Honoring the Artist: Robert Michaels

It's not every day that you're likely to see a Nash car sitting in the middle of an inviting vista, even if you do collect vintage vehicles. That is unless you're Robert Michaels, a lover of old cars and a fine arts automobile artist, who also has an imagination that can take him anyplace and frequently does.

Q: There aren't many artists/photographers who do what you do, I imagine. What was your professional training like?

A: I went to the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles and have been a professional photographer for 35 years.

Q: You have traveled extensively, working and living in various places. This must have influenced your work and also helped you with your training.

A: Yes. I have been a lot of places. I was born in New York but lived in Los Angeles all my life, including Malibu. Then, my wife and I moved to Santa Fe for four years. She hated it there, and then we went back to Malibu. We've been here in Bridgehampton for four and a half years, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Q: These places were certainly inspiring, but was there any particular area that you loved more than others, creatively speaking?

A: My favorite place is the Southwest - the desert, Monument Valley. I did a book on Monument Valley and the Navajo Nation there.

Q: How did you initially start doing these nature scenes?

A: I used to do black and white photography, photographing natural parks with my wife.

Q: Cars are another subject that you are committed to. What a difference between them and the natural beauty of the land. But you connect these diverse passions.

A: Yes. I put pristine cars in interesting environments, like the photo on this week's cover of Dan's Papers. I just wrote a book on the subject, Shine to Rust. I'm proud to say that I was selected by the publication, Velocity 2008, as one of the top automobile artists.

Q: Why do you think cars have always been popular in American society?

A: People were more interested in cars before the 1960s, I think. Their style, eloquence. They were really like rolling sculpture. They were pieces of art, especially their identification with Art Deco. Nowadays, people don't have an intimate relationship with their cars.

Q: How did your style evolve? Let's start with what artists you admired.

A: Pete Turner is one photographer whom I like for color and design. I like Chuck Close for his warm photorealistic style. Years ago, I wanted to do paintings that looked like photographs. Now I'm doing photographs that look like paintings.

Q: What advice would you give to young people who are just starting in art?

A: I'd say, "Go your own way. Don't look at other people's work. Your style will come. Don't do digital rendering either just because you can do it." I have a colleague who is technically proficient, but he doesn't have a soul.

- Marion Wolberg Weiss

The artist can be contacted at robertmichaelsphoto.com.

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