Three Northwestern State University students had winning designs for the 2021 Mazda Art Car Project. Twenty five designs were sent to Mazda for critique. The judge for this year was Mike Zagami with Mazda North American Operations in Irvine, California.

Each student created five thematic designs on paper and then chose their best design and applied it to a papercraft maquette. The primary theme this year is Kodo aka the art of motion.

1st Place design “Azul” by Bess DeFord, Fine and Graphic Arts

2nd Place design “funhouse” by Raven “Dom” Tunwar, Fine and Graphic Arts

3rd Place design “Honk!” Zander Leone, Fine and Graphic Arts

The designs were created by students in Art Design 1010-01, taught by Collier Hyams, a professor of art who developed a relationship with Mazda several years ago as an opportunity for students to apply their ideas to a product.

The winning design was hand painted on a Mazda RX-8 that Hymes received on a grant from Mazda North American Operations. Hymes started this art car series in 2011 with BMW while teaching in DC.

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