obscenities.
He says: ‘I started to go over people’s rude messages with my fingers. At first I just drew mountains and things, nothing that took too long. Then I got a bit more artistic each time. I did a Venice scene, the Eiffel Tower and a big battleship. The more I did, the more people started to pay attention.’
Ricky, who studied particle physics and cosmology at swansea University, adds: ‘I genuinely like drawing lots of things, there’s no one specific object as such, but people definitely really inspire me.
‘I’m most interested in people who do amazing things — I feel inspired to draw things when people I admire pass on.’
After sprucing up other people’s vans — ‘I really liked drawing on VWs’ — he now concentrates on his firm’s Mercedes sprinter. His most recognisable designs are those of Prince Harry, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Prime Minster Theresa May, and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Ricky says: ‘My little one told me that I’d never be a real artist until I was as famous as Da Vinci, so I really like the one of the Mona Lisa. I’m also a fan of the Royal Family, I really admire the work that they do, supporting charities and stuff like that.
‘I do like the battles that are going on in politics right now, but I try to steer clear of it in general where I can.’ He recently
created a stunning tribute to Bruce Forsyth following the entertainer’s death in August.
Ricky, of Wicklewood, Norfolk, says: ‘I just thought it was really tragic news about Brucie. He’s one TV presenter that everyone grew up with and was still there. He’s the last of those.
‘I feel everyone was expecting it, but, when it happens, you’re never quite ready. I wanted to show my respects I the only way I can.’
Ricky chose to keep his initials R and M when choosing the name Ruddy Muddy, and he signs off with that and his employer’s name — Flower Vision — on every piece.
He says: ‘I grab opportunities when I can. The van belongs to the company and that’s their rule for any piece I do, that I put their name on it.
‘I don’t have a single piece that I’m most proud of as such, but I did one for the latest Fast And Furious film which took eight to ten hours to complete. It got a really great response.’ His partner, Lynsey Cole, is a professional sign writer, and she has started adding lettering to the more ornate designs, signing them Damsel Dragonfly.
Ricky’s technique has evolved over the years and he now sprays a secret mud recipe on to his van, but still finds his work weather dependent.
He says: ‘The rain sort of adds a novelty to it in some ways, but my work lasts through the wet until the van is actually washed. I spray the mud on with one of those garden pump things, but I can’t tell you my secret recipe of the mud itself!
‘Let’s just say I throw a few things together. I use a paintbrush now, too, as well as cotton buds.’ The designs take up to a day to complete and he has managed one a week so far this year.
Let’s hope the talented Ruddy Muddy doesn’t take the Van Gogh thing too far — and leaves his ears intact.