During the week I live in my Ford Aerostar minivan in Santa Barbara where I am finishing my MFA. My current project is called "Drawings by Mail" where anyone can request a drawing of whatever they would like and
I make the drawing and send it to them. There is no charge and I cover all costs of shipping.

It's very romantic - living in a van, giving drawings away to strangers - but beyond that I see the connection between my work and living space as as some sort of commitment to humble materials. Am I living in a van so that I can do my projects for free? Maybe yes, maybe no, I could always take out a loan to finish school and get an apartment; but I enjoy feeling like I'm living within my means and doing projects that fit within-ish my budget, and giving away these drawings simultaneously provokes so much confusion and gratitude that I can't help but continue the project.

The Drawings by Mail project is in part an effort to show that meaningful art can be made with simple materials in the right context – a change in perspective from the ordinary 'art in galleries' idea that many people expect. Living in a minivan is also a chance to switch up my
perspective. While I have a roof on the weekends, and a campus gym available for showers, vehicular living is a reality for many people; I've always been curious to have firsthand experience of such circumstances, and this living / working situation provides some of that.

Michael Godwin

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