tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26685702756555802402024-03-12T20:04:20.305-04:00Andrew F. Johnson GalleryThe gallery’s focus is directed toward automotive concepts. Many represent the artists’ pure, unrestrained ideas before practical matters of cost and engineering compromised the vision into a mass produced consumer product. Some images are closer than others to what we’ve seen at car shows, dealer showrooms or on the road. They all offer a tantalizing, seductive and sometimes enigmatic view behind the scenes of the auto industry's secret design studios.Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-87925028094350964422010-03-23T21:09:00.010-04:002010-03-23T22:10:18.091-04:00Don Butler Profile<div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lphsLQNAI/AAAAAAAAGAo/HYvIGeTvS_k/s1600-h/C5195.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 330px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452004851423654914" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lphsLQNAI/AAAAAAAAGAo/HYvIGeTvS_k/s400/C5195.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Self-taught designer - Butler's portfolio in 1946. </span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><div align="center"><br /></div></span><div align="left">Don Butler grew up on a farm in southern Michigan. His fist close association with a car came in 1919 when his father bought a used Chevrolet 490. When Don’s father died in 1926, the fifteen year old Butler had to give up school to help support his family. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lpYvcrfRI/AAAAAAAAGAQ/57oVMKXG9eI/s1600-h/C5193.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452004697683229970" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lpYvcrfRI/AAAAAAAAGAQ/57oVMKXG9eI/s400/C5193.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Instrument panel designs helped land Butler a job at Hudson.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p align="left">By 1928, Don left farming for factory work in nearby Hillsdale, MI. But as the Great Depression took hold, Don joined the ranks of unemployed and took what unskilled work he could find before landing a permanent job cutting fabric for men’s and boy’s trousers. He spent the next 11 years working in the garment factory and then joined the military at the outbreak of World War II.<br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lpY23wF2I/AAAAAAAAGAY/Ipv8SMevLyI/s1600-h/C5190.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452004699675826018" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lpY23wF2I/AAAAAAAAGAY/Ipv8SMevLyI/s400/C5190.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">One of Don's early airbrush renderings. 12-9-1946</span></p><p>While in the service, Don spent his off-duty hours drawing imaginary car designs. His colleagues were so impressed, they thought Butler had been a professional designer before the war. Although it was hard for Don to comprehend getting paid for something he had always done for fun, especially without a specialized education - his friends convinced him to make a post-war go for it. </p><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lpZsoBVOI/AAAAAAAAGAg/hwov9N9C2DU/s1600-h/C5188.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452004714105361634" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lpZsoBVOI/AAAAAAAAGAg/hwov9N9C2DU/s400/C5188.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Nash coupe concept - 4-25-1950</span><br /></p><p align="left">Butler was encouraged by interviews at Ford and Chrysler in 1946. But, it was Hudson that fist added Don to their styling staff. His first assignment was adding finishing touches to the 1948 “step-down” Hudson. Soon Don moved to better opportunities at Willys-Overland where he worked on the Jeepster, Jeep station wagons and a Willys passenger car concept.<br /></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lxOcwc1mI/AAAAAAAAGAw/SEOKNwP1t08/s1600-h/C5189.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 309px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452013316960212578" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lxOcwc1mI/AAAAAAAAGAw/SEOKNwP1t08/s400/C5189.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Butler found time to design a sports car amid the merger turmoil in late 1953.</span><br /></p><p align="left">Next for Don was Nash in 1948, followed by a merger with Hudson and the formation of American Motors. By 1956 the fledgling AMC was having a rough time so Butler jumped to Chrysler and began his 18 year career in Highland Park. Don worked in interiors as well as body and ornamentation styling on all of Chrysler’s makes and models. </p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lpX-5RFgI/AAAAAAAAGAA/cYL_og1_i1U/s1600-h/C5199.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452004684649797122" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S6lpX-5RFgI/AAAAAAAAGAA/cYL_og1_i1U/s400/C5199.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chrysler interior proposal with swivel seats - October, 1956</span></p>After retirement in 1975, Butler became active as an automotive historian, authoring books on the history of Hudson, Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg, DeSoto and Plymouth.Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-38498547618963596812010-02-06T22:13:00.008-05:002010-02-06T23:59:42.760-05:00Galen Wickersham Profile<div align="left">Galen Wickersham grew up in Magnum, Oklahoma but moved to Washington, DC in 1941 when his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Wickersham">father </a>was elected to the U.S. Congress. As a teenager, Galen enjoyed building model planes, trains and military vehicles. So, when he learned about the <a href="http://wiki.gmnext.com/wiki/index.php/The_Fisher_Body_Craftsman">Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild </a>competition, creating a model car came naturally. He won awards for four years straight beginning in 1948 and began attending the General Motors Institute after graduating from Anacostia High School in 1952.<br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S243D0DsOBI/AAAAAAAAF_g/RGmB08RswCc/s1600-h/C5175.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 141px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435342338936027154" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S243D0DsOBI/AAAAAAAAF_g/RGmB08RswCc/s400/C5175.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Oldsmobile concept in Wickersham's Senior Portfolio at Art Center.</span></p>Wickersham quickly learned engineering did not suit his interests or skills and returned home to Washington only to be drafted into the Army. After two years of service Galen returned to DC and attended George Washington University for three semesters. Then the industrial design program at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Center_College_of_Design">Art Center College </a>in Los Angeles caught his attention. Galen applied for admission with a few drawings and illustrations he had - along with one of his FBCG models.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S242ArnYQ3I/AAAAAAAAF_Q/pajCam5846U/s1600-h/C5161.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 357px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435341185618559858" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S242ArnYQ3I/AAAAAAAAF_Q/pajCam5846U/s400/C5161.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Another concept in Galen's Art Center Senior Portfolio.</span></p><p align="left">When Galen was accepted, he quickly sold his new Thunderbird and bought a station wagon to move his young family out to California. Some of his classmates at Art Center were <a href="http://www.designophy.com/interview/design-article-1000000004-syd-mead.htm">Syd Mead</a>, Jerry Brockstein, Roger Hughet, Don Wood and Diran Yazejian. After graduating in 1959, Wickersham interviewed with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler and was offered an interior design job at GM and a position in exterior design at Chrysler. Because of his earlier experiences with the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild, Galen accepted the GM offer and began work in the Pontiac Interior Studio. </p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435341177748478802" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S242AOTAW1I/AAAAAAAAF_A/GWpkUJ97yk8/s400/C8063.jpg" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Cadillac instrument panel - Prismacolor on Canson paper.</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><p align="left">Over the course of his 41 year career at General Motors, Galen worked on numerous Pontiac, Chevrolet, Cadillac and truck interiors. He also did work on truck exteriors in the late 1990’s before retiring in 2000.</p><p align="left"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S242AUcie9I/AAAAAAAAF_I/Jn99t6mNxC0/s1600-h/C8065.jpg"></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435341179399076818" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S242AUcie9I/AAAAAAAAF_I/Jn99t6mNxC0/s400/C8065.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chevrolet interior proposal.<br /></span><br /></p>Galen is an avid collector of toys, designer lamps, primitive and contemporary paintings, prints and ceramics.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S241_mVN8sI/AAAAAAAAF-4/hFoiMbKUTG0/s1600-h/C8062.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 260px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435341167020339906" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S241_mVN8sI/AAAAAAAAF-4/hFoiMbKUTG0/s400/C8062.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Another Cadillac interior design.</span></p>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-51249862735153588462010-01-31T14:04:00.018-05:002010-01-31T22:58:28.136-05:00Ben Delphia Profile<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2XgnoXKluI/AAAAAAAAF-I/Mar5k64IO78/s1600-h/C6169.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432995496946472674" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2XgnoXKluI/AAAAAAAAF-I/Mar5k64IO78/s320/C6169.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> Interior sketch for Chrysler's 300X concept car</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">Growing up around California's Monterey Peninsula, Ben was influenced by the many local artists that found work as school teachers as well as west coast 1950's hot rod culture. He graduated from Pacific Grove High in 1957 and attended the Art Institute of Chicago, majoring in sculpture and fine art. But after two years, his love for hot rodding and automobiles resulted in a transfer to the transportation design program at Art Center College in Los Angeles.<br /><br /></div><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2XicMh9PfI/AAAAAAAAF-w/RKOPTZyCtsk/s1600-h/C6056.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432997499520237042" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2XicMh9PfI/AAAAAAAAF-w/RKOPTZyCtsk/s320/C6056.jpg" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">One of Delphia's imaginative sketches done "for fun on a slow day."</span></p><p>When Ben graduated in 1962, it was a down year for the auto industry. Only two Art Center seniors had commitments from Ford and GM. Everyone else, including Ben, had to fend for themselves. Fortunately for the new husband and father, he was able to secure two interviews at Chrysler and another at Ford in Detroit. </p><p></p><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2Xgn0o5tPI/AAAAAAAAF-Q/QVuHv_r7FG0/s1600-h/C6177.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 254px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432995500242089202" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2Xgn0o5tPI/AAAAAAAAF-Q/QVuHv_r7FG0/s320/C6177.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">Delphia's sketches often included descriptive text to explain his innovative ideas. </span><br /></div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Delphia's first meeting was with interior manager Charlie Mitchell at Chrysler. Mitchell was impressed enough to hire Ben immediately. “But I still have other interviews today” Ben explained. “What for? You've got the job.” replied Mitchell who had already notified the other Chrysler manager that the new guy wanted a job in interiors. Ben never made it to the Ford interview.<br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2XgoN7gS9I/AAAAAAAAF-Y/6WmZBm5agtc/s1600-h/C6181.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432995507031002066" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2XgoN7gS9I/AAAAAAAAF-Y/6WmZBm5agtc/s320/C6181.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Here you can see Delphia's fine arts talent with a hand reaching for the shifter. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">It's no surprise that Ben became the department's resident cartoonist, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">drawing charicatures of his colleagues. </span><span style="font-size:78%;">He was also asked to create sketches to </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">accompany magizine artices about Chrysler designs.</span></div><div align="left"><br />Ben’s career at Chrysler spanned over 20 years. He influenced the interiors of concept vehicles like the 1966 <a href="http://www.conceptcar.ee/chrysler/300x/index.html">300X</a> and Chrysler’s production cars and minivans around the globe. With permission from Design VP <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elwood_Engel">Elwood Engel</a>, Ben also designed the “Reactor” for legendary customizer <a href="http://www.c-we.com/piranha/GeneWinfield.htm">Gene Winfield</a>. Besides being a hit at custom car shows, the vehicle was featured in episodes of <a href="http://www.harpiesbizarre.com/supercar.htm">Bewitched</a>, Star Trek and Batman as <a href="http://www.1966batmanfan.com/Vehicles/CatwomanCar/tabid/103/Default.aspx">Catwoman’s Kitty Car</a>. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2XgoiZ08JI/AAAAAAAAF-g/QZhTthHQ0QI/s1600-h/C6218.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 252px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432995512526893202" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2XgoiZ08JI/AAAAAAAAF-g/QZhTthHQ0QI/s320/C6218.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> Another one of Ben's 300X ideas for eliminating the steering wheel.</span></div><div align="left"><br />As many car companies began to outsource their interior design and manufacturing, Delphia saw the opportunity to leave Chrysler and develop his own independent design firm. Years later he accepted the position of director of styling, design and graphics for Magna Interior Systems.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2Xgo98ZOLI/AAAAAAAAF-o/NIoy3qoeEU4/s1600-h/C6187.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432995519919634610" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/S2Xgo98ZOLI/AAAAAAAAF-o/NIoy3qoeEU4/s320/C6187.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:78%;">This instrument panel sketch proposed using mirrors to give the dash a sleeker look.</span></p><div align="left">He is a recipient of the Automotive Interiors Lifetime Achievement Award and has taught transportation interior design at Kendall College of Art and Design. Delphia holds 18 patents and over 30 corporate co-patents.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">You can see more of Ben Delphia's sketches in my <a href="http://www.andrewfjohnsongallery.com/">gallery</a>.</div>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-71600416435026666512009-06-27T18:12:00.024-04:002009-06-27T19:33:32.240-04:00Meeting the Customizers<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/Skapz5qEVWI/AAAAAAAAFqI/9_cNrHQnJ-A/s1600-h/C6088.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352151916292101474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/Skapz5qEVWI/AAAAAAAAFqI/9_cNrHQnJ-A/s320/C6088.jpg" border="0" /></a> George Barris Studios illustration of custom Mustang by "Skeet" Kerr<br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">As part of the 2009 <a href="https://www.ameliaconcours.org/default.asp">Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance</a>, event chairman Bill Warner assembled three generations of customizers for a once in a lifetime panel discussion. Former General Motors designers <a href="http://www.aatcars.com/home.html">Steve Pasteiner</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Cherry">Wayne Cherry</a> were joined by <a href="http://www.barris.com/">George Barris</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dean-Jeffries-Fabulous-Years-Racing/dp/0760333467">Dean Jeffries</a>, <a href="http://www.chipfoose.com/">Chip Foose </a>and <a href="http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/02/beau-boeckmann/">Beau Boeckmann</a>. </div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadxyXySBI/AAAAAAAAFpY/foAvlEz1gSM/s1600-h/Foose.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352138685837101074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadxyXySBI/AAAAAAAAFpY/foAvlEz1gSM/s320/Foose.jpg" border="0" /></a> Chip Foose's "Hemisfear" </div><div align="center"><br /> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadysPlH6I/AAAAAAAAFp4/CFV5fj1JX40/s1600-h/Cherry.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352138701371940770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadysPlH6I/AAAAAAAAFp4/CFV5fj1JX40/s320/Cherry.jpg" border="0" /></a> Wayne Cherry's Cadillac Roadster<br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">The discussion was moderated by well-known automotive writer <a href="http://www.blogger.com/om/Art-Hot-Rod-Ken-Gross/dp/0760322821/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1">Ken Gross</a> in the Ritz Carlton's Grand Ballroom where an example of each man's work was displayed.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadyBk0S2I/AAAAAAAAFpg/dzA8R49xj_w/s1600-h/Barris.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352138689918290786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadyBk0S2I/AAAAAAAAFpg/dzA8R49xj_w/s320/Barris.jpg" border="0" /></a> George Barris signs autographs for young fans</div><div align="left"><br />After the panel briefly talked about their start in the customizing business, each member left the stage and gave a walk around tour their car. The audience, which included over a hundred invited students from local schools, asked questions and collected autographs and pictures.<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352138876630286018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/Skad85IbPsI/AAAAAAAAFqA/ma0K7ZzKz5c/s320/Jeffries.jpg" border="0" /> Dean Jeffries' "Mantaray"</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">The cars were also displayed as part of Sunday's Concours event.<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadyaWu2aI/AAAAAAAAFpw/sUgDtTO8-bA/s1600-h/Buick.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352138696570100130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadyaWu2aI/AAAAAAAAFpw/sUgDtTO8-bA/s320/Buick.jpg" border="0" /></a> Steve Pasteiner's Buick Blackhawk<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadyUxYm8I/AAAAAAAAFpo/smQ4dBCxJOo/s1600-h/Beau.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352138695071275970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SkadyUxYm8I/AAAAAAAAFpo/smQ4dBCxJOo/s320/Beau.jpg" border="0" /></a>Beau Boeckmann restored the Ed Newton<a href="http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Orbitron"> "Orbitron" </a></div>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-81556436195474896532009-01-28T22:19:00.007-05:002009-02-19T18:11:53.019-05:00Masters of PersuasionAutomotive art and design has shaped American culture for over a century. Advertising played a major role in creating brands that connect our emotions to a car's nameplate and defined what a car says about its owner. Although styling was the collaborative work of dozens of designers, modelers and engineers - advertising was often the creation of just a few individuals.<br /><br />The illustrations Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman created for Pontiac in the 1960's defined the brand for generations. Fitzpatrick's masterful car illustrations combined with Kaufman's affluent background settings made for an unbeatable combination. They traveled the world on GM's dime to gather photos and inspiration for creating Pontiac's aspirational images. You may never get the chance to build your own sailboat - but somehow owning a new Pontiac helped get you a step closer.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SYEgbebrcsI/AAAAAAAAER4/aY9DA8fA72E/s1600-h/L6036.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296550293162128066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 187px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SYEgbebrcsI/AAAAAAAAER4/aY9DA8fA72E/s320/L6036.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> This original illustration was used in the 1966 Pontiac Catalog.<br /></span><div align="left"><br />It's hard to imagine Fitz and Van's influence today. But forty-five years ago, color television was in its infancy and photography was expensive. The Federal Trade Commission also frowned on any photographic "tricks" to lengthen or lower a car's looks. Artistic license was acceptable for illustrations.</div><div align="left"><br />Fitzpatrick worked under an exclusive arrangement with General Motors for 21 years. More recently he created a series of car illustrations for "America on the Move" postage stamps for the U.S. Postal Service and was a consultant for PIXAR Studios' animated film <em>Cars</em>.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296550694229694786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SYEgy0ho2UI/AAAAAAAAESA/rSafd-rt_rw/s200/300c_web.jpg" border="0" /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SYEgy8Mh8lI/AAAAAAAAESI/BItz7i-gg80/s1600-h/premiere_web.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296550696288645714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SYEgy8Mh8lI/AAAAAAAAESI/BItz7i-gg80/s200/premiere_web.jpg" border="0" /></a> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296550695684044274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SYEgy58YdfI/AAAAAAAAESQ/wYqWw7lORwQ/s200/goldenhawk_web.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296550700355527394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SYEgzLWJouI/AAAAAAAAESY/27XhgeQ_Kl8/s200/eldorado_web.jpg" border="0" /><br />You don't have to find an original painting to acquire a Fitz and Van of your own. Magazine ads are easily found on ebay and limited edition prints can be purchased from <a href="http://www.fitz-art.com/">Art Fitzpatrick</a> himself. You can also get poster designed by Fitzpatrick from this year's <a href="http://www.eyesondesigncarshow.com/">EyesOn Design automobile show</a>.</div></div>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-6706725751617273972008-09-18T20:41:00.019-04:002008-12-01T22:47:11.332-05:00Career Spotlight: Harry Bentley BradleyThe name Harry Bradley may not be familiar to you, but there's almost no doubt you're familiar with his work. He grew up in the suburbs of Boston where his early artistic talent was nurtured through youth classes at the Museum of Fine Arts. During the summer of 1949, fourteen year old Harry contracted Polio - putting him in Boston's Children's Hospital for seven months. He passed the time with drawing. Nurses would place his wheel chair by a window overlooking the street so he could sketch automobiles. After learning to live with leg braces, Harry went on to finish grade school and became further entrenched into the car culture of the early 1950's.<br />He attended the College of Wooster for a liberal arts education at the urging of his parents but his real goal was a career in automobile design. He wrote to General Motors asking about job opportunities and their response suggested the industrial design program at Pratt Institute.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2MABt2gI/AAAAAAAADbU/9JZMQP_ru30/s1600-h/HB_0649a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527201866111490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2MABt2gI/AAAAAAAADbU/9JZMQP_ru30/s320/HB_0649a.jpg" border="0" /></a>At Pratt Institute, one of Harry's student projects was this image of a mechanical man made from car parts. It was later published in <em>Rodding and Re-Styling</em> magazine. While still attending the design program, Harry launched his own business as a custom design consultant and began to contribute regularly to various automotive publications.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2MeYNIDI/AAAAAAAADbc/sw3sMFW20OQ/s1600-h/HB_0649b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527210013499442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2MeYNIDI/AAAAAAAADbc/sw3sMFW20OQ/s320/HB_0649b.jpg" border="0" /></a> Kandy Klown is one example of Bradley's published hot rod designs.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2M5qxayI/AAAAAAAADbk/D8BSINSwspU/s1600-h/HB_0651b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527217339132706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2M5qxayI/AAAAAAAADbk/D8BSINSwspU/s320/HB_0651b.jpg" border="0" /></a> Harry was recruited by General Motors during his last semester at Pratt and moved to Detroit in July, 1962. This yellow Cadillac Coupe DeVille proposal was created in 1966. Although it was against company policy, he continued to publish designs for hot rod and custom magazines under the name Mark Fadner.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2MxpSE7I/AAAAAAAADbs/r5Oz2kNSAIE/s1600-h/HB_0653a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527215185400754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2MxpSE7I/AAAAAAAADbs/r5Oz2kNSAIE/s320/HB_0653a.jpg" border="0" /></a> Bradley worked in a number of studios during his four year tenure at GM. Above is a slick GT Coupe proposal from 1963.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2NM41bhI/AAAAAAAADb0/f5Pe_sagAEM/s1600-h/HB_0652.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527222498389522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2NM41bhI/AAAAAAAADb0/f5Pe_sagAEM/s320/HB_0652.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Turbo Titan III was Bradley's vision of a turbine powered show truck in 1965. Harry took advantage of GM's Fellowship study program for a Masters degree at Stanford University. While in California, he did some moonlighting on for custom car builders, the Alexander Brothers.<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527783426141874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2t2gbrrI/AAAAAAAADb8/tCuFUp7Y2w8/s320/HB_0660.jpg" border="0" /> The Alexander Brothers had been hired by Chrysler to customize a Dodge A-100 pickup truck to display at car shows. Harry poured himself into the project that was to become a design sensation, the 1966 Deora. <a href="http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/harry_bradley_desig/harry_bradley_desig-6/">Click here</a> to see many more photos of the finished vehicle. </div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNRvc-stiyI/AAAAAAAADc0/slq0wiQgPPA/s1600-h/hotwheels1968.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247942009451023138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNRvc-stiyI/AAAAAAAADc0/slq0wiQgPPA/s320/hotwheels1968.jpg" border="0" /></a> In the spring of 1966 Harry was recruited away from GM by the Mattel corporation. Mattel wanted to hire a designer from one of Detroit's "Big 3" to create the look of their new Hot Wheels die-cast cars. Bradley's mix of hot rod and mainstream car design proved the perfect combination. The original line had 16 models in bright candy colors with carburetor stacks, mag wheels, chopped roofs and red line tires.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2uLMcSRI/AAAAAAAADcM/NsYQWpaymQU/s1600-h/HB_0648b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527788979439890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2uLMcSRI/AAAAAAAADcM/NsYQWpaymQU/s320/HB_0648b.jpg" border="0" /></a> Although the Hot Wheels were an enormous success, the toy company was unwilling to commit to a second series. So after less than a year with Mattel, Harry resigned to start his own design firm and began work on a variety of projects - including the futuristic Tonka toy dump truck above.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2t2q0OLI/AAAAAAAADcE/mBZxK3X1Jqs/s1600-h/HB_0650b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527783469693106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2t2q0OLI/AAAAAAAADcE/mBZxK3X1Jqs/s320/HB_0650b.jpg" border="0" /></a>Bradley's business continued to grow and you could guess if it had four wheels, Harry was asked to design it. Plastic model kits, full-size hot rods and customs, even Indy race cars wore Harry Bradley designs. Many images of Harry Bradley's custom designs can be found on custom car designer and consultant Rik Hoving's <a href="http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/harry_bradley_desig/">online photo archive.</a><br /><br />Harry's 40 year career in the design business has far too many accomplishments for a single blog post. You can be assured I've barely skimmed the surface. Heck, I didn't even get into his 35 years teaching at Art Center in Pasadena, CA.<br /><br /><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2ubf2icI/AAAAAAAADcU/kKRu-BxKDi0/s1600-h/HB_0643.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527793355819458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2ubf2icI/AAAAAAAADcU/kKRu-BxKDi0/s320/HB_0643.jpg" border="0" /></a> In one of those events where life comes full circle, many of Harry Bradley's designs are now displayed in the lobby of Boston's Children's Hospital - the same place where his car design career originally blossomed.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2uTYnUVI/AAAAAAAADcc/ajOvZmJvfIY/s1600-h/HB_0645.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247527791177978194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL2uTYnUVI/AAAAAAAADcc/ajOvZmJvfIY/s320/HB_0645.jpg" border="0" /></a> The exhibit was produced by Fred Sharf, a collector, scholar and author who specializes in buying, researching and organizing public exhibitions of design art.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL3D0x9yHI/AAAAAAAADcs/mdlmc-L6z5I/s1600-h/HB_0644.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247528160919930994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SNL3D0x9yHI/AAAAAAAADcs/mdlmc-L6z5I/s320/HB_0644.jpg" border="0" /></a>Sharf has recently published a book detailing Harry Bradley's facinating life and multi-faceted career in the car design business. It's available from the <a href="http://www.mfashop.com/900822.html">MFA's Bookstore.</a></p>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-7191464797950849562008-08-17T12:33:00.019-04:002008-08-31T14:29:23.741-04:00Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild Reunion<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhT0_8qC_I/AAAAAAAADZ4/bp3yxmIoFKg/s1600-h/1932-coach-by-hs.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235526736802352114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhT0_8qC_I/AAAAAAAADZ4/bp3yxmIoFKg/s320/1932-coach-by-hs.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild began in 1930 to encourage teenagers to build a Napoleonic coach model from a set of plans. The coach was Fisher Body's trademark and the contest concentrated on following precise instructions that tested the competitors' construction skills. The winners recieved college scholorships worth thousands of dollars.<br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhVdpy94HI/AAAAAAAADaA/RcWEnuwC1jk/s1600-h/FBCG_0591.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235528534742392946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhVdpy94HI/AAAAAAAADaA/RcWEnuwC1jk/s320/FBCG_0591.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />In 1937 the contest began shifting from craftsmanship to styling with the addition of a design competition. Contestants created a 1/12 scale model dream car. The full force of General Motors' public relations and marketing departments promoted the contest nationwide. Enrollment approached 600,000 members during the 1950's, making the organization second in size only to the Boy Scouts of America.<br /></p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhWYMFrPdI/AAAAAAAADaI/FBHNOClTYyk/s1600-h/FBCG_0613.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235529540380081618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhWYMFrPdI/AAAAAAAADaI/FBHNOClTYyk/s320/FBCG_0613.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Regional winners were treated with a trip to Detroit and a tour of the General Motors Tech Center. Design judges came straight from GM's styling staff and many of the winners went on to America's top design schools. FBCG alumni are also represented in the Adrew F. Johnson Gallery including Richard Arbib, Pete Wozena, Bob Cadaret, Bud Magaldi, Milt Antonick, George Anderson and John Perkins. </p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhW_7jnWUI/AAAAAAAADaQ/NfiexJsDhyQ/s1600-h/FBCG_0640.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235530223137020226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhW_7jnWUI/AAAAAAAADaQ/NfiexJsDhyQ/s320/FBCG_0640.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston recently hosted a FBCG reunion and model exhibition. About 60 past contestants brought their 40+ year old models for the event that also included a variety of lectures on car design, model building and automotive history.<br /></p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhYVE5znKI/AAAAAAAADag/mQNeDz8OA70/s1600-h/FBCG_0615.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235531685934898338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhYVE5znKI/AAAAAAAADag/mQNeDz8OA70/s320/FBCG_0615.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhXdbu_m3I/AAAAAAAADaY/sUANS0k44qY/s1600-h/FBCG_0626.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235530729990888306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhXdbu_m3I/AAAAAAAADaY/sUANS0k44qY/s320/FBCG_0626.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The two-day event was well attended with design enthusiasts of all ages. The Guildmen were on hand to answer questions about the models and their careers in design and engineering. The <a href="http://www.mfashop.com/900680.html">MFA Bookstore</a> published a calatog of the exhibition that includes 93 color photographs.<br /></p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhZokjhZbI/AAAAAAAADao/h6bpl2vfPY8/s1600-h/FBCG_0608.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235533120360506802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKhZokjhZbI/AAAAAAAADao/h6bpl2vfPY8/s320/FBCG_0608.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKha86G9hNI/AAAAAAAADaw/RYtEow8khAw/s1600-h/FBCG_0627.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235534569255306450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SKha86G9hNI/AAAAAAAADaw/RYtEow8khAw/s320/FBCG_0627.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />You can learn much more about Fisher Body Craftman's Guild history in John Jacobus' book and <a href="http://www.fisherguild.com/">website</a> listed in this blog's Car Design Links section. There's also more about this reunion on <a href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/648045/Fisher-Body-Craftsman-Guild">Virginia Tatseos' blog</a>.</p>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-16640568340289559772008-07-28T21:37:00.022-04:002008-12-09T18:04:08.001-05:00Retro - Before Retro was Cool<div align="left">The word "retro" derives from the Latin prefix retro, meaning "backwards" or "in past times" - particularly as seen in the words retrograde, implying a movement toward the past instead of a progress toward the future, and retrospective, referring to a nostalgic (or critical) eye toward the past.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228640204422607714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_ckDrvc2I/AAAAAAAADTQ/o-Bh1jCYjvg/s320/Chrysler-PT-Cruiser.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chrysler has sold over 1,000,000 retro-styled PT Cruisers</span></p><div align="left">Over the last several years, the automobile industry has found success looking to the past. The PT Cruiser, Prowler, Chevrolet SSR, Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, T-bird and Beetle all look to past design trends with mostly positive results.</div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_f98-HR2I/AAAAAAAADTw/riYFQNOTkp0/s1600-h/04-thunderbird-2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228643947832100706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_f98-HR2I/AAAAAAAADTw/riYFQNOTkp0/s320/04-thunderbird-2.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">It took three years to sell about 40,000 retro T-birds</span></p><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_fl51PrLI/AAAAAAAADTY/f-88_OaO8rc/s1600-h/beetle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228643534672735410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_fl51PrLI/AAAAAAAADTY/f-88_OaO8rc/s320/beetle.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> The New Beetle was launched in 1998<br /></span><br /><div align="left">But like many things in the car business, what some people think is a new idea has already been tried... even retro. Some of my favorite examples are found on the cars of the 1955-1961 Forward Look era at Chrysler Corporation. Imagine creating a state of the art design - styling that would win Motor Trend Car of the Year for the <em>entire</em> corporate line up - while still incorporating motifs from 25 years in the past. The designers in Highland Park pulled it off!</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228622259709575506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_MPiawgVI/AAAAAAAADTA/fZGELe-lSUg/s320/Deck_Lid.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:85%;">The Flite Sweep decklid was offered on many Chrysler products from 1957 - 1961 </span><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_MPwYiblI/AAAAAAAADTI/ZE5zDD314pY/s1600-h/61motortrend.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228622263458360914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_MPwYiblI/AAAAAAAADTI/ZE5zDD314pY/s320/61motortrend.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Retro free-standing headlamps were on 1961-63 Imperials</span></p><p align="left">When Chrysler styling VP Virgil Exner started his own company with son Virgil Jr., one of their first projects was creating a modern look for the great classic marques of the 1930's. The results were published in the December 1963 Esquire magazine where readers were treated to contempary visions of a Stutz, Packard, Duesenberg and Mercer.</p></div><div align="center"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_LinaShkI/AAAAAAAADS4/xI_qIPyjZns/s1600-h/C6110.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228621487955674690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_LinaShkI/AAAAAAAADS4/xI_qIPyjZns/s400/C6110.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Original illustration of the Esquire Duesenberg</span><br /><br /></p><div align="left">This "retro" exercise led to a number of projects for the Exners. The Mercer design was used to build the Mercer Cobra show car for the Copper Development Association. The Duesenberg illustration convinced investors that Exner was the right choice for designing their revival attempt of the classic luxury car. The Renwal model company made a very sucessful line of 1/25th scale model cars with the Exners. Virgil Sr. even had a retro Bugatti made for himself and later designed the 1970 Stutz Blackhawk. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_Gg8tFFwI/AAAAAAAADSo/o9j1PTTFTyw/s1600-h/Mercer-Cobra+-+Color.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228615961753753346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_Gg8tFFwI/AAAAAAAADSo/o9j1PTTFTyw/s320/Mercer-Cobra+-+Color.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Copper Development Association's Mercer Cobra</span><span style="font-size:78%;"> </span><span style="font-size:78%;"></p></span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228615956510694882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_GgpLCXeI/AAAAAAAADSg/zcdrOghbjAM/s320/66Duesenberg.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">1966 Duesenberg </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></p><p></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_GgTJURTI/AAAAAAAADSY/q2FB6H2kuKE/s1600-h/rwpierce.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228615950597899570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_GgTJURTI/AAAAAAAADSY/q2FB6H2kuKE/s320/rwpierce.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">One of 7 Revival models made by Renwal</span><br /></p><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_Gga4w4rI/AAAAAAAADSQ/575gYaEgZiE/s1600-h/Bugatti.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228615952675955378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_Gga4w4rI/AAAAAAAADSQ/575gYaEgZiE/s320/Bugatti.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Virgil Exner's Bugatti 101C<br /></p></span><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_GgIAlYnI/AAAAAAAADSI/2Cf_FkYGlgQ/s1600-h/71Stutz.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228615947608482418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SI_GgIAlYnI/AAAAAAAADSI/2Cf_FkYGlgQ/s320/71Stutz.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">1971 Stutz sales photo</span> </p><p align="left">Although retro styling can have mass market appeal or help a wealthy few stand out from the crowd, it can evetually lead to a dead end. How do you move forward while still looking back?</p>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-22152338652674241142008-07-05T01:19:00.006-04:002008-12-09T18:04:08.735-05:00Trash & Treasure<div align="left">Everyone's heard the expression one man's trash is another man's treasure. Well, whoever said that may have seen the garbage bins behind Detroit's styling studios and advertising agencies. </div><br /><div align="center"></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SG8GoPa5LKI/AAAAAAAADLw/hx5wmjmU3Jk/s1600-h/C5042.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219397781549558946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SG8GoPa5LKI/AAAAAAAADLw/hx5wmjmU3Jk/s320/C5042.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Carl Renner - Corvette Concept - May 5, 1955</p><p align="left">In the course of its daily business, the automotive creative industry churned out thousands upon thousands of sketches, drawings and full color illustrations. Once the art had served it's purpose - as part of the design process, executive presentations or advertising - it was discarded or stuffed into a storage closet - only to be trashed at a later date. What survives today was either tucked away by an artist or literally pulled from a dumpster. </p><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SG8JGQMXe-I/AAAAAAAADL4/EE3wVKDse4g/s1600-h/C6052.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219400496176397282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SG8JGQMXe-I/AAAAAAAADL4/EE3wVKDse4g/s320/C6052.jpg" border="0" /></a> Carl Cameron - Dodge Hemi Charger - March 12, 1966</p><p align="left">In my conversations with car designers, I learned it was common to have a box under your drafting table where you'd keep some of your favorite work and trade pieces with colleagues. By the time a box was full, the styling projects were done and many supervisors would let you take things home. Most of the art in my collection comes from designers' basements and attics.<br /><br />Two of the most valuable pieces in the gallery were literally pulled from the trash. These illustrations by Syd Mead were created as part of his legendary work for US Steel. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SG8FMOt9SuI/AAAAAAAADLo/O4OovmPLLq0/s1600-h/Mead-Blog.jpg"></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219396200813120226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SG8FMOt9SuI/AAAAAAAADLo/O4OovmPLLq0/s320/Mead-Blog.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Syd Mead - LeMans Street Coupe<br /></p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219396196844613650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SG8FL_7ysBI/AAAAAAAADLg/rytk9o-2g4Q/s320/C6009.jpg" border="0" />Syd Mead - Fender Blended Sports Car</p><p align="left">When the company was cleaning out storage rooms, an alert employee spotted the artwork in a dumpster and grabbed it. The art was kept in his family for a number of years before finding its way into collectors' hands. These images are published on pp. 84-86 in Mead's 1979 book <em>Sentinal</em>.</p>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-8902126706035818882008-06-20T00:16:00.015-04:002008-12-09T18:04:10.994-05:00School Days<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyPvc1YvI/AAAAAAAADJw/acH3c47Oav0/s1600-h/C6003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213816239628313330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyPvc1YvI/AAAAAAAADJw/acH3c47Oav0/s320/C6003.jpg" border="0" /></a> Bob Hubbach c. 1961</div><br /><div align="left">Sometimes the most innovative and futuristic ideas come from designers before they’re on a corporate payroll - having their ideas compromised and shaped by budgets and engineering practicalities. </div><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyQHiYjMI/AAAAAAAADJ4/vg2Sj39_8N0/s1600-h/C6091.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213816246094040258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyQHiYjMI/AAAAAAAADJ4/vg2Sj39_8N0/s320/C6091.jpg" border="0" /></a> Ben Delphia - 1964</p><p align="left">Detroit looked to the handful of transportation design programs across the country to recruit the best and brightest available. Perhaps the most recognized of these specialized programs was at the Art Center School in Los Angeles, CA. </p><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFs38rEns9I/AAAAAAAADKg/v_8UG0JKpSo/s1600-h/Art_Center_6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213822509105263570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFs38rEns9I/AAAAAAAADKg/v_8UG0JKpSo/s320/Art_Center_6.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Art Center College c. 1958 </p><p>Art Center alumni make up a lengthy who’s who of car design history including Gordon Buehrig, Dick Teague, Syd Mead, and Larry Shinoda.<br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyQDSTMYI/AAAAAAAADKA/i6n8stOTMrc/s1600-h/C5049.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213816244952838530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyQDSTMYI/AAAAAAAADKA/i6n8stOTMrc/s320/C5049.jpg" border="0" /></a> Bob Adomeit c. 1958<br /></p><p>Other notable design schools were the Pratt Institute in New York City, Cleveland Institute of Art, Notre Dame University and the Detroit Institute of Automobile Styling correspondence course developed by Harley Earl and Richard Arbib.<br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyQVPxbOI/AAAAAAAADKI/lUQ774wZNOg/s1600-h/C5135.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213816249774075106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyQVPxbOI/AAAAAAAADKI/lUQ774wZNOg/s320/C5135.jpg" border="0" /></a> John Aiken - 1957<br /></p><p align="left">The first successful automobile styling program was adapted from carriage design by my art collection’s namesake, Andrew F. Johnson. Many of Johnson’s students were auto industry pioneers including three of the Fisher Brothers, William Durant, Charles Nash, George Mercer, Herman Brunn and Ray Dietrich.</p><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyQbPGVlI/AAAAAAAADKQ/kglgRhc-5i0/s1600-h/C5040.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213816251381864018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyQbPGVlI/AAAAAAAADKQ/kglgRhc-5i0/s320/C5040.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Otto Wuerful - 1949<br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyW5gchiI/AAAAAAAADKY/Ty8xdHuAmus/s1600-h/C5060.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213816362586900002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsyW5gchiI/AAAAAAAADKY/Ty8xdHuAmus/s320/C5060.jpg" border="0" /></a> John R. Jungwirth - 1951<br /></p><p>Here’s a look at more of the student projects in the Andrew F. Johnson Gallery.<br /></p><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsxUqJJOXI/AAAAAAAADJI/dMLMQqnHmmU/s1600-h/C5130.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213815224591268210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsxUqJJOXI/AAAAAAAADJI/dMLMQqnHmmU/s320/C5130.jpg" border="0" /></a>Joe Sohn - 1957<br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsxU4ZMVLI/AAAAAAAADJQ/u-DPy8X21is/s1600-h/C5021.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213815228416677042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsxU4ZMVLI/AAAAAAAADJQ/u-DPy8X21is/s320/C5021.jpg" border="0" /></a> Glen Winterscheidt - 1957<br /></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsxVERDtZI/AAAAAAAADJg/Y4YAS4gTyCI/s1600-h/C6054.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213815231603783058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFsxVERDtZI/AAAAAAAADJg/Y4YAS4gTyCI/s320/C6054.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Art Gerstenberger - 1967 </p>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-78419768936325234382008-06-14T21:41:00.017-04:002008-12-09T18:04:14.497-05:00A Salute to Exner<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0TMMeUDI/AAAAAAAADGg/I3eZJpQicCI/s1600-h/Exner.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211918541814386738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0TMMeUDI/AAAAAAAADGg/I3eZJpQicCI/s320/Exner.jpg" border="0" /></a> Virgil Max Exner, Sr. 1909-1973<br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">On September 29th, 2007 fans of design legend Virgil Exner gathered in South Bend, Indiana on the campus of Notre Dame University. Months of planning by Virgil Exner, Jr. resulted in this once in a lifetime opportunity to see show cars, rare production vehicles and original design drawings from Exner, Sr's historic career.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0TixGjUI/AAAAAAAADGo/fDLsqwUwJLU/s1600-h/Peter_Grist.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211918547873598786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0TixGjUI/AAAAAAAADGo/fDLsqwUwJLU/s320/Peter_Grist.jpg" border="0" /></a>Peter Grist<br /><div align="left"><br />The day began with a car exhibition and book signing by biographer Peter Grist. Having been published just weeks earlier, this was the first opportunity for many to get a copy of <em>Virgil Exner: Visioneer</em>. Grist spent years gathering the back story to Exner's life and has written an amazing, well rounded account of the designer and the man. As images of Exner's life were projected on a screen, cars representing Virgil Exner's design career took the spotlight.</div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR1JYItBII/AAAAAAAADHY/_ahA1TzvrNQ/s1600-h/300C.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211919472732734594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR1JYItBII/AAAAAAAADHY/_ahA1TzvrNQ/s320/300C.jpg" border="0" /></a>1957 Chrysler 300C<br /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211929664397022626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR-anC0laI/AAAAAAAADIg/uwgcB_LyG7Q/s320/Mercer_Cobra.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">1964 Mercer Cobra</p><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0T2FYUqI/AAAAAAAADGw/xn8ZifXhoAo/s1600-h/Bugatti_101C.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211918553058923170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0T2FYUqI/AAAAAAAADGw/xn8ZifXhoAo/s320/Bugatti_101C.jpg" border="0" /></a>1965 Bugatti 101 C</p><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFSAb3ID7NI/AAAAAAAADIo/lB1ryEhOr0U/s1600-h/1971_Stutz.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211931884917091538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFSAb3ID7NI/AAAAAAAADIo/lB1ryEhOr0U/s320/1971_Stutz.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>1971 Stutz Blackhawk<br /></p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211918556636799730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0UDaaYvI/AAAAAAAADG4/ulPIAZ_-ZTs/s320/Belmont.jpg" border="0" /> 1954 Plymouth Belmont<br /></p><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0UTYpAOI/AAAAAAAADHA/o77ii3T7VuQ/s1600-h/Dual_Ghia.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211918560924336354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR0UTYpAOI/AAAAAAAADHA/o77ii3T7VuQ/s320/Dual_Ghia.jpg" border="0" /> </a>1961 Dual Ghia<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211919482732618898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR1J9Y3JJI/AAAAAAAADHg/U5Au0bmmV34/s320/1955_LaFemme.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">1955 Dodge LaFemme<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211919487879557826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR1KQj_MsI/AAAAAAAADHo/a_n4T_SG3ZI/s320/1957_Plymouth.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">1957 Plymouth Belvedere </p><p align="left">More examples of Exner's original art and design drawings were on display at the Snite Art Museum where a lecture by Peter Grist and Virgil Exner, Jr capped off the day-long celebration. </p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR1I2eHP4I/AAAAAAAADHQ/xKvbmM8plQc/s1600-h/Snite_Museum_2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211919463695728514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR1I2eHP4I/AAAAAAAADHQ/xKvbmM8plQc/s320/Snite_Museum_2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR1IZscobI/AAAAAAAADHI/Pph1yXrWGU4/s1600-h/Snite_Museum_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211919455971221938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR1IZscobI/AAAAAAAADHI/Pph1yXrWGU4/s320/Snite_Museum_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR4E3A-07I/AAAAAAAADH4/iuXwtTQdCR4/s1600-h/Hayes_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211922693657383858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR4E3A-07I/AAAAAAAADH4/iuXwtTQdCR4/s320/Hayes_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />While attending the Exner event, I had the opportunity to visit Charlie Hayes' jaw-dropping collection of Exner era studio drawings. Although I saw pieces of his collection on display earlier, some of the drawings were just too big to move.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR6G6WmKtI/AAAAAAAADIQ/GP2hKfRwaYs/s1600-h/Hayes_3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211924927936342738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR6G6WmKtI/AAAAAAAADIQ/GP2hKfRwaYs/s320/Hayes_3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR6TRFGsQI/AAAAAAAADIY/NCYETtvpNjI/s1600-h/Hayes_2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211925140195422466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR6TRFGsQI/AAAAAAAADIY/NCYETtvpNjI/s320/Hayes_2.jpg" border="0" /></a>To complement the art collection, Charlie has gone so far as to furnish his entire business with mid-century era office funishings.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR4EoSmOzI/AAAAAAAADHw/1cosi_lPx9o/s1600-h/Hayes_Office.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211922689704737586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SFR4EoSmOzI/AAAAAAAADHw/1cosi_lPx9o/s320/Hayes_Office.jpg" border="0" /></a>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-61558987924053290232008-06-04T02:10:00.030-04:002012-09-17T22:33:18.764-04:00Designing an Icon<div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEY46VEzhwI/AAAAAAAADBM/MpaxHGk6ttk/s1600-h/Arrivals-11.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207912593841424130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEY46VEzhwI/AAAAAAAADBM/MpaxHGk6ttk/s320/Arrivals-11.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Louisville Visual Art Association - Designing an Icon Event<br /></span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">In September, 2007 I travelled to Louisville, KY to see the Designing an Icon exhibit at the Louisville Visual Art Association. I believe this is the first exhibition of automotive concept designs in North America to be shown independent of another automobile event. It was rewarding to see designers' art displayed on its own artistic merit apart from a car show or other automotive presentation.</span><br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207921259826551042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZAywYqmQI/AAAAAAAADBk/C0t-ysOirPc/s320/L%27ville020.jpg" border="0" /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZao0gzFaI/AAAAAAAADEg/F-AaySFiyFk/s1600-h/L%27ville019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207949676438033826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZao0gzFaI/AAAAAAAADEg/F-AaySFiyFk/s320/L%27ville019.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Retired GM designer, and former LVAA alumni Bill Porter called on many fellow designers to loan some of their artwork for the exhibition. In addition, a designers' roundtable discussion was held one special weekend. A dozen of the exhibition's 24 artists were in attendence for a sold out audience. </span><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207929217734134594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZIB95ry0I/AAAAAAAADBs/1u-m1mH9iUc/s320/018_161.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">Bill Porter - Former Buick Styling Chief </span><br /></p><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZYL57JLxI/AAAAAAAADDo/ruWzmg68lAQ/s1600-h/006_41.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207946980651249426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZYL57JLxI/AAAAAAAADDo/ruWzmg68lAQ/s320/006_41.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Group portrait of designers in attendance<br /></span><div align="center"><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Keynote speaker Chuck Jordan gave a brief presentation about the automobile design process that was followed by a lively and entertaining discussion. The designers talked about their careers, design philosophies and thoughts about today's new cars.</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEY7rEaFtoI/AAAAAAAADBc/wSdGxZhFUkU/s1600-h/057_57.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207915630204139138" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEY7rEaFtoI/AAAAAAAADBc/wSdGxZhFUkU/s320/057_57.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEY6qT7NyhI/AAAAAAAADBU/7XDOnkITc7Q/s1600-h/057_57.JPG"></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Chuck Jordan - Vice President GM Design 1986-92</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZaPKXQJCI/AAAAAAAADEI/qeVkE_a_cOQ/s1600-h/Symposium_Crowd.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207949235626976290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZaPKXQJCI/AAAAAAAADEI/qeVkE_a_cOQ/s320/Symposium_Crowd.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Sold out crowd for design symposium</span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Executive Director Marcia Boone could not have been more pleased with the standing room only event and commented that she had never seen so many men drawn to a LVAA function. Clearly, Designing an Icon brought new attendence, recogntion and enthusiasm to the organization.</span></div><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZWx8jiq1I/AAAAAAAADDg/U0k6lwBl00U/s1600-h/Jordan_%26_McIntosh.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207945435169336146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZWx8jiq1I/AAAAAAAADDg/U0k6lwBl00U/s320/Jordan_%26_McIntosh.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Jordan & David McIntosh review parade </span><span style="font-family:arial;">phaeton concept</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZWi2BmGZI/AAAAAAAADDQ/StG2ei7xXyk/s1600-h/Bill_Michalak.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207945175718304146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZWi2BmGZI/AAAAAAAADDQ/StG2ei7xXyk/s320/Bill_Michalak.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Bill Michalak - Retired GM Designer<br /></span><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZWrAxgexI/AAAAAAAADDY/ek8BiLQvECE/s1600-h/Wayne_Kady.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207945316042570514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZWrAxgexI/AAAAAAAADDY/ek8BiLQvECE/s320/Wayne_Kady.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Wayne Kady - Former Cadillac Styling Chief</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZaWB2-nuI/AAAAAAAADEQ/ZxuBXlq2Rwk/s1600-h/Graham_Bell.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207949353603210978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZaWB2-nuI/AAAAAAAADEQ/ZxuBXlq2Rwk/s320/Graham_Bell.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Graham Bell - Retired Ford Designer</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZY0U5k02I/AAAAAAAADD4/3Ug0EVwTjVM/s1600-h/025_23.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207947675087197026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEZY0U5k02I/AAAAAAAADD4/3Ug0EVwTjVM/s320/025_23.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Roger Hughet - Retired GM Designer<br /></span><br /><div align="left"></div><br /></div></div></div>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668570275655580240.post-6595582889802960412008-05-17T15:50:00.005-04:002008-12-09T18:04:19.307-05:00Welcome to the blog<span style="font-family:arial;">For as long as I can remember, I've had an interest in mechanical things. My dad was a mechanical engineer, pilot and owner of an instrument calibration business. When I was growing up, I was around cool stuff with big dials, meters and glowing lights from the beginning. By the time I was six, my dad had changed careers - but the seeds in me were already planted.</span><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcpNuo871I/AAAAAAAADE4/USOcULIWc8Q/s1600-h/Red_Truck.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208176809912102738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcpNuo871I/AAAAAAAADE4/USOcULIWc8Q/s200/Red_Truck.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcpFxb_cGI/AAAAAAAADEw/vcmHUXkH0VY/s1600-h/Dad_Rocking_Chair.jpg"> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208176673224093794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcpFxb_cGI/AAAAAAAADEw/vcmHUXkH0VY/s200/Dad_Rocking_Chair.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Naturally, the most prominent mechanical device in any boys life is the family car and I remember sitting in the front yard and being able to identify whatever drove by on our busy road. I remember my jaw dropping when my dad brought home his first Cadillac - and three years later when it was traded in for a the more oil crisis-friendly Chrysler Cordoba. Then there was the custom van craze and CB radios too. I played with AFX slot cars; Matchbox; Corgi; Hot Wheels & Sizzlers; put together model cars; drew pictures of futuristic cars; and had owned five different real automobiles before I moved away to college. (Mom was not a big fan of the '72 Fleetwood 75 Limo)</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcpYg2nMhI/AAAAAAAADFA/GJXrNt8_86c/s1600-h/Fleetwood_75.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208176995189862930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcpYg2nMhI/AAAAAAAADFA/GJXrNt8_86c/s320/Fleetwood_75.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As life unfolded I chose a career in television broadcasting... lots of expensive machines with dials, meters and flashing lights I guess. But the car thing stuck as well. </span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcpfmnqjgI/AAAAAAAADFI/QhXRUtBBkEI/s1600-h/NBA_Finals.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208177116996865538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcpfmnqjgI/AAAAAAAADFI/QhXRUtBBkEI/s320/NBA_Finals.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Over the years I've lost count of the cars I've driven and collected, the hunt for parts, storage costs and repair bills. There came a point when it was simply overwhelming and no longer fun. I looked to other offerings to satisfy my unquenchable automotive thirst.</span><br /></div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcshU1vVoI/AAAAAAAADFQ/3KFLedmIpfI/s1600-h/Pompano_Storage.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208180445118682754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcshU1vVoI/AAAAAAAADFQ/3KFLedmIpfI/s320/Pompano_Storage.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As an adjunct to my car collecting addiction, I had started to gather all the other little things that went along with the cars. You know - brochures, magazine ads, giveaways, dealership posters and showroom albums. As I sold off the last of the burdensome full-size cars, automobilia and literature became my full-time automotive habit.</span> </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcwgTv1v3I/AAAAAAAADFg/ELxMHsNEW1Y/s1600-h/7433_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208184825692143474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcwgTv1v3I/AAAAAAAADFg/ELxMHsNEW1Y/s320/7433_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">For the most part, literature does not take up a lot space and is fairly manageable. The collection grew and my obsession was fun again. My collection focused on the Forward Look era of the Chrysler Corporation, which is from around 1955 through 1961. After about 15 years of acquiring this stuff, it got harder and harder to find something I didn't already have. This is when original art turned me on.</span> </div><div><br /> </div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcvWLEu6qI/AAAAAAAADFY/e-XmcfS0ClI/s1600-h/C5109.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208183552053537442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcvWLEu6qI/AAAAAAAADFY/e-XmcfS0ClI/s320/C5109.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">You see, even the rarest of rare literature stuff - say one piece to a dealer - is still probably produced in the high hundreds. With original art, you've literally got a one-of-a-kind item. So a person can own the hard-to-find sales brochure - but there's a unique pleasure in owning the original painting that was used to make the brochure. The same is true of the concept designs. I cannot describe the satisfaction of owning a genuine piece of automotive history; an original artifact that was part of the creative process used to seduce the car buying public.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcxJ6uyleI/AAAAAAAADFo/W014TOA-ZQM/s1600-h/C5015.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208185540531361250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dFP60NKfpZM/SEcxJ6uyleI/AAAAAAAADFo/W014TOA-ZQM/s320/C5015.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">My collector cars are long gone. I still have and occasionally add items to my literature collection. But my automotive passion now belongs to design concept and illustration art. This blog was created as </span><span style="font-family:arial;">a companion to my art collection website </span><a href="http://www.andrewfjohnsongallery.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">andrewfjohnsongallery.com.</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The goal is to spread the word and generate interest in this emerging art and automotive collectible category.</span>Brett Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18026850750236631947noreply@blogger.com1