BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The National Corvette Museum has unveiled a new attraction. This time, it focuses on the artistic side of things, rather than the cars themselves. 

What You Need To Know

  • A new exhibit at the National Corvette Museum showcases many hyper realistic paintings of the cars done by various artists

  • There are over 40 paintings, all of which came from across the country

  • Paintings can range from an artistic piece revolving around the reflection of the Corvettes, to a Corvette at an old western gas station

  • The exhibit is open now, and the cars in there are available to see until the end of the year

The National Corvette Museum’s newest project is a little different from what you would normally see. The exhibit is called Luster: Realism and Hyperrealism in Contemporary Automobile and Motorcycle Painting. It showcases many hyper realistic paintings of the cars done by various artists.

Robert Maxhimer, Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the museum, showed some of the paintings to Spectrum News 1.

“You see some of the ding, some of the stuff on the chrome, and as you get closer, you can actually see the brush strokes, which is quite phenomenal,” he said.

There are over 40 paintings, all of which came from across the country. Paintings can range from an artistic piece revolving around the reflection of the Corvettes to a Corvette at an old western gas station. 

Several artists made the trip to Bowling Green for the grand announcement. 

One person at the exhibit was Bruce Preslan, who represented his late wife, Kris Preslan, who had painted several portraits that were hung up at the exhibit.

“She would’ve loved it. She would have been in her element here. She was so proud, so accomplished. She took up painting late in life, and got a lot of recognition,” he said.

Another painter displaying his work was Richard Lewis. Lewis has been painting for years, and one piece can take him months to complete.

While showing his art, Lewis said, “I’m painting and I’m in my own little world, and I say ‘What does that spoke there look like in relation to that spoke there?’”

Lewis got the opportunity to have several pieces in the exhibit.

One of his paintings he did was a reflective painting, and according to Lewis, he had to put over 40 layers of black paint on certain areas.

While pointing at his reflective painting, he said, “That’s the fun challenge of all this stuff.”

The exhibit is open now, and the cars in there are available to see until the end of the year.

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