“Each semester I enjoy challenging my Georgetown University Arts 162: Intro to Graphic Design students to create a series of art car designs based on particular themes. We start the semester very hands on with an instinctual ink and paint on paper approach. We then begin research and discussion on the Art Car Series founded by Hervé Poulain in 1975 with the Alexander Caulder BMW 3.0CSL and followed by works from Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and the complete series. A design theme is chosen, and for this Mazda3 we took inspiration from Mexican folk art, contemporary art, Día de Muertos imagery, textiles, and especially imagery from the Maya, Aztec, Olmec, Toltec, and Teotihuacan cultures. With this historical context in mind the students begin creating five original designs each. These are completed as digital art image files ready for transfer to printed vinyl panels that are then ‘wrapped’ on to our subject automobile. From the 100 or so resulting images a winner is chosen. I’m very proud to say this year’s winner is Tori Hideshima!”
Professor L.Collier Hyams, Digital Art and Multimedia
Art and Art History, Georgetown University
“For this art car design, I focused on the theme of Mexican culture in honor of the new Mazda manufacturing location in Salamanca, Mexico. I drew upon Aztec patterns and incorporated celebratory colors for my inspiration. After studying several modern artists and former art cars, I decided to use bright colors to represent the decorations of a fiesta, such as piñatas and the brightly colored dresses of traditional Mexican dances. I wanted the colors to be bright and celebratory in honor of the new Mazda center in Salamanca, Mexico. The strokes of the design flow along the car to inspire a sense of speed and air gracefully racing along its body.”
Tori Hideshima
Sociology Student – Senior Georgetown University
