We’re in awe of this DIY camper van
Jaws dropped when Jillian Foster pulled her camper into Spencer Spit State Park for a summer job as a park aide. Was that stained glass in the upper bunk window? Wow. And a wooden deck off the back? Yup.
This beauty is a work of art and Foster – who grew up in Nine Mile Falls – is the artist who made it happen. Here’s the story of her unique DIY rolling roof project.
Downsizing with a purpose: Foster came up with the idea to build her Dreamship in 2016. “I was living in Portland and rental pricing was really starting to climb. My son was about to graduate from high school and I was soon going to be an empty nester. Why not build a tiny home that I could travel around in until I find my forever home? Creating the Dreamship also represents a shift from creating commodity object-based art, which I had become disenchanted with, to making how I live my life central to my artistic practice.”
Making the dream a reality: She moved back to the Inland Northwest and while living with her parents, began working on the build out of a Tioga Montara Mini Motorhome on a 1989 Chevy G30. Her dad, Bob King, helped her execute some of the more challenging portions of the project like designing and building the drop-down deck off the rear bumper.
Inside, the space feels incredibly homey. There’s a comfy couch in the back corner and more seating up front. The stained glass window was a custom piece created by her friend, Spokane-based artist Jamie Nadherny, who teaches at Gonzaga and Whitworth.
The wooden countertop in the kitchen was crafted from a slab of cedar. There’s art on the wall and splashes of warm color everywhere. We could definitely see this beauty as the star of an RV reality show.
The ride wasn’t always smooth, though.
“When I finished it in 2019, I moved back to Portland in October and found a great job. I had grand plans of heading to Mexico. Then covid happened,” she said.
After hitting pause, she’s back at it. She spent the winter living and working in Colorado and landed the job at Spencer Spit for the summer. “I have given up on making plans. Life has provided me with wonderful opportunities where I have been able to live in my home while building love in beautiful places. All experiences that never would have happened if I was not living this lifestyle,” she said.
Yes, we know there’s a no-planning rule in effect, but what’s next? “I would like to find my way to the Washington or Oregon coast. At least for winter. Living by the ocean has always been a goal.” Hope our paths cross again!
More DIY inspiration: As much as we admire Jillian’s gorgeous tiny home on wheels, there’s no way we have the talent – or the energy – to pull off something like that. It doesn’t mean we can’t dream about it, though.
Watching time lapse van conversions on Instagram and YouTube has become a bit of an obsession for Leslie. And, yes, she’s clicked on stories like The 10 Coolest Camper Van Conversions.
For now, though, we’d be really happy to find a small motorhome that’s not beige and emblazoned with swoopy graphics straight out of the 1970s. Any suggestions?
Wanna share? Drop a photo – or a time lapse video – of your DIY RV project onto our Going Mobile Travel Facebook page.
