TD Gallery: Featuring Works by Local Artists

The Greenville Chamber has partnered with the Metropolitan Arts Council to provide exhibits of local artists throughout the first floor of the Chamber in our TD Bank Gallery. Our current exhibition features works by:

Mike Zeller

Home Town: Galion, Ohio

College: Ohio University

Major: BFA

Favorite Color: Red

Current Position: VP Brand Marketing - Jackson Marketing Group

Hobbies: Photography, vintage racing cars, illustration, WW1I aircraft

Favorite Quote: “You can’t win the race when you’re in the pits.”     --Mike Zeller

Artist Statement

Ever since I can remember, I’ve had this love affair with cars and airplanes. Growing up, my dad took me to midget races and flying in little puddle jumpers.  He also did bookwork for a body shop where I’d go with him, see cool cars, watch panel beaters work their magic and get high on paint fumes. That body shop was where I had my first encounters with a ’54 Corvette and a Healey 100-4.  To this day they are two of my favorite cars.

As a kid, I couldn’t wait for the new models to be unveiled in showrooms because that meant I could go buy 1/24th  scale plastic versions at dealerships, take ‘em home and start customizing. But customizing didn’t stop there. My dad actually let  me shave the hood and put custom accessories on his daily driver, a ’49 Plymouth. I also put moon discs and a glass pack on our family church-going Olds 88. Finally I was able to afford my own car. I sold my Whizzer motorbike and bought a ’31 Ford Model A coupe for 75 bucks.  I immediately began tearing that car apart to make a hot rod. It never made it beyond shear fantasy.

I also loved to draw. So I was always doodling hot rods and custom cars. When Mid Ohio race track opened in the late ‘60s my passion turned to CanAm sports car racing and photography.  In the mid ‘70s I had the great fortune to work with the Penske Racing Team in Indy Car racing with CAM2 Motor Oil. I was at Talledega when Mark Donohue broke the World Closed Course Speed Record in a Porsche 917-30.  Since then I’ve hit many vintage races at Road Atlanta and Goodwood in the UK. I’ve owned two Austin Healey 3000s and presently own an original ’59 Bugeye that I hope to restore before it oxidizes all over my garage floor.