Art We There Yet
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      A Mural Celebrating Cup’ik Culture

      September 12, 2023

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      A Mural Celebrating Shared History

      August 27, 2023

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      A Mural Celebrating Heritage

      January 21, 2023

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      A Mural Celebrating the Sea

      December 19, 2022

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      A Mural of Affirmations

      November 29, 2022

  • MUSIC
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      The Story Behind “Roamer”

      February 27, 2023

      MUSIC

      The Story Behind “I Am The River”

      October 30, 2022

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      The Story Behind “Chan Chan”

      February 25, 2022

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      The Story Behind “Wanderer”

      January 31, 2022

      MUSIC

      The Story Behind “Here We Listen”

      January 30, 2022

  • WORKSHOPS
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      A Song Celebrating Friendship

      March 20, 2023

      WORKSHOPS

      A Song Celebrating Patience

      December 5, 2022

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      A Mural Celebrating a Way of Life

      February 27, 2022

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      A Song Celebrating Growth

      February 20, 2022

      WORKSHOPS

      A Song Celebrating Inner Strength

      February 6, 2022

  • FILM
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      The North Shore of Lake Superior

      March 7, 2023

      FILM

      NOLA from the Streets | A Short Film

      May 13, 2020

      FILM

      The Himalaya | A Short Film

      March 1, 2018

  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • People of the Americas
  • BEFORE THE AMERICAS
    • Before the Americas Project

      Our Story Before the Americas

      July 24, 2022

      Before the Americas Project

      The Story Behind “Emotion”

      November 1, 2018

      Before the Americas Project

      A Mural Celebrating Perspective

      June 10, 2018

      Before the Americas Project

      The Story Behind “Be”

      May 27, 2018

      Before the Americas Project

      The Story Behind “Paso A Paso”

      May 7, 2018

  • GUIDES
    • Skoolie Conversion Guides
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Art We There Yet
  • Home
  • MURALS
    • MURALS

      A Mural Celebrating Cup’ik Culture

      September 12, 2023

      MURALS

      A Mural Celebrating Shared History

      August 27, 2023

      MURALS

      A Mural Celebrating Heritage

      January 21, 2023

      MURALS

      A Mural Celebrating the Sea

      December 19, 2022

      MURALS

      A Mural of Affirmations

      November 29, 2022

  • MUSIC
    • MUSIC

      The Story Behind “Roamer”

      February 27, 2023

      MUSIC

      The Story Behind “I Am The River”

      October 30, 2022

      MUSIC

      The Story Behind “Chan Chan”

      February 25, 2022

      MUSIC

      The Story Behind “Wanderer”

      January 31, 2022

      MUSIC

      The Story Behind “Here We Listen”

      January 30, 2022

  • WORKSHOPS
    • WORKSHOPS

      A Song Celebrating Friendship

      March 20, 2023

      WORKSHOPS

      A Song Celebrating Patience

      December 5, 2022

      WORKSHOPS

      A Mural Celebrating a Way of Life

      February 27, 2022

      WORKSHOPS

      A Song Celebrating Growth

      February 20, 2022

      WORKSHOPS

      A Song Celebrating Inner Strength

      February 6, 2022

  • FILM
    • FILM

      The North Shore of Lake Superior

      March 7, 2023

      FILM

      NOLA from the Streets | A Short Film

      May 13, 2020

      FILM

      The Himalaya | A Short Film

      March 1, 2018

  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • People of the Americas
  • BEFORE THE AMERICAS
    • Before the Americas Project

      Our Story Before the Americas

      July 24, 2022

      Before the Americas Project

      The Story Behind “Emotion”

      November 1, 2018

      Before the Americas Project

      A Mural Celebrating Perspective

      June 10, 2018

      Before the Americas Project

      The Story Behind “Be”

      May 27, 2018

      Before the Americas Project

      The Story Behind “Paso A Paso”

      May 7, 2018

  • GUIDES
    • Skoolie Conversion Guides
    • Travel Guides
  • ABOUT
    • The Project
    • The Bus
    • Our Story
    • Contact / Press
  • STORE
    • AWTY Merch
    • Prints from José
    • Music from Cora
  • Store
    • AWTY Goodies
    • Fill The Tank

The Art We There Yet Bus

by Art We There Yet? February 16, 2020
Art-We-There-Yet-Skoolie-School-Bus-Conversion-Mural

The AWTY studio bus is a cornerstone of the project. It makes it possible to create art on the road!

The Art We There Yet bus is professional recording studio, multi-media art studio, and artist living space on wheels. Designed within only 198 sq feet of space, it is a a multi-functional, convertible space.

The front room has a:

  • Video and photo editing space / dinette / couch / single bed / storage for gear
  • Couch / double bed / storage for art supplies and visiting artists’ personal items
  • Kitchen with storage for food / cleaning supplies / art supplies / gear
  • Bathroom with composting toilet and shower

The back room is a:

  • Recording studio
  • Portrait photography studio
  • Multi-media workspace (painting, print-making, fiber arts, etc)
  • Our bedroom with storage for instruments, clothes, personal items, and more gear!

A back garage space and side toolboxes hold the:

  • Solar battery bank, solar generators, gas generator
  • Folding dining room table, mural supplies, tools
  • Baby grill, foldable picnic table (yes way!)
  • Hoses, mural supplies, tools
  • Peat moss (for the compositing toilet)
colorful-skoolie-bus-interior
Tiny house school bus conversion skoolie dining
skoolie couches converted into guest beds
bus conversion dinette with storage that converts into couch and bed
skoolie-dinette-red-cushions
school bus tiny house custom sofa cushions
skoolie tour of a tiny kitchen
mobile recording studio built into a skoolie bus conversion
mobile recording studio built inside a school bus
murphy bed in a skoolie conversion
Art-We-There-Yet-Skoolie-School-Bus-Conversion-Mural
School Bus Conversion Skoolie Art Mural Art We There Yet

THE BUS CONVERSION PROCESS

When we got the bus, it was a regular old school bus. Complete with seats and that ‘school bus’ smell.

We filmed just about every step of the bus conversion process! We are also writing a series of bus conversion tutorials to help others save some time and money. Check them out!

It’s important to understand that the conversion was NOT a two-person job. Friends and family, especially Jairo Vílchez, were key players here. We worked full-time for nine months on the bus, but it would have taken close to two years if we didn’t have help from family and friends.

School Bus Sub Floor Installation Skoolie Conversion
Priming Exterior Paint Skoolie School Bus Conversion
Propane Tank Installation Underneath Skoolie School Bus Conversion

THE SCHOOL BUS CONVERSION COST

Art We There Yet ONLY came to be because of all the people who came together to help us fund the bus. Here’s how the numbers break down:

Total Cost: $28,793

Raised Funds (Net): $21,127*

Personal Funds: $7,666

The total cost includes the cost of the bus itself, which was $6,500.

*Gross amount raised was $24,182.84. Processing fees and perk fulfillment cost $3,055.84, resulting in net $21,127.

The operating costs of the project? That’s a different story! See a breakdown of the operating costs here.


ALL THINGS POWER

  • Electrical: 120V powering lights and outlets. 12V powering the propane fridge control panel, fridge fan, range hood, water pump, and toilet fan.
  • Propane: powering the fridge, gas range, space heater, and tankless water heater
  • Solar: 500W (5x 100W panels) running to a 1100Wh solar generator expanded to three deep cycle batteries
  • Backup Power: Powerhorse 3500 gas generator

WHAT ABOUT THE SPECS ON THE BUS ITSELF?

  • 2001 International 3800, DT466E engine with an Allison transmission, runs on diesel
  • The bus came from St. John’s School District, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Purchased with 212,000 miles on the engine (nothing for a DT466)
  • Fuel Mileage 7.5 mpg
  • Rear axle max load 19,000 lbs, front axle max load 10,000 lbs. We are under on both.

SO WHAT IS A SKOOLIE BUS?

So this is an interesting thing. When we started the conversion, we had no idea how popular school bus conversions are becoming. Sometimes called ‘skoolie buses’, bus conversions have been a thing for a while.

But currently, they seem to be riding the popularity wave of the tiny house movement. Luckily for us, it meant there was lots of helpful info out there during the conversion!

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About The Project

About The Project

Art We There Yet is a project to create art and music inspired by the Americas, celebrating our shared humanity and giving back to communities along the way. Aboard a school bus converted into an art and recording studio, we are traveling 30,000 miles across 23 countries of North, Central, and South America.

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