Draft:Norbert C. Ostrowski

Norbert C. Ostrowski (19 May 1938 – 9 December 2018) was an American artist, retired designer, and clay modeler in the automobile industry. For over 30 years, he worked in the styling department for American Motors Corporation (at the Plymouth Road center) as well as General Motors, Chrysler, Renault and ASC -American Specialty Cars. He was also a Metro-Detroit area businessman for 16 years, selling and repairing inflatable boats in Oak Park and St. Clair Shores Michigan, along with his wife, Marian. Outside of the automotive field, he is an award winning painter and sculptor, whose work has been featured at the Scarab Club in Detroit.

Biography

Norbert Ostrowski was born in Detroit, Michigan, on 19 May 1938, as the oldest of seven children born to Conrad and Genevieve “Jean” Ostrowski, who gave him much encouragement for his art. A fascination with cars led Norbert to design and compete in Soap Box Derby racing. A friend of his father suggested that Norbert consider automotive design as a career." In 1958, he entered and won an automotive “Styling” design contest sponsored by General Motors Fisher Body Craftsman Guild. This scholarship helped him to attend the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, experiencing the unusual privilege of being accepted upon his first application to the college. While there, he studied aerodynamics along with fellow student, Wayne Cherry.

Career Highlights

Ostrowski's first position in design was at General Motors followed by three years with Chrysler's Styling department. In 1965, he moved to American Motors’ Styling department, working on production design and managing the Advanced Styling studio. He worked on show cars and production vehicles, along with Gerald Meyers and Chuck Mashigan. He contributed design to all of the AMC models between 1965 and 1985. He is known for his design contributions to the revolutionary Pacer, which first came into production in 1975. His design influence contributed to the later models of the Gremlin and the Javelin.

In December 1965, while Norbert was at Chrysler Corporation, Hudson’s Department Store (whose flagship department store dominated the lower-Woodward skyline) held an art show featuring automotive artists. Ostrowski, as well as fellow stylists, had paintings on display that included a large oil of a golden Siamese cat, which was the first painting that Norbert ever sold. Over the years Norbert has done commissioned pieces for several people, including paintings for former Vice President of Design at AMC, Dick Teague.

Later work

Ostrowski's fine art is primarily produced in oil or acrylic paint on canvas. He often incorporates newspapers to add collage layers that reflect the feeling of an era or make a statement about society. Much of his work exhibits a strong story element. His work is characterized by angular movements that cut across the canvas, vibrant color blocks, and bordering shadows meant to bring the eye of the viewer into the drama.

Creating artwork with a biblical theme has been his artistic passion since the early 1990s. He refers to this style as “Ecumenical Art” because it encompasses the themes of Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditional stories. His art is passionate and at times controversial, as his unique depictions elicit strong emotional responses. "He does not care for paintings meant to coordinate with household furnishings, rather he prefers pieces that move their owner and hold great meaning to them." He designed the pendant crosses worn by the Home Visitors of Mary Sisters (Detroit Michigan, Dominican Republic, and Nigeria). Through these nuns, his art hangs at the heart of those caring for the poor of the community. He also designed the logo that appears on the publications of the H.V.M. Sisters.

In the 1990's Ostrowski joined the Scarab Club, a landmark art organization in Detroit, founded in 1907, adjacent to the Detroit Institute of Arts. He was involved in numerous art shows while a Board of Directors member with the Scarab Club. Norbert was Chairman of Exhibitions as well as having been a jurist for a number of art shows. Norbert has also been involved with the Concours D’Elegance, a collector's automobile and automobile art festival on the Meadow Brook Hall grounds in Rochester, Michigan.

Awards

Ostrowski has twice received the Scarab Club's Gold Medal award for his paintings. In 2000, the Scarab Club hosted a one-man exhibition of his work that featured a huge, loose flag-like painting of one of the Horsemen from the Apocalypse, which hung three stories down over the entrance way to the show, signed with the hand and footprint of the artist at the bottom. He continues to paint and create at his home studio in Royal Oak, Michigan. His sculptures and paintings are part of many private collections. His automotive design contributions can still be seen on streets today as well as preserved by collectors.

Bibliography

• American Motors Invites You to Attend Surview: Project IV (pamphlet). American Motors Corporation. 1966.
• Belevender, Melissa (2012). “Creation to Now at the Galeria” The Polish Weekly. The Polish Weekly.
• Shay, Arthur (1969). What Happens in a Car Factory. Reilly and Lee. ISBN 0809286017.
• Simpson, Roger A (1967). “The things auto designers do in their spare time” Detroit Magazine. Detroit Free Press. pp. 12–17.
• Smyka, Mary (1982). “Best of Summer: Free Summer Pleasures, Blow Up Your Own Yacht” Monthly Detroit Magazine. Detroit Magazine, Inc. p. 72.
• ”Your place in customizing – chapter 10” Custom Car Yearbook #2. Petersen Publishing Company. 1964. p. 223.
• Zinn II, C L (2005). AMX Photo Archive : From concept to reality. Iconografix. p. 10-11. ISBN 1583880623.
• Zinn II, C L (2002). Javelin Photo Archive: From concept to reality. Iconografix. pp. 24–25. ISBN 1583880712.
• “Craftsman's Guild winners, Styling Award scholarships” 1958 World Book Encyclopedia Annual Supplement. World Book. 1958.

External links

• 1995 and 1999 Scarab Gold Medal Winners, retrieved on April 2, 2010.