Jeff DiCicco is a fine artist whose oil paintings explore the automobile as a subject of contemporary fine art. Drawing from a lifelong immersion in automotive culture, his work focuses on the sculptural qualities of the automobile—its surfaces, proportions, and defining design elements—rather than traditional narrative representation.
Grounded in photorealism yet informed by abstraction, DiCicco's paintings isolate and magnify specific details of automotive form. Through careful cropping and compositional restraint, familiar vehicles are transformed into studies of color, geometry, reflection, and design. The resulting images invite viewers to engage with the automobile not simply as a machine, but as an object of visual and cultural significance.
His connection to the subject extends well beyond the studio. An avid automotive enthusiast since childhood, DiCicco learned to work on cars alongside his father and has since built race engines and race cars of his own. For more than a decade he has competed in endurance racing, bringing a deep appreciation for the artistry of engineering, performance, and design to the work. This practical experience informs his artistic perspective, allowing him to approach the automobile simultaneously as mechanic, driver, and painter.
His methodology is structured and process-driven. Each work begins with extensive photographic documentation, followed by compositional refinement in which scale, angle, and visual emphasis are carefully considered. Final dimensions are then established either independently or through commission parameters.
DiCicco's work has been exhibited at the Petersen Automotive Museum and featured in publications including Robb Report and Veloce Today. He is currently developing a large-scale series documenting the most successful race cars of each decade over the past century, examining the evolution of automotive performance through a century of competition and innovation. Archival print editions of the series will accompany the project.
A Santa Monica resident for nearly twenty-five years, DiCicco maintains his studio along the idyllic stretch of San Vicente Boulevard. From the Monterey-style balcony that spans the front of the space, he can often be seen at work on his latest paintings, offering a rare glimpse into an active studio practice. Visitors are welcome by private appointment.
