America's Artist at Large

Artworks

Automotive-inspired art, motorcycle portraits, and fine art nudes on canvas and metal.

“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”

— Vincent Van Gogh

My Story ~

A.D. Cook headshotI am blessed to have discovered my passion for art early. As a young boy, there was hardly a moment when I wasn’t drawing something. Then, as I grew, I learned to paint with various mediums while honing my skills with pencils, brushes, and airbrushes to create epic murals and artworks.

For me, creating art is a life-long never-ending journey. I’m honored to share my art, dreams, and memories with you throughout the pages of this website.

[ my story, continued ]

Luster Exhibition ~

The birth of the modern car occurred in Germany over 150 years ago. The first internal combustion, a petroleum-fueled motorcycle, came out of Germany 25 years later. In the United States, the Henry Ford Company was established in 1901. A year later, it morphed into Cadillac Motor Company, which Ford left, along with his name’s rights. A new Ford Motor Company emerged in 1903 in Detroit with backing from a dozen investors, including the Dodge brothers. In the same year, 1903, Harley-Davidson was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its chief rival was the Indian Motorcycle Co. which had already emerged two years earlier, in 1901, from a bicycle manufacturer in Springfield, Massachusetts. Much has changed since those early automotive years, but perhaps nothing more so than styling in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s, and America’s love affair with cars and motorcycles, which expressed itself artistically and culturally in so many ways.

Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, cars and motorcycles have been ubiquitous on the nation’s streets and highways and in film, top forty hits, and paintings. With the emergence of photo-realism in the 1960s, motor vehicles assumed a special place of distinction as subject matter in American art’s iconography.

David J Wagner, museum curator

national museum tour 2018 through 2025

LUSTER: REALISM AND HYPERREALISM IN CONTEMPORARY AUTOMOBILE AND MOTORCYCLE PAINTINGS

Featuring:
AMERICA  |  DREAM 103  |  INDIAN SUMMER  |  MOMENTUM

POSTS & UPDATES

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1st Annual Superstition Classics 2024

Yesterday was perfect—the weather was excellent, and the setting was spectacular for a spectacular car show in Gold Canyon. There were plenty of unique cars and trucks, food, vendors, a...

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National Art Appreciation Day 2024

National Fine Art Appreciation Day

On October 25th, we celebrate National Fine Art Appreciation Day. This day honors art’s incredible beauty and diversity, from ancient cave paintings to striking modern works. It is a beautiful...

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Happy Birthday ADCook.com

Today marks 28 years since the launch of ADCook.com, a milestone that not only celebrates the rich tapestry of creativity but also highlights the ongoing journey of exploring and sharing...

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