Ever since he was a child, Ted McLaren’s had a
thing for cars. It all started with his first car – a 1958 Corvette – coupled with an affinity
for Formula One racing. But never in his wildest dreams did he think capturing the beauty of the
automobile would end up his life’s work.
A packaging design engineer by trade, Ted spent
several successful years running a Minneapolis-based packaging development group. If you’ve
picked up a Tonka, Pillsbury, Totino’s or General Mills product (just to name a few), or even a
pound of butter, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced his work first-hand, as he’s the holder
of more than 40 packaging-related patents. But that wasn’t all Ted could do – while living in
Minneapolis, he designed his ideal home. The builder he selected to carry out the construction
said, “If you can do that, then come design houses for me.” And that’s exactly what he did.
For the next several years, package design took
a back seat while Ted worked with that builder, not only designing homes but also subdividing the
lots that would become some of Minneapolis’ most affluent neighborhoods. In spite of his success
in the construction industry, the packaging industry came calling once again – this time in
Toledo.
Ted was asked to come to Northwest Ohio to save
a 40-year-old packaging business. The opportunity was too good to pass up. For the next ten
years, Ted worked tirelessly to turn around the company, known for its production of one-pound
butter cartons. Under his direction and business plan, he modernized the equipment and tripled
the sales of the company, which was sold in 2000. Ted continued as president for the next five
years and worked with the new owners on a series of acquisitions, resulting in $250 million in
annual sales by the time he retired.
But even the busiest of executives need some down-time. And to relax, Ted turned to the canvas. A
logical choice, given that he’s a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and had been painting
since the age of 10. An avid boater and sailor, his initial work consisted of nautical themes:
boats, water and lighthouses. A trip to the desert Southwest prompted him to expand his
repertoire to the land. Many of those works were purchased by corporations.
In
the interim, Ted had restored a ’64½ Mustang Convertible – and always the artist, he discovered a
unique way to capture the essence of the American icon. He developed a technique of composing
various parts of the car on the canvas, rather than the entire vehicle. And from there, with the
inspiration for “The Auto Icon Series,” a second career began.
Over time, Ted assembled a collection large
enough to support a gallery display. It was the car art that caught the attention of Scott
Hudson, owner of the Hudson Gallery in Sylvania, Ohio. Hudson called the Mustang and Jaguar
images “like nothing he’d ever seen,” and asked if he had more cars. Hudson went on to say “there
are so many painters who can do Southwest – but no one does what you do with cars.” Then Hudson
made a deal: if Ted did a dozen cars, then the Hudson Gallery would do a show. The timing was
ideal. Newly retired, Ted spent the winter painting – and the first McLaren Auto Art show was
held the following summer.
Since then, Ted’s work has been noticed by
several companies and car collectors, and has had other gallery shows. He’s done work for car
dealers – many of his works are displayed in dealer showrooms across the country – and has had
requests from as far away as England. And, his e-Bay store has generated a great deal of interest
as well. And just this year, he was asked to exhibit his work at the Whitney Hotel in Detroit as
part of the North American International Auto Show.
But it’s still not all work and no play. Ted and
his wife, Susan, are avid travelers and boaters, most recently sailing to the Virgin Islands
for a few weeks. The rest of the time, they enjoy spending time with their sons, daughters and
grandchildren. Ted and Susan live in Perrysburg, Ohio.
Quick bits about Ted McLaren:
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Recently reading: An Inconvenient Book
by Glenn Beck
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Favorite
musician: Jimmy Buffett
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Favorite thing to do: Learning to fly a
radio-controlled helicopter. Haven’t had much time to practice – have spent more time
crashing and repairing it!
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Favorite smell: Ocean air
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Signature dish: Makes a mean Salmon
salad.
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Where do you do your work: In the back
of the house – a nautical-themed studio and bar combination. (see the studio page -
click here)
