For Steve Purdy, it was never about the car. It was about the curve of a fender under morning mist, the glint of light on a hood ornament, the forgotten artistry that once adorned machines of motion. After more than four decades immersed in automotive storytelling, Purdy, journalist, photographer, historian, and lifelong car enthusiast, has distilled his aesthetic obsession into Mascots in Motion, a visually stunning, deeply personal art book that celebrates the overlooked elegance of classic automobiles.
It’s a project that’s been years, if not a lifetime, in the making.
Purdy didn’t grow up with dreams of being a photographer. In fact, his journey began almost by accident. A German Voigtländer camera taught him the basics, but it wasn’t until age 30, after inheriting a camera equipped with a powerful lens, that everything clicked.
“It was at a Concours d’Elegance show in Detroit,” he says. “The depth of field blurred the background, and suddenly these ornaments looked like sculptures. Like fine art.”
From that day forward, he began shooting, on film, mind you, where every click cost a dollar and only 1 in 30 images were worth keeping. Self-taught and driven by instinct, Purdy gradually refined his craft through years of shooting at car shows, junkyards, and backroads across America. As digital photography emerged, he was late to adopt, but ready. “By then, 90% of my images were keepers,” he laughs.
By the time Purdy became a journalist in his 40s, he had already built an extensive archive of automotive images. His storytelling took on many forms, including road rally adventures, travel features, and even a long-running radio show. But photography remained the quiet pulse behind it all.
The idea for Mascots in Motion first sparked 10 to 15 years ago. But between journalism projects, awards programs, and constant travel, it remained a dream deferred. That is, until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world and Steve Purdy into stillness. “I realized how much I loved being home, working from my desk,” he says. “It was the perfect time. I was in the right place financially and emotionally. I knew this would be part of my legacy.”
And so Mascots in Motion was born.
314 pages long and featuring over 300 images, all shot in the wild, as Purdy proudly notes, the book is less of a portfolio and more of an immersive gallery. It’s part coffee table book, part personal memoir, and wholly homage to the aesthetics of automotive history.
“None of these images were staged. No studio or artificial lighting. Just found the moments,” Purdy says. “That’s the philosophy of the book.”
The pages cover a curated journey from early motometers, mechanical precursors to hood ornaments, to legendary crystal mascots, American classics, British elegance, European flair, and finally, homemade charm. The book ends with a photo of a welded crowbar on an old pickup truck.
Each photo is paired with brief reflections, some historical, some technical, and others simply philosophical. One passage might delve into the heritage of a car brand, another into the interplay of rain and chrome. Some pages carry meditations on beauty, craft, and what it means to truly see.
Today, Purdy spends most of his time marketing the book, giving lectures, and doing book signings at car shows, art galleries, and museums. His talks, often accompanied by a presentation of 60 curated images, trace the evolution of automotive mascots and the fine art surrounding them. “This is a sub-genre of automotive design. It deserves a spotlight,” he says.
And yes, every book ordered through his website is signed and not just with a name. Each copy includes a personal inscription, often with a message from the gift-giver. “I have a large library of art books. They’re twice as valuable when they’re signed,” he says. “So I made that part of the experience.”
Purdy isn’t done yet. Next on the horizon is Cargasms, a crowd-sourced book featuring reflections from industry insiders, enthusiasts, and celebrities alike. He’s also dabbling in historical fiction and has just wrapped up a haunting photo series that will be showcased at the Grand Rapids’ international ArtPrize competition.
Even in semi-retirement, Steve Purdy’s lens remains firmly focused on beauty, legacy, and the little details that most overlook. He is now available for lectures, keynote speeches, and gallery talks at museums, car clubs, art events, and educational institutions.
