Designing an Icon
Creativity and the American Automobile

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In 2008, a remarkable show of designer art was mounted at the Louisville Visual Art Association August 24th – November 10th. The exhibition Designing an Icon: Creativity and the American Automobile focused on concept drawings from the classic 'muscle car' era of American auto
design. The exhibition showcased the rigorous creative process which produced an American design icon each year. The show included rough sketches, the first inkling of an idea, to finished drawings - virtuoso works of line, mark and color. Some sketches are recognized as
actual production cars but there are imaginative sketches from Advanced Studios that still look outrageous today.

It is amazing that this material has survived over the years. All of the work was created in highly secure car studios and, unfortunately, much of it was lost over the decades, stored in back room file cabinets, and thrown out with the trash during annual studio cleanups. This surviving work has never been exhibited publicly and has come out of storage after 30-40 years -- treasures brought to light after decades in obscurity. Most of the techniques used in creating the designs: Prizmacolor pencil and pastel on vellum; chalk on Canson paper; Gouache on Crescent Board, etc., have been lost. Today designers sketch with computer programs and the signature touch of each artist is less visible.

Hundreds of drawings have been made available by top designers from each of the 'Big Three' Detroit manufacturers including: Bill Porter, Roger Hughet, Ted Schroeder, Elia Russinoff, Tony Balthasar, Bob Hubbach, Jerry Brochstein, Wayne Kady, Galen Wickersham, Charles Stewart, Bob Luyckx, George Camp, Graham Bell, Don Wood, David McIntosh, Bill Borden, Kenneth Dowd, John Perkins, Frederico Pizzurro, Ben Delphia, and others. Beautiful examples from both interior design and exterior design studios will be included.

Sponsored by All State Ford.

This exhibit is currently traveling the United States. If you would like more information about how Designing and Icon can be a part of your museum or university contact Penny Leach, penny@louisvillevisualart.org or 502.896.2146 x 112