Atlas Editions Dinkys

A few weeks ago, a gentleman from Germany named Manni contacted me.

Manni saw through Facebook that I was a collector of vintage racing automobilia, including toys.

He asked if I had any pointers I could give him in starting a toy collection. At the same time, he asked if I knew of the re-creation Dinky toys sold through Editions Atlas Collections.

I put together a little note of pointers together, and at the same mentioned that I ever heard of these Dinky re-creations.

This past Friday, a package arrived from Manni, containing the Editions Atlas Auto Union #23D!!! How incredibly generous!

I have the original pre-war Dinky Auto Union, and the Atlas version compares very favorably to it. What I like is that the Atlas version is not an exact copy, but is actually a new casting.

It also includes a lovely "Dinky" re-creation box, a certificate of authenticity, and a nice German brochure detailing the history of the car.

I’ve looked them up and there are more racecars in the Atlas line-up, but they don’t seem to be readily available. I’m certainly going to try to get more of these lovely diecasts.

Danke, Manni!

Credit Suisse Photo Award for Goodwood Revival

My photographer friend Matt Jacques joined us at the Goodwood Revival last year, and covered it in brilliant style with his photography and words. You can read his story here.

The quality of his work did not go unnoticed … one of his stunning photos (below) won an important award!


© Matt Jacques 2012

 In Matt’s words …

For 2012, Goodwood Revival and partner Credit Suisse launched the inaugural "Credit Suisse Photo Award for Goodwood Revival" competition, aimed at professional media accredited for the 2012 Revival (September 14-16th).

An expert panel judged all entries for the Award after the event, including Revival founder Lord March, a long-time professional photographer himself.

There were three categories for the competition: 1) The best general Revival atmosphere image; 2) The best image of on-track action; and 3) The best image taken at the Credit Suisse Historic Racing Forum. An overall winner will also be announced.

My image has won for the Atmosphere category, and stands a chance of being named the overall winner as well. I'll be able to update when it's been announced on Wednesday March 20th.

Lord March commented on the new competition:
"The unspoiled Goodwood Motor Circuit has always been an ideal blank canvas for creating beautiful, exciting and memorable photographs. Add in the colour, spectacle and theatre of the Goodwood Revival, and I think this is the perfect setting for some striking images. I am delighted that Credit Suisse is supporting this innovative photographic contest, which promises to grow in future years and deliver a legacy of outstanding photography."

Bravo to Matt … I knew him when!

www.mattjacques.com

Automobiliart Beer Coasters

Now that I'm a full-time artist with a business, I'm developing new products.



I love beer coasters, not the decorative ones, but real pub beer coasters. They combine everyday useful ephemera with art and design ...

I thought I would create my own; they go very well with the social dynamic of the "après-vintage-racing" ...
If you are interested in acquiring some, just email me at paul.chenard@hotmail.com

They are each 4" square, and the set of 4 retails for $6 CDN plus shipping.

PS Wine glasses work just fine on them too!

2 Free Race Retro Tickets

Hi all
I have 2 Race Retro tickets to give away.
I'm only going to get there for end-of-day Friday, so these would be ideal for 2 people who want to attend on Saturday or Sunday, or 1 person attending both Saturday and Sunday ... Anyone interested?
I can meet you at 5 pm (17:00) at the main entrance.

Please contact me at paul.chenard@hotmail.com before tomorrow am.

Hope you can make it; it's a wonderful event!
Cheers!
Paul

My First Wall Mural

When you were young, your parents probably forbade you from drawing on the walls ...

Now that I've moved into my apartment, I noticed a lovely blank wall in my living room, ripe for art.
Acrylic on latex, 75"x 42" (109cm x 107cm) 


Well, I finished my mural, an acrylic painting (my second ever!) representing the grid moments before the start of the 1961 Grand Prix de Monaco.

I hope that my parents would approve ...

The 1955 Mille Miglia: German Power, British Might

Post-WWII, Mercedes-Benz was busy digging itself out of the ravages of the war, and trying to regain the presence as a constructor of cars of quality.

They developed the W194 300 SL Gullwing sports car for the 1952 season, winning the 24 heurs du Mans and La Carrera Panamericana.

For 1954, they came with a full force of Formula 1 and Sports Car/GT racers and dominated the season.

For 1955, they fully developed their racing sports cars, closely based on their Formula 1 racers.

For the Mille Miglia, they had a team of 4 new 300 SLR's to do battle against the platoon of Ferraris.

The drivers were (Sir) Stirling Moss, with his navigator journalist/racer Denis Jenkinson, Hans Herrmann, with his navigator, and Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling, both sans navigators.

For their race, Moss and Jenkinson practiced by driving the whole route, with Jenkinson making pace notes all along the way.

The Mercedes-Benz team glued the pace notes together into one long scroll, and installed it in a waterproof windowed box so that Jenkinson could read them out loud to Moss en route.

Jenkinson’s pace notes allowed Moss to drive the whole race flat out, and they won in the unheard-of record time of 10 hours 07 mins 48 secs, with an average speed of 157.650 km/h (97.96 mph), all of it done on public roads!

It was the second time that Mercedes-Benz won the event, the first time being Rudolf Caracciola’s 1931 win.

My laser-cut Ferrari GTO

For my laser-cut stainless steel Ferrari GTO piece, I chose to show Mexican driver Pedro Rodriguez on his way to winning the 1963 3-Hour Continental race at Daytona. Rodriguez was racing 250 GTO #4219.

This race later became the now famous 24-Hours of Daytona.

My laser-cut GTO piece is power-coated stainless-steel, hand-painted with white highlights, is 25"x 10" (63.5cm x 25.4cm) and weighs 4 lbs.

It's been featured in Motor Sport (UK), Wheels Canada, Classic Motorsport (US) and Octane (UK) magazines.

I'm only doing a very limited edition of 10 copies. If you are interested in acquiring one, please contact me at paul.chenard@hotmail.com

Wheels.ca Gift Ideas

With the Holidays racing towards us at break-neck speed, gift ideas might be dancing in loved-ones heads.

I was very happy to see that Gary Grant of Wheels.ca has done a feature on gift ideas in the current Fall/Winter issue.

He has feature my large laser-cut stainless steel Ferrari GTO limited edition (of 10) art-piece.

Merci, Gary!

Motor Sport Magazine – November 2012

Started as the Brooklands Gazette in 1924, the title changed to the current Motor Sport in 1925.

It is one of the oldest automotive magazines on the planet, and is certainly one of the most respected.

I have the huge honour of having one of my art pieces featured in the “Desirables” section (page 125) of the November 2012 issue of this wonderful magazine.

They are featuring my new limited edition (of 10) laser-cut GTO sketch from stainless steel, which I had powder-coated red. I then hand-painted the white details directly on the piece.

Mercedes-Benz W25

Until 1934, three automotive companies dominated Grand Prix racing: Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, and Maserati. Each year, these companies produced racecars that were faster and more powerful than those of the previous year.

The Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR), the controlling body for motor sport in the 1930s, decided to change the requirements for the 1934, 1935, and 1936 Grand Prix seasons. The most important new requirement for the racers was that the maximum weight could not exceed 750 kg, excluding driver, fuel, oil, water, and tires.

The AIACR believed that Grand Prix cars were becoming too fast and reasoned that the change in weight parameters would limit the size of the engines used.

However, the AIACR had not at all taken into consideration the possibility of the manufacturers using new technology and lightweight metallurgy to create yet more powerful, efficient racers.

Mercedes-Benz saw an opportunity to move ahead, promoting their know-how and the sale of their products through Grand Prix racing.


Luigi Fagioli on his way to winning the 1935 Grand Prix de Monaco in the Mercedes-Benz W25.

I did this sketch while waiting for my Halifax flight at gate B05 at the Montréal airport on September 24th. The guy next to me practicing on his guitar; it was great to sketch to this guy's music.

Pen&ink, paint markers and markers on gray archival stock 12"x 9" © Paul Chenard 2012

Mercedes-Benz took a traditional approach with the front-engined rear-drive racer, but also took a serious look at using innovative aerodynamics and lightweight materials to give them an advantage. A steel-blocked 3.36-litre straight-8 supercharged engine powered the new Mercedes W25, and it was wrapped in a beautiful aerodynamic aluminum skin, with all-round independent suspension.

In that first year of the new formula, they won the Coppa Acerbo, the Italian Grand Prix and the Spanish Grand Prix. For 1935, they won 9 major races, giving driver Rudolf Caracciola the European Championship.

Spa 6 Hours Classic 2012

After our long weekend at the fabulous Goodwood Revival as vendors, Nicolas Cancelier and I went to the Spa 6 Hour Classic race as spectators.

I absolutely love going to that event on such a historic track. The countryside is beautiful, and the track is very challenging. The sights and sounds are amazing!

Sports Car Digest has done a feature on the races that weekend; you can read them here:
http://www.sportscardigest.com/spa-six-hours-2012-report-and-photos/

Last year at the same event, my camera died, and I've yet to replace it. I've thought of my roll as an artist, and decided to do at least one sketch at each event, instead of photography.
Lola T70
Pen&ink, paint markers and markers on gray archival stock © Paul Chenard 2012

This time, I set up behind a friend Jason's beautiful Lola T70, and sketched the exposed V-8 and it's sinewy headers and exhaust pipes, and trumpeting brake-cooling ducts.

Photos can never really compare to live art ...

The Goodwood Revival 2012

Another year older and deeper in debt, as the song goes ...

Going to the Revival as a vendor is not for the financially faint-hearted, especially if you are from outside Europe.

Wonderful British artist and friend Anna-Louise Felstead graced us with her presence.

That said, it’s a 3-day 13-hour-per-day adrenaline rush of sights, sounds, contacts made, art sold, friendships renewed, experiences shared … a very hard combination to resist.


We were visited by Mrs Carroll Shelby, a lovely warm-hearted person ... a huge honour for us.

My friend Belgian automotive artist Nicolas Cancelier and took another “leap of faith” and returned as vendors again.

Nicolas and I working on our art in the open
Photo © Matt Jacques

There were numerous changes in the event organization this year which directly hurt our sales. On the positive side, new contacts and relationships nurtured have a direct result of the hatching of large interesting projects with interesting people.

While at the Revival, I met Mrs. Carroll Shelby, Mr. and Mrs. Henri Pescarolo, Rowan Atkinson, Tony Brooks, Jean Alesi, Sir Stirling and Lady Susie Moss and Murray Walker.

We also met some wonderful artists and business owners.

The next few months will be very telling, but for the optimist in me, things are looking bright indeed.

Laser-cut Ferrari GTO

In mid-summer, I received an e-mail from BrandMetal, a Nova Scotia company promoting the fact that they could laser-cut your logo out of stainless steel.

I contacted the owner Mathew to find out what they need to make it happen. The idea I had was to do a pen&ink sketch and have them laser-cut it. I found the contrast of a hand-rendered sketch being laser-cut from steel very intriguing.

After much stumbling around to produce something BrandMetal could actually use, I had the stainless steel cut and powder-coated in red.

Once I got it back, I hand-painted the white highlights onto the red surface. I did the N.A.R.T. logo in colour to create a focal point. 

Everything that you see in black on the piece represents my original sketch, and has been actually laser-cut out, even the Cavallino Rampante of the N.A.R.T. logo! Everything that you see in black in the first photo represents the original sketch. The whole piece is 25"x 10" (63.5cm x 25.4cm) and weighs 4 lbs.

I'm only doing a very limited edition of 10 copies. If you are interested in acquiring one, please contact me at paul.chenard@hotmail.com

I'll be showing it off at our Goodwood Revival Market Stand #61; drop by to see it!
I'll be following this piece up with a blue Cobra Daytona Coupe.

Goodwood Revival 2012

As those of experience know, you can't not return to the Goodwood Revival.
© www.johncolley.com (Fabulous photographer!)

And so Belgian automotive artist Nicolas Cancelier and I are going back. We are both very excited to return to see old friends, and to meet new ones.
© Dirk de Jager (Another fabulous photographer!)

Please come find us at the Revival Market Stand #61.

And don't miss our daily morning and afternoon show!

Sebring 1962 - The GTO Starts it’s Winning Ways

The 1962 12 Hours of Sebring was one of the first major races for the brand new 12-cylinder Ferrari 250 GTO.

The initials of this famous racer stand for "Gran Turismo Omologata", Italian for “Grand Touring Homologated”.

The Phil Hill/Olivier Gendebien driven N.A.R.T. GTO #24 was very successful in the race, not only beating all the cars in the GT Class, but finishing the race 2nd overall.

In my most recent sketch below, The N.A.R.T. and Scuderia Serenissima Ferraris are being prepared the night before the race.
Behind the GT Class-winning N.A.R.T. GTO, Luigi Chinetti chats strategy with Phil Hill. In the background is the race-winning 250 TRI/61 of Jo Bonnier and Lucien Bianchi.

Original available, as are limited editions.
Pen&ink and markers on white archival stock
18"x 14" (45.7cm x 35.6cm)  © Paul Chenard 2012

3rd Annual British Motoring Festival

A few months ago, I was asked to design and illustrate the poster for the upcoming British Motoring Festival, a British motor event that includes not only cars, but other motorized vehicles. The poster celebrates the 50th anniversary of the MGB, which is, without a doubt, the world’s best-known sports car.

Well, the Festival is now on our doorstep, happening this coming Saturday, July 21st.

I’ll be there with my booth, showing off my art, doing some art, and signing the posters, which will be on sale at the event.

It’s being held on the lovely grounds of Kings Edgehill School in Windsor, Nova Scotia, starting at 10 am and wrapping up at 4 pm.

Please drop by if you make it to this wonderful event. Mr. Bean will even be there, carrying on with his Mini!

Photographer Allan de la Plante

Over the past few years, I’ve followed a path of highlighting automotive motor sports history through my art. And all along the way, I’ve been blessed with meeting wonderful people … Nicolas and Dirk in Belgium, Jennifer and Stephen in USA, Lyndsay and Ralph in the UK, John in Scotland, Peter and Rob in Canada …
Allan (left) talking to his friend Bobby Rahal 
Photo courtesy and © John R. Walker 2012

There are many many more, all of whom I can call my friends. Another one of those special people is sports and motor sports photographer Allan de la Plante from British Columbia, Canada.
"Four into Four" © Allan de la Plante 1976

We connected a few years back, through a friend of a Facebook friend, and through his FB albums I became aware of his fabulous photography, and in particular, the wonderful photos of his dear friend Gilles Villeneuve.

On Monday evening, Allan was at the Halifax airport, a stop-over on his way to Newfoundland. He notified me of this, so my friend Alan Coles and I scooted out to meet him.

I have to say that it was to have Allan there in person … what a heck of a guy! It was like meeting an old friend for the first time!

We had all but 10 minutes to chat, but Allan graciously signed my Villeneuve book and my Canada Post Villeneuve stamps, talked with pride about his old son’s forays into motor sports photography and golfing, and then told us 3 quick motor sports stories, none of which I can publish!

Now, I have a goal of meeting up with Allan again, and spending more time listening to one a greats of motor sports photography. Merci, Allan!

Jaguar’s Return to Le Mans

At the end of the 1940's, Jaguar the car company decided to enter the world of racing, fielding their successful XK 120 sports car. And they went after one of the biggest motor sports, the 1950 24 Heures du Mans. Unfortunately, clutch failure ended their quest.

For 1951, they created a lightened, rebodied version labeled the C-Type, and succeeded. Their C-type won again the prestigious race for 1953.

They followed up with a totally new racer christened the D-Type, and won the 1955, 1956, and 1957 Le Mans races.


The Office – Jaguar D-Type CockpitPen&ink and watercolour pencils on white archival stock
© Paul Chenard 2009

The company continued with the development of other racers, but with little success.

In the early 1980's, Tom Walkingshaw Racing (TWR) took a Jaguar XJS to a win of the 1984 European Touring Car. With this success, Jaguar decided to get officially back to racing.

With company support, TWR developed the Jaguar XJR-6 for the 1987 season, and it finished 5th at Le Mans. With their other successes in the season, Jaguar won the World Sports Car Championship.


Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-9LMPen&ink, paint markers and markers on purple archival stock
© Paul Chenard 2012
For the 1988, TWR built the all-new XJR-9LM. For their assault of the famous French endurance classic, Jaguar had Jan Lammers, Johnny Dumfries and Andy Wallace driving their beautiful racer.

Thirty-one years after their previous Le Mans victory, Jaguar was finally in the winner’s circle again.

My First Gallery Show Opening!

On June 23rd, I had the opening of my very first gallery show!

I was interviewed by Radio-Canada's arts reporter Nathalie Geddry.
All photos © Alexander Henden 2012

Thanks to friend and organizer Alex Henden, my show took place in the lovely Pavia Gallery – Expresso Bar & Cafe.






Alex and Chris had also made the gallery opening a fundraiser for FEED Nova Scotia ... Bravo!

It was a wonderful, well attended opening on a beautiful Father's Day. Friends and family showed up, along with car lovers, art lovers and lovers of Italian food ... and the coffee and food there are fabulous!
Artist, chef and gallery-owner Chris Webb doing some of his Espresso art.

There was some lovely eye-catching rolling art sitting in the parking lot too.




My show continues through till July 7th.