Back in 2015, I made the decision to start attending as many car shows as I could fit in to my schedule. I had moved far enough away from NYC that driving in for drawing day-trips was getting to be less and less practical. I started looking for events and places to continue my art pursuits closer to my home in Hunterdon County.
I had read that Rico Lebrun used to make studies of farm equipment. Lebrun, a California-based artist and master draughtsman, had taught my mentor David J. Passalacqua during his time as a student at Chouinard Art Institute. Since I wanted to continue with my own practice, I decided that anything Lebrun thought worthwhile was more than enough endorsement for me. I also wanted practice drawing people and crowds, so I fell into drawing car shows. It seemed a perfect fit.
Memorial Motor Madness at the then M&M Mars factory (now MARS Snacking) turned out to be a perfect show for me, and I quickly fell in love with the cars and the community, the music, and the tribute to our service members. The show immediately became one of my “must not miss” events. It signals both the start of my outdoor drawing and painting season, and the start of summer. Free candy being handed out on the way in is also, in my book, never a bad thing.
This year, for the first time in the history of the event, the show has been cancelled due to weather and a rain date set for September 6, Labor Day weekend. It’s a little disappointing, but also, I really look forward to warm, sunny weather, so I can enjoy the show in all its glory.
Here is a collection of drawings and paintings made since that first time I got to attend in 2015; click an image for a larger view. Here is looking forward to wonderful weather for Labor Day weekend, 2026!
