2024 Recap
What a truly fantastic year it has been. It has memories and experiences that will stay with me forever. With 2024 behind us and a fresh and promising year ahead of us, I believe it’s truly worthwhile to take a moment to reflect on and look back on the past twelve months. As I consider everything I’ve experienced, I can’t help but think about all the challenges I’ve faced and the victories celebrated, which have made this year not just memorable but transformative in many ways.
America's Artist Online
2024 was a big year for this website’s growth, with 120 Blog posts. I created most of them, but thankfully, I also had some help, including nearly three dozen posts by food and beverage writer Bob Barnes and a couple of inspirational posts from Frank Mallinder. I didn’t realize it until a moment ago, but this first post for the year marks number seven hundred since I began this blog site in 1996.
So, just for fun, I thought it might be a good time to reflect on this past year in anticipation of the new year and all the creative possibilities in 2025. There is a lot to share here, so buckle up.
MOMENTUM
One of the significant highlights and honors of my year, which I consider to be genuinely momentous, began with the successful completion of MOMENTUM, a diptych painting that I created specifically for inclusion in the prestigious LUSTER Exhibition held at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, renowned for its celebration of automotive history and artistry.
I started these paintings in 2023 and wrapped them up in February 2024. Two four-foot by five canvases, CREATION and EVOLUTION, cover ten feet when displayed side-by-side; this artwork was an epic project, which I journaled through my Corvette Art Timeline on this website and through short clips on my YouTube channel.
While creating the Corvette paintings, I kept up with the website with Bob’s help. In the first few months, he contributed several posts to support and celebrate Las Vegas’s food and beverage happenings.
My MOMENTUM artwork was barely finished before shipping to the Corvette Museum in preparation of the March 14th VIP Gala for the LUSTER Exhibit’s launch for its nine-and-a-half month stay, which wraps up in just a few days. As a passionate Corvette enthusiast, attending the gala and speaking at the museum in its famous SkyDome was the honor of a lifetime.
If you’ve never visited the Corvette Museum, it’s a fantastic experience, especially if you are a car fan. The mission of the National Corvette Museum is to educate worldwide audiences on the evolution of the Corvette—America’s Sports Car—through the collection, preservation, and celebration of its legacy.
In July, I was again honored to be featured, along with my paintings, in America’s Sports Car magazine, a publication of the National Corvette Museum. Click here for the interview by Robert Maxhimer from the July/August/September issue.
The following issue featured my motorcycle painting, AMERICA, to promote the LUSTER art exhibit at the National Corvette Museum in their Adrenaline Meets Tradition On Canvas announcement.
As I write this post, there are only a few days left to catch the LUSTER: Realism and Hyperrealism in Contemporary Automobile and Motorcycle Paintings Exhibit at the National Corvette Museum. This Sunday, January 5th, the exhibit comes to a close.
The LUSTER Exhibit will move on to The Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center in Lake Charles, LA, starting February 1st through April 30, 2025, sans my MOMENTUM paintings. The tour will continue with three of my artworks: AMERICA, DREAM 103, and INDIAN SUMMER, along with dozens of paintings by an amazing group of artists.
I look forward to sharing more about MOMENTUM’s journey and where you can see the paintings up close.
Phoenix Rising
In June 2024, I moved from Las Vegas to the Phoenix Valley. I had been born and lived here a few times as a child and young adult, so it was more of a return to my roots. Still, as you might expect, it was a huge culture shock compared to Vegas.
It took a while to set up a new studio where I could paint again, so while I got off to a slow start, art-wise anyway, once I got back to the easel, I created Phoenix Rising to celebrate my creative rebirth and rise from the ashes.
American Artist Appreciation Month
August was American Artists Appreciation Month, so I shared a few of my artist friends, their backstories, and their beautiful creations. I started with a few calls inviting them to share their fantastic talent with my readers. I was ecstatic with the response, and over the following few days, I received several emails and miles of images to share – so many that, in many cases, it was hard to pick which ones to use. Ultimately, I narrowed my posts to a dozen of my favorites. Click here to see them all.
Cars, Coffee, and Chrome
Where there is sun, there are typically cars, and the vibrant city of Phoenix has an abundance of both. While I have had the pleasure of strolling through a variety of impressive automotive events in Las Vegas, including the renowned SEMA Show several times, as well as the popular Las Vegas Cars & Coffee shows and a multitude of other fascinating gatherings, I must say that the Phoenix Valley car shows stand out as genuinely epic experiences that are held frequently and in numerous locations. The car culture in Phoenix is not just alive; it’s thriving and presents a unique blend of automotive passion that attracts enthusiasts from all over.
The abundance of car shows excites me greatly. I continually draw inspiration from the stunningly beautiful lines and bold, vibrant colors often on display. I am passionate about all kinds of vehicles, whether rods, powerful hot rods, massive trucks, or uniquely styled rat rods; I find .mmense joy in them all. Each car is a work of art that rolls down the streets, showcasing creativity and craftsmanship in every curve and detail.
At the time of this writing, I have posted a dozen Arizona car shows with over a thousand pictures for your viewing pleasure. Click here to see them all.
Fast Company
I still enjoy my work with TeamWWF as their graphic designer and web guy. Watching this team grow from humble beginnings and dreams to helping drivers develop their racing careers on and off the track has been amazing.
The Wings & Wheels Foundation helps promising young drivers advance to the next level of achievement in their careers. In addition to being highly competitive, automobile racing is also extremely expensive. TeamWWF strives to identify young, talented drivers and help place them in a supportive environment led by professionals who have achieved high success in the motor racing industry.
I can hardly wait to see what they accomplish this year!
The Truth
Most recently, I enjoyed working with my friend and mentor (and contributor to this website) Frank Mallinder on his particular project, his workbook titled LIVING YOUR EXCEPTIONAL LIFE.
His forthcoming book covers a lot of ground, enabling you to gain clarity on what is possible in life when you document and live your mission, activate your ability to live in a way that is consistent with your talents, and build your ability to challenge yourself to live an exceptional life consistently.
Feeling Continental
Like last year, I am rolling into the new year with an epic car painting on my easel. While it’s not far enough to share in this post, stay tuned as CONTINENTAL progresses. I also post teaser shots on X, Instagram, and Facebook. The painting is coming along nicely so far, so if you follow any of my social media, you can watch it progress over the next few weeks.
My goal for 2025 is to create more car art. All that chrome looks sweet, reflecting the southern sky with its beautiful clouds, and there is no shortage of stunning cars to paint. It’ll be a fun and colorful year.
- Hero image © 2024 Adobe Stock. Licensed for editorial.
- National Corvette Museum logo © National Corvette Museum
- National Corvette Museum VIP Luster Gala Poster © National Corvette Museum
- The Wings & Wheels logo is © The Wings & Wheels Foundation
- All other images by A.D. Cook © 2024
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A.D. is an artist who started drawing at a young age. Throughout his life, he has worked with different creative tools in traditional and digital art and design. His art and writings have been showcased in various publications such as Airbrush Action Magazine, Airbrush Magazine, American Art Collector, Art & Beyond, Dream To Launch, Easyriders, Las Vegas City Life, Las Vegas Weekly, L’Vegue, ModelsMania, Quick Throttle, and The Ultimate Airbrush Handbook.