License plate guitar for Bruce Springsteen fan

I met Glen and Pam at an art show in Raleigh NC several years ago, before they moved to North Carolina. They are from MA and RI, and seemed to have an instant interest in my work because of their vast collection of license plates. The first piece I created was a colorful array of New England-themed plates that they had saved over the years.

This time, Glen wanted me to do a Bruce Springsteen theme showcasing songs and all of the shows they had been to. He hunted down several small tags to recreate his story. It features the locations of shows around the outside of the body. The face has many of their favorite songs, and the pick guard is the boys in the band.

I have to give him all the credit for being able to think this one up. He has really grasped the concept of my work, and taken it to a new level.

Thanks for working with me on this piece.

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Kenny Chesney license plate guitar

Kenny Chesney has always been a favorite of mine, so I was thrilled when a client asked me to create a license plate guitar featuring his favorite Kenny Chesney songs. I chose the acoustic model because I often see Chesney playing it at his concerts. And it has the most room to feature the song titles my client wanted. 

My client asked me to feature Flora Bama, Ivans , The Life and Boats. The last one appears on the side. I also added How Forever Feels because it's a favorite of mine. Palm trees, dophins, and the FL "One Happy Island" saying gives it a real, no shoes, no shirt' kinda feel. 

License plate art 2014 holiday gifts

My workshop has been a busy place. I've captured just a few of the orders I've created this season for corporate cand personal clients. Take a look at some of the 2014 holiday gifts I've been sending out.

This Mack truck was conceived after a conversation with a towing company. It is being given to their owner for the holidays.

The piece is BEAUTIFUL.  We had our gift exchange yesterday and my boss was very happy with it, loved the art made out of license plates....i dare say the perfect gift.

Lauria Bennett's Garage & Towing, Inc.

(800) 832-6917

A client saw my guitar in a Florida Red Robin restaurant, and asked me to recreate and personalize it for her son.

A Civil War buff is the recipient of this Nevada themed guitar. it features his family's last name on the neck.

A former client comissioned this Chicken Fried themed guitar for a family member who is a Zac Brown Band fan. Note how I wrote out the words to the song on the face of the acoustic.

This was a special piece for a client who is givin it to her loved one, an avid Beatles fan.

This one is personal. I was given a violin by my 92-year-old mother in law, who used it as a child. I used it to create this piece out of New York license plates, where she lived most of her life. It is proudly displayed in her apartment.

License plate art corporate gift

Recently I was contacted by a towing company who challenged me to move beyond guitars and create a meaning holiday gift for their owner. I loved their idea. She wanted the art to feature their new Mack dump truck. She sent me a few photos of the truck, and I created this 3D piece of license plate art that they could proudly display in their corporate headquarters. 

The piece measures 40x20x3 inches. I chose the green to match the truck, and painstakingly recreated the details, including the tires, the lights and the dark green shading on the truck. MACK is spelled out in license plates as well. I love the way the light reflects on the boom to make it look even more realistic. The photo below shows that the piece is 3-D. You can see the edge that brings this piece off the wall.

I just shipped the piece and can't wait to hear their response. This makes me want to expand my horizons even more with my license plate art. If you have any suggestions or ideas for corporate gifts for your business, feel free to challenge me.

License plate guitars from Red Robin Restaurant: customized with your plates

My client walked into a Red Robin restaurant in Florida recently, and saw one of my license plate guitars on the wall. She knew it would be a perfect Christmas gift for her music lover son. She did  a quick google search and found me. 

After visiting my website, she reached out and texted a photo of my Eric Clapton piece. Here's the photo:

She told me about the license plates she's saved over the years. She wanted to customize the piece and add her son's name. My answer? Yes you can! Here's a photo of the final piece:

Hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind gift

If you see a license plate guitar at a Red Robin and want to customize it for that special someone in your life who deserves a hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind gift, personalized with your states and sayings remember: yes you can!

License plate guitar: perfect personalized wedding gift

They're the couple who have everything, or whom you want to give that something extra special. Several of my clients have come to me when the ordinary wedding gift won't do. If you want to think outside the box, we can work together to create a personalized wedding gift that tells the couple's story. My license plate guitars reflect their personality, and highlight the things that have meaning to them.

On each one, I weave in the states to show where they were born and raised, and where they started their married life together. I feature their wedding date, their names, special sayings, and their wedding songs. Take a look at the personalized wedding gifts I've created, and read about the details you should look for on each one. I'm told by my clients that these personalized wedding gifts are on proud display in the newlyweds' homes.  Give a personalized wedding gift whose joy will travel along with your favorite newlywed couple on their journey through life together.

Above, a personalized wedding gift for a yoga-loving couple who have spent time in Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia. They were married in North Carolina's Outer Banks, better known a OBX, in 2012. A yoga saying and sign are prominently featured in the center hole and on the bridge.

In this personalized wedding gift, the wedding couple was from Arizona. My client requested that the bride's name be featured around the center hole, and their married name be on the bridge. I captured one of their special photographs that the bride took in the center hole. My client downloaded it from one of their social media networks.

The mom of this wedding couple commissioned this personalized wedding gift. Her daughter and son-in-law met at the University of South Carolina and are die-hard Gamecock fans. The Gamecock mascot is named on the bridge. One of their wedding photos appears in the center hole.

A couple from California and North Carolina are the proud recipients of this personalized wedding gift. Their wedding song, Crazy Love, appears around the side of the license plate guitar. Their name is featured along the bridge.

License plate banjos at Bluegrass festival

The News & Observer features one of the license plate banjos I'll be bringing to the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival in Raleigh this weekend.

I missed this show last year, and I am really looking forward to showing my work at the Wide Open Art Market this year. I've got some great license plate banjos and a special bluegrass license plate violin.  It's an honor to participate in the Wide Open Art Market, which is billed as "an intimate showcase designed to recognize North Carolina’s talented and enthusiastic arts community and feature unique artisans from across the United States." I'll be in good company. 

Here's a sampling of what you'll see when you visit my booth.

Here's a shot of my work from the News & Observer, in case you miss it online.

The write up on my license plate banjo at the Bluegrass festival in Raleigh.

Front page of the News & Observer Life section features my license plate banjo.

Some of my license plate guitars on display at the Bluegrass festival in Raleigh.

License plate guitars in Nashville, TN

I had a great time this past weekend at the Tennessee Fall Craft Fair, where I had a large selection of license plate guitars for sale. The crowds were friendly, and everyone I met was very enthusiastic about my work. Here is an example of one of the license plate guitars I created for the Nashville show. You can see more here.

This was one of the license plate guitars I sold in Nashville at the Tennessee Fall Craft Fair.

Three days in Nashville go by fast. The weather was perfect, I met terrific people from nearby Franklin, TN, up North from New York and New Jersey (where I just shipped one that was purchased at the show), and as far away as Canada. At night, my wife Debbe and I enjoyed some great meals, and watched the bands on Broadway. I even caught sight of one the license plate guitars I sold to one of the bar owners. Here's a photo of my guitar in Legends Corner, the bar at the corner of 4th and Broadway. Let me know if you see any more of my license plate guitars around Nashville.

Thank you to the Tennessee Craft people who shared this photo of my Blues Brothers Guitar on their Facebook page.

Next week, I'll be at the Bluegrass Festival in Raleigh. Hope to see you there.

Graduation license plate art gift tells grad's story

This license plate art tells the story of a student graduating from Ole Miss this year, and his love of life. With the help of one really cool mom -- and I mean that -- I was able to recreate his college experiance. I started out by spelling Ole Miss down the neck, then used my signature flag style as a template to insert all his stops during his college journey. 

Look closely and you'll see all the states he visited during his college years. You'll find Alabama's Auburn logo, Florida (because that's where he from), Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee and Louisana. Then I added the fun stuff. His favorite drinks -- Surfer on Acid, Landshark and Stellla beer -- are featured around the outside.

Finally, his mom told me he has a saying that I featured on the bridge: "The adventure begins when something goes wrong." I spelled this out with many small license plate letters rather than set into another tag as a base.  His graduation date and fraternity are featured on the headstock and keys.

When my client Lori received her license plate guitar, she was kind enough to call me to express her thanks, and sent an email to sum up her gratitude. 

“Words cannot express about this magnificent piece. My son is graduating from Ole Miss and this piece tells the story of his life and journey at school. He will have it forever, thanks to Peter.  Thank you, Peter, for being part of his journey”   Lori 

Thank you, Lori, for giving me that honor.

Harley-Davidson License plate art

This Harley-Davidson license plate art will be on display in a restaurant near the Harley-Davidson factory in York, PA. It features Pennsylvania tags in the signature orange and black colors of the motorcycle company. The wings are representative of their iconic symbol. Check out the gallery below.

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License plate guitar art at Tennessee Craft Fair 2014

I was very excited to learn today that I have been accepted to exhibit my license plate guitar art at the Tennessee Craft Fair in Nashville on September 26, 27, and 28.  Nashville is one of my favorite cities, and I've participated in this show twice. I didn't make it last year because of my Red Robin commission work. However, I am looking forward to hanging out on the Lawn at Centennial Park and meeting the people who lives in this great town. Here's a sample of some of the work I'll be bringing. If you'll be there, let me know below and be sure to say hello.

License plate guitar art in Red Robin Gourmet Burgers

Here's the first sighting of one of my license plate guitars in a Red Robin restaurant. I worked with the chain on a large commission of artwork for the renovation of hundreds of their stories. This story is located in West Babylon, NY. It was even more of an honor to see it hanging on the wall because my family went to the restaurant and snapped the photo. If you see a photo of one of my pieces in a Red Robin restaurant, please snap a photo too, and send me an email to let me know.

Personalized birthday gifts hold special meaning

A significant birthday - whether it's a sweet 16, or a milestone year - deserves something extra special. I've created several custom license plate guitars for parents to give to their children, and partners to give to their signfiicant others. Some feature their names, their favorite activities, sports teams, and artists, where they've lived, their own vintage plates, and significant sayings. No birthday piece would be complete without featuring their birthday date on the keys.

Comissioning a handcrafted birthday gift carries special meaning, and will always hold a special place in your loved ones heart and home. Find inspiration in the personalized birthday gifts here, then call me at 516-376-6499 to discuss how to create one for someone special in your life. 

Best Father's Day gift

Guys don't want socks and ties for Father's Day. There are a few things that are sure to get their engines revving - a Corvette is definitely one of them. This artwork features a 1960s Corvette racing across a speedway. Created from vintage license plates that are painted and tacked to a wood backing, this one-of-a-kind piece is guaranteed to be the best Father's Day gift ever. Now you can say you gave him a 1960s Corvette for Father's Day.

Buy your Corvette art here.

Personalized photo gifts - license plate guitar kicks 'em up a notch

Old photographs evoke such strong emotions. I often use my clients' own photos in their personalized license plate guitars. These license plate guitars kick the idea of personalized photo gifts up exponentially. I'm frequently told these personalized photo gifts will be cherished for a lifetime.

My dad and me on the beach in 1965.

I realized just how important these old photographs are when I came across this photo of my father and me. I'm thinking of how I'll use it to honor him on Father's Day. It also make me stop and think about how important these captured images in time are to my clients, who ask me to incorporate their cherished images of individiuals, sunsets, and family portraits, in their license plate art.

I've used all types of photographs in my license plate guitars. These pieces have been given as personalized birthday gifts, personalized anniversary gifts, personalized wedding gifts, and in memory of loved ones. Each of these license plate guitars tell a story that touches the recipient in a way that few gifts can. I am constantly told by my clients that their loved ones will prominently feature their personalized gifts, featuring photographs that mean so much to them. I am honored to have the opportunity to work so closely with my clients, and bring others joy. 

Do you have a photograph that you want to frame in a personalized license plate guitar? Give me a call or drop me an email to discuss how we can turn it into a personalized gift for your loved one.

Graduation gift your grad will cherish

Finding the perfect graduation gift to commemorate this rite of passage isn't easy. Sure, you can buy a watch, engrave it, and hope they cherish it for years go come. But wouldn't it be better to create a personalized gift, one that tells the story that made your graduate who they have become?

License plate guitars make great personalized graduation gifts. Here's a few I've made  for my clients, whose sons and daughters have graduated from high schools and colleges. In addition to the details of when and what school they graduated, I also include sports they participated in, where they lived, clubs they belonged to, and symbols of their school mascots and other interests. 

Every time, I've been told these custom graduation gifts have struck a chord with their young adult. Here's a comment from one of my clients, which illustrates how meaningful the personalized graduation gift was.

I just wanted to thank you again for the Gibson graduation guitar you made up for our son, Matthew.  We were able to finally give it to him at his graduation last Saturday.  He loved it.  He was amazed at all the details of his life that you were able to put on it and that it was one of a kind.  He said that no matter where he lives he will always have it up on the wall.  I can’t thank you enough for all your efforts to get it just right for him. Jodi Herzog

If you like what you see, give me a call to discuss the gift you want to create for your graduate.

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License plate guitars in Red Robin restaurants

This past year has been an amazing ride. Last April, I was contacted by a firm representing the Red Robin chain of restaurants, which commissioned me to create license plate guitars for several hundred of their restaurants, which were or still are undergoing renovation. I've created more than 100 pieces for them, including license plate guitar tributes to Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Brad Paisley, and, of course, the American flag. Here's a few of my favorites.

I just found this article which talks about the custom license plate guitars in Red Robin that I created for a franchise owner in Billings, MO. I featured his colorful license plate guitars in a blog post last year. This license plate guitar was a special commission for a Red Robin in Texas.

I completed my most recent order of 50 for them last month, and now I'm turning my creative juices to new ideas that I've been wanting to pursue but haven't had the time to do. If you have suggestions, I always welcome them.

If you see my work in Red Robin, please leave a comment below and let me know.

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When the Beatles changed everything - license plate guitar art

Fifty years ago, the Beatles stepped off the plane at JFK and changed music forever. They were my inspiration for these license plate guitars that I created for a client in Denver.

I wanted to use the first images of the Beatles that popped into my head. When I close my eyes, I immediately see the Fab Four walking across Abbey Road. Songs from that album are featured around the body of the license plate guitar. Here Comes the Sun is one of the classics that remains popular today.

The next piece is a mash-up of the White album and Help, which both have simple white covers. The movie poster for Help was was a huge hit so I created silouhettes of the four and placed them against the stark white background. When you look at it, you can't "help" but start singing the song, "Help, I need somebody, Help not just anybody..."

I know. Now it's stuck in your head just like it's stuck in mine.

Enjoy.

Guns Up - Texas Tech

A client in Texas asked me to create a series of guitars for her restaurant.  I wanted the guitar to appeal to her customers, who she said were mostly students from Texas Tech.  We also decided to feature the school’s mascot, Raider Red, as well as the saying, “Guns Up.”

During my research, I stumbled upon a great cartoon drawing of Raider Red created by Nathan Boyd for a friend of his in Texas. He graciously allowed me to use his drawing in the center hole of the guitar. Thanks, Nathan, for your collaboration. Working with another artist on this piece was a great experience.