Academy of Art University Classic Car Collection
San Francisco’s Academy of Art University Museum will exhibit approximately 30 cars selected for the San Francisco Chronicle|SFGate.com 55th Annual International Auto Show by the University’s Industrial Design Department Director Tom Matano.
Matano, a designer at Mazda for 20 years before joining the faculty at the University, has put together a priceless selection of 30+ automobiles from the 1930's-1950’s that represent the elegance, style, craftsmanship, technology and innovative spirit of each era. This collection is primarily used for student reference in the School of Industrial Design.
Most of the automobile collection is garaged in the museum of the university’s Industrial Design Department on Van Ness Avenue. The cars were collected by Richard A. Stephens, son of the late Richard S. Stevens, who founded the University in 1929 and served as its president until 1951. The younger Stephens served as president until 1992, when he was succeed by his daughter, Elisa Stephens, and named Chair Emeritus.
Although Matano’s department has one of the youngest automobile design programs in the country — in existence for just 12 years — the list of companies that have hired graduates is impressive: BMW Design, Works, GM, Mazda, Toyota, Fox Racing, Black & Decker, Camelback (CQ) Hasbro, Mattel Tigo, LG Electronics, Microsoft, Nike, tech stock companies NVIDIA and Palm Inc; Samsung, Tony, Sketchers North Face and Timbuk 2 Designs.
The cars expected to be on display from the Academy of Art University collection include:
1930 Duesenberg J Convertible Sedan; 1930 Isotta-Fraschini Cabriolet; 1933 Pierce- Arrow Silver Arrow; 1933 Packard Twelve Dietrich Dual Cowl Phaeton: 1934 Cadillac Aero Coupe; 1937 Squire Roadster; 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr Coupe; 1953 Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster; 1953 Nash-Healey Roadster: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe
About the Academy of Art University:
With more than 18,000 students, Academy of Art University is the nation's largest private art and design university. Established in 1929, the school offers accredited AA, BA, BFA, MA, M.Arch and MFA programs in 21 different majors, as well as continuing art education, with classes in Acting, Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture, Art Education, Art History(BFA), Fashion, Fine Art, Game Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Jewelry and Metal Arts, Landscape Architecture, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, Photography, Visual Development and Web Design & New Media. Students can also enroll in flexible online degree programs in most majors. Academy of Art University is an accredited member of WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design), Council for Interior Design Accreditation (BFA and MFA-IAD) and NAAB (M-ARCH). For more information, visit www.academyart.edu or call 1-800-544-2787.
