Photos courtesy of Myles Regan and Ryan ZumMallen

More than 50 members of the automotive media community gathered to hear panel discussions from leading artists and photographers during the "Art & Racing" event hosted by the Motor Press Guild on Tuesday in El Segundo, Calif.

Held in partnership with the Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum, which graciously offered its meeting space, the event was offered at no cost to MPG members. It was one of a continuing series of in-person events MPG has hosted this year. The next will be a panel discussion at the SEMA show in early November.

With visual arts as the theme of the evening, the first panel featured three fine artists and sculptors with deep automotive backgrounds. Felix Holst, a former Mattel Hot Wheels designer, outlined his transition to fine artist. Emile Bouret discussed how his passion for racing fueled his artistic career. Michael Etrick, a clay modeler for several OEMs, described his move to automotive sculptor. The profusely illustrated individual interviews were incisively conducted by Eric Noble, founder and president of The CarLab automotive consulting firm.

The second panel included top practitioners of automotive photography representing several different generations. Moderated by Elana Scherr, senior features editor for Car and Driver, the wide-ranging discussion touched on the many changes car photography has seen over the past four decades and the personal styles of the three panelists. Photographer, videographer, and YouTube personality Larry Chen talked about his news-oriented style. Studio photographer Dean Kirkland discussed his techniques for creating memorable portraits of vintage and special interest cars. Longtime magazine and OEM advertising photographer Randy Lorentzen told tales of memorable shoots and revealed his philosophy on photo gear.

“I wish every MPG member had been in the audience for this event,” Jack R. Nerad, president of the Motor Press Guild, said at its conclusion. “The stories told by the participants were magical. The evening demonstrated again that MPG can produce events unlike any others for its members and the overall automotive community."

The night’s audience was filled with seasoned media and public relations professionals. Equally important, the event also attracted new guests, many attending an MPG event for the first time. 

The "Art & Racing" event would not have been possible without the tireless work of MPG Board members Larry Rusznak and Ryan ZumMallen and co-chair John Grafman. Special thanks to our many volunteers and museum staff who elevated the experience for all in attendance. Thank you also to Myles Regan for taking photos during the event - to view additional photos from the event, click this link. 

Follow the Motor Press Guild on Instagram to see photos and video highlights.

The board and event planning committee now look ahead to the MPG panel discussion scheduled to be held during the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas in early November. Look for more information regarding that event right here soon.