While Mickey does have a general idea of what he’s going to portray on a vehicle as he starts airbrushing, he admits that he adjusts as he goes along. He said that while it’s a process, “other references, other things, other ideas come up” as he’s working on a project, and “the creativity happens as you go.” You can see an example of that spontaneous creativity when you look at the tailgate of the First Responders Silverado. The numbers “5-1-11” are on the top right corner. Mickey shares, “It’s the date we got Osama bin Laden. Read more at Faces of GM.

The date 9/11 is seared forever in the memory of most Americans. On that date in 2001, hijacked airliners crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a field in Shanksville, Pa., killing nearly 3,000 people. In the midst of that tragedy, many heroes emerged. Perhaps the most courageous were the first responders – fire, police and EMS technicians – who raced to the scenes to try to rescue as many people as possible.

As we approached the 10th anniversary of 9/11, GM commissioned the next vehicle in a series honoring American heroes. World-renowned airbrush artist Mickey Harris and a crew of specialists took on the task of commemorating those first responders who gave their lives while trying to save others. Read the full post at Faces of GM.