For decades, there has been a move to make everyday objects more appealing. Companies have commissioned artists to design faucets, chairs – even keychains – all with the goal of making the object beautiful and desirable to the consumer. And yet, so few people view automobiles as art, or automobile-inspired art as fine art. The Motorcar Cavalcade Concours d’Elegance challenges these notions in the best possible way.

There is a trend toward immersive art experiences. Audiences pay to walk through a room where art is projected onto the surrounding walls and floors. Consider the automobile as the ultimate immersive art experience. A car’s visual appeal is obvious – there is symmetry and color that draws us in, the sensual feel of the seats and steering wheel, the smell of a leather interior, and the sound of the engine as it roars to life. There is that taste of freedom as you take it for a drive. I submit that automobiles are art; an aggregation of details that have been carefully considered and intentionally designed not only to solve the issue of transportation but enhance the aesthetic experience.

As an artist growing up in the automotive world, I found inspiration in what many people consider mundane. But every car has an engineer, a designer, owners and a story. It is these things that have informed my art. My 2019 piece, “Beneath the Surface: Bugatti of Lake Maggiore,” which is part of the permanent collection at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, is an assemblage of the colorful history surrounding a car that involved famous race cars and drivers, champagne, gambling, tragedy and love. Telling the story of this car through art engages viewers with a strong visual impact that can outlast the written word.

We are surrounded by art forms every day; we just need to refocus our lens to see them. Through my new series, “Driven to Abstraction,” I attempt to do just that by using art as the vehicle. Driven to Abstraction is an experiential installation that appears to be colorful abstract art works; but when viewed through a convex mirror or a cell phone wide-angle camera, the abstraction morphs into the image of a car. “Driven to Abstraction” invites the viewer to change their perspective from seeing an abstract artwork to seeing a vehicle. By this, I hope to encourage viewers who do not consider themselves “car people” to expand their perceptions and join car enthusiasts in their appreciation of the automobile for its beauty, its ability to connect people and create shared memories – and to celebrate cars for the unique style they have brought to our culture throughout time. I am so pleased to debut “Driven to Abstraction” at the Motorcar Cavalcade in Miami, an event that invites us to see and appreciate the automobile as a true art form.