For decades the automobile has served as an integral part of the spirit, ethos, and economic lifeblood of the Great Lakes Bay area, and the era of the ‘muscle car’, replete with powerful engines, sleek lines of design, and visual intoxication, represents an artistry that was fueled by high-octane inspiration, which captured the imagination of designers and consumers alike.

So it is entirely fitting that the ‘art’ of automotive designers, which started to surface 40 years ago, will be represented in an exciting new exhibition at The Saginaw Art Museum entitled Designing The Icon: Creativity and the American Automobile, which will debut at a Premier Party on August 12th and then run at the museum from August 13 – October 3rd.

Featuring some 100 drawings from pivotal designers – many fully sketched and fleshed out in gouache, pastel, flow pen, Prismacolor pencil, markers and gesso; others almost cartoonish in nature – these working drawings easily capture the attention and admiration of anyone interested in design and color.

This exhibition highlights the creativity of the American automobile designers of the 1960s and 70s, a period that stressed exotic styling and high performance. These pieces are a record of popular culture during this period, but in a significant way, they represent fine art – a testimonial to the talent and skill of the designers that produced them.

Calling on their drawing skills as the first and best line of communication, the many designers represented in this exhibition find their earliest sketches were usually small, almost memo-like doodles as they explored a sea of possibilities which led to the final renderings.

Watch for more about this exciting exhibition in our next edition.

The Saginaw Art Museum is located at 1126 N. Michigan Avenue in Saginaw. Phone 989-754-2481 for more information on ICONS. Hours are Thursday from 10 am – 5 pm; Friday & Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm; and Sunday from 1 pm – 5 pm. Individual memberships are available for $40.00 and student and senior memberships are $20.00.