Meet Tommy Scalera | Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tommy Scalera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tommy, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have always been a car guy, and I’ve always loved going to car shows from the local town shows to the big Concours d’Elegance. Around a decade or so ago, I was driving my 1962 Thunderbird convertible to an out-of-state car show. Upon arriving, I found myself in an empty field with a handful of other car enthusiasts who, like me, were wondering why the show was cancelled despite perfect weather. I checked my smart-phone for any indication of the cancellation or alternative events to attend but found nothing in either category. It was only after returning home that I learned from a fellow car show enthusiast about another car show that had occurred on the same day, not far from where I’d just been.
As a result, the thought came to me that there should be a website that lists every car event with real-time updates to help all enthusiasts make informed choices and avoid disappointment. From that inspiration, CarShowSafari.com was born.

But before CarShowSafari.com, I was a Creative Director on Madison Avenue. And having spend a decade doing that, I fully understood the dedication of time and energy it takes to work in the epicenter of advertising and graphic design. One has to put everything they have into it, and at the time I had a wife and two young children at home. I began to realize that, to my family, I was just a guy who got home from the agency after bedtime, was around only on weekends. I realized that their childhood was fleeting, and experiencing it with them was far more important than any agency position. So in 1997, I quit my job and started my own agency, Generator Automotive Media, in what was essentially a closet in my home. Back then it was very unusual to run a business remotely, and despite initial skepticism by clients, I was able to build my agency to the point where we upsized to a larger home with ample studio space where I could bring in an assistant or two. Having my own agency also meant I could focus on what I loved: the automotive field.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always been fortunate to work in a field that allows me creative freedom, however being a commercial artist comes with a set of parameters to creating the most effective solutions to any design challenge. It comes down to what the most effective way to handle that particular project. It’s not about what I like, but what serves the project most effectively.
That said, I do have one area that allows me complete creative freedom with no parameters. Every year since I met my wife Holly, over 37 years ago, I have created a Valentine for her. It started out as a simple pop-up card, but over the years has evolved into larger, multi-media pieces that run the gamut from posters, oversize banners, neon signs, a 10’x5′ billboard, a statue, lighted signs, a gold record, a surfboard, to an illustrated tattoo. And the one running theme is that all of them celebrate Holly in some way. Some of them take weeks to design and construct. But to me this is the most satisfying creative outlet there is, for the only client that really matters.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ventura is my adopted home, and every day I am thankful for the opportunity to live here. And when friends or relatives are in town, I take them on what I call the “Red Mustang Tour”. It starts with a top-down ride in my red Mustang GT convertible, with Beach Boys blasting, starting out through the vast strawberry farms and then heading along the ocean on PCH and then moves up the mountain to the Serra cross where they can get a bird’s eye view of all of Ventura from the far reaches of Oxnard to points north toward Santa Barbara. It is an awe-inspiring view. We then head down to Main Street, park, and walk a while enjoying the town center’ shops and attractions. We jump back into the Mustang and take the 33 up to Ojai and stop at Bart’s Books, a very unique outdoor book store. Cruising through Ojai, we stop at Boccali’s restaurant for fantastic lasagne dinner and their famous strawberry shortcake. From Boccali’s we head out of downtown and up into the canyons to test the handling characteristics of the Mustang, stopping at the “Dreams Come True” sign to take in the magnificent view and settle my passengers stomachs a bit. We then continue through the canyons and switchbacks, and stunning mountain views until we make our way to Santa Paula, for a cruise down Main Street in this beautifully classic California town that hasn’t changed much since the 1930’s. And if the ride happens on the first Friday of the month, there is a magnificent classic car show that runs all the way through town, and it’s like stepping back in time.
We then hop onto the 126 through endless citrus fields and head back into downtown Ventura for a fun night of drinks and music at Fiori’s on California Street. A perfect end to a perfect day!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to thank my wife Holly, who has always believed in me and has supported my choices. We are a team.

Website: https://www.CarShowSafari.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carshowsafari

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carshowsafari

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carshowsafari1

Other: https://www.GeneratorAutoMedia.com