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As chaos swirls, Jesse Raine Littlebird always has a plan.

Sometimes he knows what the plan is.

Other times, he waits patiently until it鈥檚 revealed.

For his latest project, the sa国际传媒官网网页入口-based artist 鈥� who does work in large-scale pieces 鈥� decided to change the medium up with 鈥淧etroglyph.鈥�

Cruisin' creativity: Jesse Raine Littlebird uses a car as a canvas to honor Native American culture

Earlier this year, Littlebird (Laguna/Kewa Pueblos) created a commissioned painting for 鈥淏reaking Bad鈥� actor Jeremiah Bitsui.

With the money, Littlebird told Bitsui he was going to purchase a classic car and paint it.

鈥淣o one believed me,鈥� Littlebird said.

Littlebird purchased a fire engine red 1973 Dodge Dart sedan 鈥� which has become 鈥淧etroglyph.鈥�

He says the lines of the vehicle immediately grabbed his attention.

鈥淭his was a car of the people,鈥� the 32-year-old artist explained. 鈥淚t would have been known as the 鈥榞rocery getter鈥� as families were the ones who owned the vehicles back in the 1970s. Some people really liked the original paint on it.鈥�

Littlebird knew he wanted to pay homage to Native American culture with the car, which features Pueblo pottery designs.

He took inspiration from 鈥淢aria鈥� by Rose B. Simpson. Simpson did the design and bodywork on a 1985 Chevy El Camino. The designs are inspired by traditional Tewa black on black pottery, named after Maria Martinez of San Ildefonso Pueblo.

He was also inspired by Keith Haring, who painted a handful of cars in the 1980s.

The renowned artist died in 1990 at the age of 31, but left his impact on the world.

Haring is known for painting a 1971 Land Rover Series III, where he decorated the vehicle with his signature painted lines featuring animals, people and flying saucers during an artist-in-residency at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1983.

He also painted a 1963 Buick Special, which was adorned in blue and red. The car features some of Haring鈥檚 recognizable themes, including dancing figures inspired by New York City鈥檚 disco and rap scenes.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen pictures of Keith鈥檚 cars and he hand painted a lot of them,鈥� Littlebird said. 鈥淭hat dispelled a lot of mythology about car painting.鈥�

Littlebird also found inspiration in tattoo artist Mike Giant鈥檚 1965 Pontiac Tempest.

Giant was born in New York, but grew up in sa国际传媒官网网页入口, where the diverse culture influenced his work.

鈥淢ike鈥檚 black and white work shows his openness about painting,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ooking at his work, it really inspired me to talk to the local lowrider community about the process. It鈥檚 been humbling and exciting as the journey continues to move forward.鈥�

Littlebird has been a professional artist for the past six years.

He鈥檚 had commercial success and with that he鈥檚 wanted to put the money from art into bigger projects.

鈥淭he natural place for me to start is a car,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e loved cars all my life and there鈥檚 such a unique classic car culture here in New Mexico. We talk about Chicano lowriders and it extends even further than that. The vehicles have solid bones here in New Mexico and it鈥檚 because we do have that dry climate.鈥�

With the car purchased, Littlebird set himself a deadline of the project being completed by August 鈥� as he wanted to showcase the car during the Santa Fe Indian Market.

He went into the studio in June to begin work on the 51-year-old vehicle.

鈥淚 wanted to learn about the whole era,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ne of the things I found myself doing was listening to music from the 1970s. Lots of Marvin Gaye.鈥�

The vehicle has been showcased at Lapis Room in Old Town and at Indian Market, and will be shown inside Indian Village at the New Mexico State Fair.

It鈥檚 also garnered attention via social media.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting to see the response because it has gone viral online,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he entire process was something I felt I had to do.鈥�

Littlebird鈥檚 learned from the shape of cars, which brought him back to a lesson he learned as a young artist.

鈥淚 approached the vehicle the same way I learned to work on pottery,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is a natural geometry when you break it down.鈥�

Littlebird will continue to showcase the vehicle when he can 鈥� though he currently has it for sale.

When it sells, he will take the money and invest in more vehicles to paint.

鈥淲hoever buys the car, I hope that they will make it available for exhibitions,鈥� Littlebird said. 鈥淭his is only the beginning of this new chapter.鈥�