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Since automotive design is basically an artistic endeavor, art has always been a part of automotive life. However, for many years automotive art was the product of design studies, design departments of automobile manufacturers, or aligned with automotive advertising. Automotive fine art did not exist as a separate art genre. However there were a few car lovers who happened to be artists and enjoyed painting cars simply because they loved the subject matter. But for an artist to be successful, there must be a market. And there were automotive enthusiasts who were interested in buying art.

So in 1983, a group of six artists received invitations to display their works at the Meadowbrook Concours in Detroit. During this exhibition, these artists decided to form an alliance devoted to exchanging ideas and keeping current on trends in automotive art and so the Automotive Fine Arts Society was born. The artist credited with founding this society is Ken Eberts who has been its president since that time. Ken is recognized as one of the world’s leading automotive fine artists. He originally worked in the design department at Ford Motor Company. Then in 1968 he embarked on a second career in automotive fine art. Since then, his works have appeared in magazines, on Christmas cards, posters, and book covers. Ken also has an interest in architecture and many of his automotive works include an automobile set against the backdrop of an interesting building.

He has been a two-time winner of the Peter Helck Award and the Richard Teague Award for the ‘body of work that best exemplifies the spirit of the automobile.’

Bill Neale is also a member of the Automobile Fine Arts Society. In addition to automobiles, Bill paints the people associated with the industry such as drivers and owners. Bill has an aviation background and both cars and airplanes are often featured in his compositions. Bill’s work has appeared in all of the prestigious automotive magazines such as Road & Track, Car & Driver, and Automobile Magazine. He has done posters for many Automobile Concours d’Elegance and other automobile events such as the Monterey Historic Races, Houston Classi-Chassis and Carroll Shelby Nationals. He is the poster artist for the Colorado Grand Rally. He is also the recipient of numerous awards from Europe, the United States and South America including the prestigious Peter Helck and Athena awards.

Jim Dietz is another contemporary artist who paints automobiles. However, Jim is a historical artist who specializes in aviation and military subjects as well as automobiles. Jim is a graduate of the Art Center College of Design. He began his career in art as an illustrator doing automotive ads, movie posters and book covers. But in 1978 he changed from commercial illustration to historical art. In 1997, Dietz won the Stanley Wanlass Award for ‘excellence in strength of design and composition echoing the spirit of the automobile’ at the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance. He also won a Peter Helck Award in 1999 and 2,000 at the Pebble Beach Concours’ d’Elegance. In addition, he has received numerous other awards for his aviation and military art. Like Neale and Eberts, he represents the best of a new genre in art.

Originally automotive art was either advertising or design sketches created within the offices of major automobile manufacturers. However, over the years a cadre of artists has emerged who devote themselves to creating automotive art for the automobile and art enthusiast. This artistic group tends to realism, as this is the preference of the buyer. Automotive art buyers have more enthusiasm for the automobile than for art so they prefer realism, as they want to be able to recognize the vehicle.

Some of these artists have graduated from prestigious art universities while other are self taught. Australian artist, George Vrastaminos, was born in Australia but his parents are Greek. Drawing cars was a childhood past time. In spite of having Muscular Dystrophy he completed courses in drafting and architecture. However, he now devotes his time to painting classic and motorsport cars. He is self-taught and works with a paintbrush and five basic colors. He has worked in Dubai and produced the poster for the Villa d’Este concourse in Europe.

Alexey Stroganov works as a chief designer for both Aeroflot and Siberia in-flight magazines. He studied art at Moscow Pedagogic University and graduated in 1993. Stroganov specializes in classic and hot rod cars. His work has appeared in international and domestic exhibitions.

Lima, Peru is home to Santiago Dancourt although he spent thirty years living in the Caribbean. Born in Lima in 1953, he began his full time art career in 1996. He works on either acrylic over canvas or watercolor paper. His primary subject matter is Formula One and Latino American drivers.

Marizio Corbi is from Sermoneta, Italy. He was born in 1960 and developed an early interest in cars and drawing. In the start of the eighties, Marizio began entering design competitions and was employed by an aeronautic firm. However, his real love was cars so in 1987, after contacting the major Italian design firms, Corbi began working with Bertone. At the same time he started illustrating classic cars using markers. He has exhibited his works in Milano, Turin, and Genova, Italy; Curitiba, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and in Mexico City.

Saleel Pathare is a computer engineer based in India. However, in the late 80’s he began painting and sketching cars. He works on both art paper and canvas with acrylics. His specialty is motorsport cars.

Although Olaf Robrecht was born in Germany, he has lived in Canada for the past eight years. He had already begun his own art studio and been employed by prestigious companies before he received his degrees in art and design, and illustration. In 1995 he was employed on the editorial team of an international art magazine and in 2003 he was promoted to editorial director. During the late 90’s Olaf worked primarily on the computer and his work gained international recognition. Then in 2005 he started working with acrylics on canvas. Most of his paintings are commissioned by car owners around the world. All of these internationally known artists are involved in pioneering a field that, prior to the 80’s did not exist, but is now becoming important in art.