All the Season's Best!

It’s a joyful time, but as we gather together with family and friends to celebrate, it’s also a time to fondly reflect on those who are no longer with us, and raise a glass to their memory.

Cheers!

I want to wish all my wonderful family and friends all the very best!

Happy Holidays!

Historic Car Art gallery

For almost a year now, I've have been represented in the UK by Historic Car Art.

It has been a huge honour for me that my work should be chosen by this prestigious professional gallery, and the experience has been very rewarding and fruitful.

They not only carry fine art and limited editions, but also original vintage racing posters.

They really are the very best!

Photographer Dirk de Jager

In my growth in the world of racing history, I’ve come across some very talented photographers, one of which is Belgian Dirk de Jager.

Photo by © Massimo Delbo
I took notice of his work because it has a special quality to it that sets it apart. And Dirk will go out of his way to get that special shot.

Aston Martin DB2/4, this car was ordered new in 1955 by King Boudewijn of Belgium 
© Dirk de Jager


Though his parents were involved in racing before he was born, the family continued to visit the tracks till he was 10 years old. He had picked up a Pentax when he was six, so racing and car photos were a natural result.

Bugatti Type 46 Veth & Zoon 
© Dirk de Jager


There was brief detour into computers when he was a teen, leading a computer job.
But the lull of the track was too strong, and he was back at the photography for Insight F1 covering Formule Renault 2 litre, F3 and Formula Renault 3.5 litre (World Series by Renault) in the Dutch, German and European Championships.

The new Jaguar XJ Supersport
© Dirk de Jager


By 2003, Dirk was working for Supercars.net, and at the same time, was a contributor to World in Red, the French Ferrari yearbook, Altas Prestaciones (Spain) and La Strada (Holland).

The most famous car in the world, Aston Martin DB5 James Bond, recently sold for $5 million USD
© Dirk de Jager


In 2008, Dirk established his own company. Since then, his photography has seen light in Octane (UK), Red Racing Green (Belgium), Het Automobiel Klassieker (Holland), Classic Motorsport (USA) magazines, not to mention Autoweek and Carros (Holland), with upcoming features Hotrod (USA), RuoteClassiche (Italy), Art of Living (Holland) and again in Octane. Work has also come from auction houses such as Bonhams, RM and Articurial.


Dirk’s reputation for quality is well known, so he is being sought out.

The recreation of Ferrari 156F1 Sharknose, shot at the old part of Spa Francorchamps (public road)
© Dirk de Jager


“This year, I've received some magazine-commissioned work as well, where they just said we want that car, go find it and shoot it. That's also one of the big thrills of course, the hunt for a car and managing to "acquire" the car for a shoot.”


So if you find yourself at a top-notch international automotive event, look around for the most interesting venue; you’ll probably find Dirk there too!

Club Artistes Auto

Belgian artist and friend Nicolas Cancelier thought that we should start an international group of automotive artists who like to chat, exchange ideas, exhibit their art together, and share a meal after events.

© Nicolas Cancelier

I thought it was a wonderful idea, thus Club Artist Auto (CAA) was formed. Both artists Anna-Louise Felstead of the UK and Rick Rucker of the USA joined us in founding the group.

© Anna-Louise Felstead

Along the way, other artists who are enthusiastic about our new group have supported us. Dutch artist Ronald Hulleman kindly translated our brochure to Dutch. American artist Greg Spradlin of AutomotiveArtists.com jumped in to provide CAA a website and email link.

© Rick Rucker

The goal of the members of this group is to be there and to be part of it, and all these artists exemplify perfectly what this group is about.

© Ronald Hulleman

The potential for CAA members is huge; this is the only truly international group of automotive artists!

© Greg Spradlin

We are all volunteers, so portfolio revues can’t happen right away. But as we get rolling, I know we will a major force in the market, the go-to group for quality automotive art.

© Paul Chenard

Art Book Launch

A few months ago I was invited to submit my art to be reviewed for inclusion in the book Nova Scotia Contemporary Artists Volume II.

Well, my art was accepted, and the book is being officially launched this coming Saturday, December 4^th, from 2pm to 4pm at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

It’s a huge honour for me to be included is this high-quality publication full of such wonderful artists.

I can safely say the mine will be the only automotive racing history art in that book.

Gift Ideas

Are you looking for something special for that someone special?

Captured stories of racing history have always rated high on my wish list.Here is a selection of my art available as signed numbered limited editions; some originals of these are also available.

My limited editions are printed as premium archival Giclee prints, the best printing available.

Here is a small selection of them … Enjoy!



Jaguar E-Type 50th Anniversary
Limited edition of 50 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

François Cevert 1944-1973

Limited edition of 50 – 11”x 14.5” (27.9 cm x 36.8 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

Sir Jack Brabham F1 Drivers’ Champion 1959-1960-1966

Limited edition of 50 – 11”x 14.5” (27.9 cm x 36.8 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

Targa Florio 1932 – Tazio Nuvolari – Alfa Romeo 8C 2600 Monza

Limited edition of 25 – 11.5”x 22” (29.2 cm x 55.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

Targa Florio 1955 – Peter Collins – Mercedes 300 SLR

Limited edition of 25 - 11.5”x 22” (29.2 cm x 55.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

Targa Florio 1973 – Hubert Müller – Porsche Carrera RSR

Limited edition of 25 – 11.5”x 22” (29.2 cm x 55.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

Maserati 250F – Italy – Red

Limited edition of 100 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $125 USD plus S/H

Mercedes W196 – Germany – Silver

Limited edition of 100 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $125 USD plus S/H

Talbot-Lago T26C – France – Blue

Limited edition of 100 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $125 USD plus S/H

Vanwall 2.5L – Great Britain – Green

Limited edition of 100 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $125 USD plus S/H

Porsche 917K – Le Mans 1970 winner

Limited edition of 50 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

Scuderia Ferrari paddock – Barcelona 1971 – Ferrari 312B

Limited edition of 50 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

Matra-Simca team – Le Mans 1972
Limited edition of 50 – 17”x 8.8” (43.2 cm x 22.4 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

1934 Grand Prix Season* – Spa-Francorchamps – Bugatti T59

Limited edition of 50 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

1934 Grand Prix Season* – Monza Italy – Mercedes-Benz W25

Limited edition of 50 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

1934 Grand Prix Season* – Monaco – Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo P3
Limited edition of 50 – 14.5”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H

* This series is also part of a limited edition signed/numbered book on the 1934 Grand Prix season, due out in early 2011.

Villeneuve vs Arnoux – French Grand Prix – Dijon 1979

Limited edition of 50 – 17”x 11” (36.8 cm x 27.9 cm) – $150 USD plus S/H If you are interested in ordering or discussing any of my art, please do not hesitate to contact me at paul.chenard@hotmail.com

1934 Eifelrennen Formule Libre

At the Nurburgring track, bad weather delayed this important race by a few hours.

Mercedes-Benz was making its first official entry into the Grand Prix season at this event after extensive testing and adjustment of the new W25.

Team manager Alfred Neubauer was feeling the pressure to succeed in their homeland. Their star driver had not yet fully recovered enough from his 1933 Monaco crash to participate so Mercedes brought in a new driver Manfred Georg Rudolf von Brauchitsch, along with Luigi Fagioli to drive their new racer.

Pen&ink, markers, and pencil on archival white stock 12”x 9” 
© Paul Chenard 2010

Original art & limited editions available.
Auto Union had Hans Stuck, Hermann zu Leiningen and August "Bubi" Momberger to drive their Type A.

Scuderia Ferrari had Louis Chiron and Mario Tadini driving the Alfa Romeo P3. Bugatti had no entries in the race, and nor did Maserati.

Three classes of cars were racing together, flagged off one class after another, a total of forty-four cars in all.

Italian Fagioli took an early lead until he was ordered by team manager Neubauer to let his German teammate von Brauchitsch by. Later in the pits for fueling, Fagioli argued furiously with Neubauer over this. He started off again, but with only one lap remaining in the race, he pulled over and abandoned his race car in protest.

With two Auto Unions out of the race, Stuck had taken the sole remaining Type A to a sizeable lead over von Brauchitsch. Some believed he would go non-stop and win the race. He finally did have to come in for fuel and tires, and the Mercedes driver took the lead, which he would keep to the checkered flag.

The win was a stunning debut for both the Mercedes-Benz team and their new driver.

British Grand Prix 1955

1955 was a very big year for racer Sir Stirling Moss.

The Mercedes-Benz racing team had recruited him because of his strong placings in previous years in all classes of racing cars.

That year, he had won the grueling Targa Florio sports car race with teammate Peter Collins, and the very long and dangerous Mille Miglia with navigator/journalist Denis Jenkinson.

He was also driving the Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 cars in which he won his first Grand Prix race, the British GP at Aintree on July 16^th, ahead of his illustrious teammate Juan Manuel Fangio.

He would finish in second place in the season, and also in the following three seasons.

The above new 22”x 7” limited edition archival Giclee print is available to celebrate Sir Moss’ first Formula 1 win; you can order it by emailing me at paul.chenard@hotmail.com

1934 Belgian Grand Prix

Race enthusiast had great expectations for the Belgian Grand Prix, held on the stunning Spa-Francorchamps track.

Unfortunately, Belgian customs officials demanded a heavy duty from the German Grand Prix teams for their alcohol-based racing fuel. The result was a withdrawal of both the Mercedes-Benz and the Auto Union teams from the race.

This made for a very small grid of seven cars; three Bugatti T59s, two Alfa Romeo P3s, a Maserati 8CM and a Montier-Ford Special.

Pen&ink, markers, and pencil on archival white stock 12”x 9” 
© Paul Chenard 2010

Original art & limited editions available.

Raymond Sommer was the only Maserati driver present, so that the real race was going to be between the Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeos and the Bugattis.

As the typically rainy race began, Louis Chiron took the lead in the Alfa Romeo, with the Bugattis pitting with fouled plugs.

It looked very much like another Scuderia Ferrari win in the works. Unfortunately, Chiron’s racer slid off the track and overturned; he was luckily uninjured in the incident.

Achille Varzi took comfortably over his teammate’s lead, and at the same time, the track record. This was not to last, with his smoking Alfa Romeo coming in with a blown engine.

With their only real opposition out of the way, the Bugattis of René Dreyfus and Antonio Brivio cruised in first and second, with Sommer a distant third for Maserati.

It was to be one of the very rare top-level wins for Bugatti in 1934.

Published in France!

Recently, I was interviewed by writer/editor William Pac for the upcoming November/December issue of the lovely French magazine Échappement Classic.

It's now making it's way to newsstands throughout Europe. Mr. Pac is kindly forwarding a couple of copies. 
Just can't wait to see them!

1934 Italian Grand Prix

The Italian Grand Prix was held on September 9th at the Autodromo Di Monza. In the previous year’s Grand Prix, serious accidents had taken the lives of Giuseppe Campari and two other drivers. To lessen the speeds, it was decided that the track should be shortened from 10kms to 4.3kms, with many chicanes added in. With 500kms to cover for the Grand Prix, this made for a longer, more grueling race.

Mercedes had their W25, Bugatti their Type 59, Scuderia Ferrari the Alfa P3, while Maserati introduced the new model 6C-34, to be driven by Tazio Nuvolari. The balance of their team would drive the 8CMs.

Pen&ink, markers, and pencil on archival white stock 12”x 9” © Paul Chenard 2010

Original art & limited editions available.

At the start, Hans Stuck took an early lead for Auto Union but was soon overtaken by Mercedes driver Rudolf Caracciola. His teammate Manfred Georg Rudolf von Brauchitsch was not competing, having been injured in a crash at the previous Swiss Grand Prix. Battling amongst the leaders were Luigi Fagioli (Mercedes), Archille Varzi (Alfa Romeo), Nuvolari (Maserati) and Count Carlo Felice Trossi (Alfa Romeo).

Unfortunately for Nuvolari, the Maserati mechanics forgot to top-up his car's brake fluid after weigh-in, so he slowly lost his brakes during the long race.

The 4.75 hour race, with it’s 1600 total corners, took a toll on the drivers and the cars. Fagioli, whose car broke down, later replaced Caracciola, who had to be lifted out of his car. Stuck had to be replaced by zu Leiningen, and Trossi by Comotti.

Varzi dropped out with mechanical woes, so the race finished with Caracciola/Figioli in first place, Stuck/zu Leiningen in second, with Trossi/Comotti in third. After 4th place Chiron (Alfa Romeo), Nuvolari finished a respectable 5th place, using his gears to brake for the last half of the race.

François Cevert 1944-1973

Born in 1944, François Cevert (née Goldenberg) was a well-liked and talented French Formula 1 and Sports/GT driver.

He began his motorsports career on two wheels, but switched to Formula 3 in 1966. In 1968, Cevert took the French Formula 3 Championship.

For 1969, Cevert moved up to Formula 2, and finished third in the Championship. While in F2, his capabilities captured the notice of (Sir) Jackie Stewart, who encouraged Ken Tyrrell to consider Cevert for the team. Tyrrell took his advice and signed Cevert up for 1970.

Matra-Simca MS670 #14 of François Cevert and Howden Ganley, 2nd place Le Mans 1972.
Latex paint on plywood© Paul Chenard 2010
Limited editions available.
Over the next four seasons, Stewart and Cevert became fast friends, through the wins and the losses. Stewart became Formula 1 Drivers World Champion in 1971, with Cevert winning the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen and taking third place overall.

Original in Prismacolor pencils on mid-gray stock
© Paul Chenard 2009
Limited editions available.
The team did poorly in 1972 against a powerful Team JPS (Lotus) but came back strongly in 1973. Stewart won the Championship, and was expecting to be replaced by his friend Cevert for the next season, as he had decided to retire at the season’s closing.

Cevert’s year had been very good too, with six 2nd place finishes, but in the very last race of the year at Watkins Glen on October 6th, his Tyrrell 006 crashed horribly during Saturday morning qualifying, and this shining star with the striking blue eyes was extinquished.

This talented and popular pianist and race car driver will never be forgotten by his fans and his peers.

La Carrera Panamericana 2010

A recent Twitter follower reminded me that we are only 23 days away from the 23rd running of the legendary La Carrera Panamericana, the famous Mexican road race.

The original race ran from 1950 to 1954, then started again in 1988. This year it runs from October 22nd to the 28th.

The race runs for nearly 2000 miles along public roads, starting in Tuxtla Gutierrez and finishing north 7 days later in Zacatecas.

Many famous drivers have competed in the '50s races, guys like Hershel McGriff winning the inaugural event in 1950 driving an Oldsmobile 88, and Juan Manuel Fangio, who won in 1953 driving a Lancia D24.

Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1953 La Carrera Panamericana in a Lancia D24.
Prismacolor pencils on red archival stock 12"x 9"
© Paul Chenard 2008

Original sketch is available at L'art et l'automobile, as are limited editions.

In more recent times, my friend Gary Faules raced it in 2007, driving his 1965 Mustang Gt350R ... stunning!

California's Best, Gary Faules racing his GT350R in La Carrera Panamericana 2007.
Prismacolor pencils on white archival stock 12"x 9"
© Paul Chenard 2008

Gary Faules Collection