Gallery: Posterized
August 1, 2007
Artist Barry Rowe—who lives just
three miles from Aston Martin’s world headquarters in Warwickshire,
England—received the prestigious commission to create the poster for the 57th
annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Rowe will showcase 12 paintings
underneath the Automotive Fine Arts Society’s white tent at the event this
August. The annual art show, held on the 18th fairway, will feature
automotive-themed artworks from 21 AFAS artists.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
The 57th annual Concours poster. (Click image to enlarge)
"I visited the plant to collect photographs and reference
materials," says Rowe of his preparation for painting a 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4
drophead coupe parading before a stylish 1950s crowd and two other Aston
Martins—a vertigo blue 2007 V-8 Vantage, and a 1934 Ulster TT. To accompany the
DB2/4, "I wanted a typical ’50s garden party scene and Pebble Beach is the
perfect backdrop," Rowe says.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
In Jay Koka’s The Streets of San Francisco, a Ferrari F430 F1 coupe flies down Mason Street towards Union Square. (Click image to enlarge)
The Golf Links’ signature Carmel, California, cypress trees and Pacific Ocean
views also appear in Rowe’s two previous Concours poster commissions: Pebble
Beach set the stage for a 1920s garden party, surrounding a 1928 Minerva AKS
Tourer, and an afternoon showing of a 1934 Packard 1108 Dietrich Sport Sedan.
More than exhibiting his artwork, Rowe is looking forward to seeing so many
Aston Martins on the green, as the English manufacturer is a featured marque this year.
AFAS artist Jay Koka picked a dramatically different setting
for The Streets of San
Francisco, which will also be on display at
the show. In the early 1980s Koka unexpectedly caught some air as his rental car
came flying over an especially steep street on Nob Hill in San Francisco. Last
summer, Koka revisited the Bay Area and was reminded of his experience—which the
artist relives in the 36 inches by 48 inches acrylic on canvas—on Mason Street.
Although, he says, "I added the red Ferrari for flair." The F430 F1 coupe is a
typical subject for Koka, who regularly paints sports cars. For his 2006
Concours poster commission Koka painted a black 1936 Delahaye 135 Competition
Sport Coupe parked in front of the Lodge at Pebble Beach.
Memory likewise inspired A Little Ahead of Schedule (above).
Artist Tom Fritz fondly remembers racing a 4-8-4 Baldwin locomotive from the
backseat of his family’s 1950 Ford station wagon. As the train approached from
behind, Fritz’s father pressed the pedal to the floorboard, accelerating the car
to near triple-digit speed. Fritz used warm colors to convey the feeling of that
hot Midwestern evening. "I replaced our ’50 Ford woodie with the ’32 Ford
because the hot rod’s stripped-down attitude evokes a stronger visual and
visceral impact." Fritz points out the exposed pipes and wide-set wheels, "the
’32 Ford hot rod covered all angles of a true American dream car," Fritz says.
AFAS, www.autoartgallery.com/afas
Barry Rowe, www.barryrowe.com
Jay Koka, www.jaykokastudio.com
Tom Fritz, www.fritzart.com
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