Herbert Müller – Nürburgring 1971

At the 2007 Mosport Vintage Racing Festival, I had to honour of meeting Peter Felder, who was Swiss driver Herbert Müller’s best friend and race team manager. We’ve been friends ever since, and Peter has come to visit me a few times in Nova Scotia. Peter’s stories of his racing experiences are completely captivating; he was kind enough to write one of these down for me:

In 1971, Herbie decided to run one of his Ferrari 512 M’s in an InterSeries race at the Nürburgring. (Unfortunately, Pedro Rodriguez perished in one of his 512’s at the Norisring a few months earlier). In any case, Herbie had transmission problems in qualifying and subsequently started last. At the start, the last rows were still in the last corner before the start-finish line. A young, wealthy German driver in a McLaren M8C, not being used to the torque of a 427, he spun coming on to the starting straight, in the process crashing into Herbie’s 512. The red 512 became airborne, flew across the track upside down and hit the pit lane guardrail; the guardrail sliced into the car right behind the driver seat, which caused an immediate explosion. The car landed in the pit lane, still upside down and fully engulfed in burning fuel.

The following is what Herbie told me afterwards in the hospital:

“There was a tremendous crash … I knew that I was flying through the air because I saw the blue sky behind the pits … and I knew that the car was on fire...and I though ‘This is not going to be good’. I braced myself waiting for some kind of impact, which is what happened … twice! All I was worried about was not to hit my head anywhere … then the car came to a stop … and I immediately release my seatbelt and since I didn’t know that I landed upside down, I fell into the burning fuel. I turned myself around … tried to kick open the door … no go … considered knocking out the windshield … didn’t work … so I tried the other door … and it opened enough for me to get through … and I knew that I was on fire … tried to figure out where to run … (and here comes the kicker) you know those Germans … I remember seeing a couple of fancy Mercedes cars on display next to the tower, so I thought … if I run towards the cars, somebody will try to save me so I don’t blow up the Mercs!”

Herbie and I had a lot of laughs about this whole ordeal.

Regrettably I was with him on May 24^th 1981, or ten years later, at the same track, when he crashed into Bobby Rahal’s crashed, stationary, Coca Cola sponsored, Bob Aiken owned 935.

Later that day I went to the Adenau hospital … but this time, we could not laugh together.

Buon compleanno, signor Ferrari!

Officially, today is Enzo Ferrari’s birthday, records showing that he was born this day 113 years ago.

In actual fact, he was born two days earlier, February 18^th on the outskirts of Modena, during a bitter winter storm. The storm delayed the registration of his birth, and so it came to be the later date.

Buon compleanno, signor Ferrari!

Artist Rob Roy

Rob Roy (née Richard de la Rivière) was an artist born in Mont-de-Marsan in the south west of France in 1909.

From an early age, he had his father’s passion for motorized vehicles and art. He developed a talent of accurately and vividly documenting the events around him with his art, which was mostly motor racing. Between the wars, he did his watercolours, and at times, managed to also do some racing.

Grand Prix de Monaco 1935

Mercedes W25 & Alfa Romeo P3

He captured the racers of the time, Nuvolari, Varzi, Chiron, Caracciola, Ascari, Fagioli, Sommer, Dreyfus, and so on, his watercolours portraying their tight battles of the tracks of Europe.

Coupe Internationale des Voiturettes, Le Mans 1920

Bugatti Type 13 & Fiat

Prior to World War II, Rob Roy had joined to army, so when the war started, he joined the 3^rd Tank Battalion. He was captured but later managed to escape. He kept a diary and did art-pieces of his war experiences, which have recently been published as a book “Carnet de guerre de Rob Roy 1939 à 1944.”

Mille Miglia 1936 
Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza

After the war, he worked in the automobile industry, and continued to do art for advertisements, brochures, magazines, books and posters.

He stayed involved with his motor racing friends and doing his motor racing art until his passing 1992.

Recently, I was lucky enough to find three Rob Roy prints locally for my racing automobilia collection; they are wonderful records of racing past.

You can find out more on Rob Roy at this website: http://www.art-robroy.com/index_en.htm

1934 Grand Prix de Monaco

As the first “Grande Épreuve” of the 1934 Grand Prix season, Monaco was, and has always been, a dramatic venue on the Mediterranean Sea.

It is one of few city courses in the world and considered the most prestigious of all the Grand Prix’s. The Monaco Grand Prix’s started in 1929 and it is still run today.

Guy Moll in an Alfa Romeo P3 rounding the Station Hairpin ahead of René Dreyfus in a Bugatti Type 59
Pen&ink, markers, and pencil on archival white stock 12”x 9” 
© Paul Chenard 2010

Original art & limited editions available.

For this April 2^nd race, a few of the cars running needed modification to meet the new 750kg rules. Both the Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union teams decided they would not participate in any racing until the May 27^th Avusrennen.

From the flag, the race lead changed hands quite often between the Bugatti T59 of René Dreyfus and the Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo P3’s of Louis Chiron and “Guy” Moll.

Pen&ink © Paul Chenard 2010

Later in the race, while Chiron was in front, he had a slight off at the Station Hairpin, relinquishing his lead to Moll, who kept his position till race end.

It was a great start for this talented and popular 24-year-old Algerian rookie Scuderia Ferrari driver.

Jaguar E-Type 50th Anniversary

The sports car that some consider the most alluring in the world is celebrating it’s 50^th anniversary this year.

The late Malcolm Sayer’s stunning design completely wowed the public and the media at it’s launch in 1961; even Enzo Ferrari called it “ the most beautiful car in the world.”

The E-Type’s looks, cost, and performance were completely unmatched in it’s day, and it still easily draws a crowd today.

Pen&ink and Prismacolor pencils on green archival paper

© Paul Chenard 2011

Historic Car Art has asked me to create an artwork to honour the E-Type; it will be presented at Race Retro in late February.

Limited editions of this piece are also available.

The Bugatti Queen

Hellé Nice (born Mariette Hélène Delangle) was born on 15 December 1900 in Aunay-sous-Auneau, Eure-et-Loir, France.

At the age of 16, she moved to Paris and eventually became a successful dancer in the city's music halls. As her fame and popularity grew, she performed throughout Europe, and spent time with the rich and famous, such as Philippe de Rothschild, Jean Bugatti and Count Bruno d'Harcourt.

She love speed, and was an avid skier. Unfortunately a skiing accident damaged her knee and ended her dancing career. She quickly turned to racing cars, winning some races and breaking some speed records.

Markers on plywood

© Paul Chenard 2011

After a tour through the United States, where she raced a Miller racing car, she was introduced by de Rothschild to Bugatti. This lead Nice to race Bugattis, usually against men. Between 1931 and 1936, she raced Bugattis and Alfa Romeos.

In Brazil for two Grand Prix races, she had a major crash in her Alfa Romeo, but miraculously survived after a three-day coma.

After recovering, she competed in various endurance trials for Yacco, breaking ten records that still stand today.

During World War II, Hellé Nice moved to Nice. In 1949, Nice attended a party celebrating the first post-war Monte Carlo Rallye. During the evening, driver Louis Chiron publically accused Nice of being an agent of the Gestapo.

With these accusations, Nice was dropped by her sponsors and her friends. Her life collapsed around her and she live out her last decades in a back-alley apartment in complete poverty, under a fictitious name. She died penniless and alone in 1984.

In 2001, author Miranda Seymour came across some material on Nice and decided she should be honoured with a biography The Bugatti Queen: In Search of a Motor-Racing Legend in 2004. In her research, Seymour found no evidence of Chiron's claims.

In September 2010, a proper grave marker was placed at her grave in a celebration of her life and great accomplishments.

http://hellenicefoundation.blogspot.com/2010/09/helle-nice-marker-ceremony-sept-4-2010.html

In doing renovations recently in our home, I was left with a blank canvas after I pulled up our old carpet. I decided to honour Hellé Nice's accomplishments with a sketch.

Markers on plywood

© Paul Chenard 2011

The new carpet was laid down over the sketch, waiting for years from now when new owners will discover this important personality.

Sir Moss’s Gift

In the past year or so, I’ve been lucky enough to become friends with a gentleman from Scotland named John.

We share the same passion for motorsports history, and it’s heroes. One of our shared heroes is Sir Stirling Moss, who happens to be an acquaintance of John’s.

John had the great idea of asking Sir Moss to autograph one of my limited editions, namely my triptych of him winning the 1955 British Grand Prix in a Mercedes W196.



The signed print has just arrived, and I’m thrilled to the bone!

A huge THANK YOU to my friend John, and to his friend Sir Stirling Moss!

Red No.5

British driver Nigel Mansell was Formula 1 Champion in 1992, quickly followed by CART Champion in 1993, a feat never matched by any other driver.

The tifosi (Ferrari fans) gave him the nickname "il leone" ("the lion") when he drove for Ferrari (1989-1990) because of his fearless driving style.

He won his F1 Championship racing a Williams-Renault, but in 1986, his Williams FW11 was powered by the Honda engine.

Pen&ink and Prismacolor sticks on white archival stock 12"x 9" © Paul Chenard 2011

He won five races in 1986, and finished 2^nd in the Championship to winner Alain Prost.

His car was famously labeled with a red No.5, which was carried on his later Williams racecars.

Creative moments ...

We are into the New Year, which can be a time for spiritual renovations. In our house, it’s time for basement renovations.

We are repainting our basement, along with replacing old furniture and old carpets.

I’ve spent over a week painting, so I’ve not had time to do any of my racing history art. To keep my creativity flowing, I decided to do a quick painting with the 2-inch brush I was using on a wall we were repainting before the roller-paint was put down.

It shows Peter Collins driving a Ferrari-Lancia D50 in 1956.

The painting is gone now, but it was worth the creative moment!

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