The crayons were marking pens used in lumber yards and steel mills, and I'm the first person to ever use them for art. (artspace.com)
I know this because I worked for a local lumber yard in my area and was playfully referred to as the «paint goddess» for apx 5 years. (oursuburbancottage.blogspot.ru)
If he just wanted that, it would've been much easier (and more likely) to open a couple of lumber yards in town and be done with it. (gapingvoid.com)