CARMEL, Calif. – Aug. 2, 2019 – Sandrine Blondel, an award-winning painter and associate member of the Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS), will display three original paintings at the group’s exhibit and reception at the New Masters Gallery in Carmel. The free exclusive car art show, entitled “Old Masters at the New Masters,” begins on Saturday, August 10th and continues through Sunday, August 18th.
Rather than focus, as the majority of her AFAS peers do, on automotive sheet metal, Blondel lifts the hood and – with her artistry – commits fully to the engine. All three of her artworks celebrate the design of a powerplant, in which basic engineering merges with an engineer’s artistic expression. And while that engineering aesthetic is best represented by Blondel’s interpretation of the Ferrari V12 in her “Testa Rossa 1959,” you can see her point of view depicted in subjects as wide ranging as a Ford V8 and Lotus DOHC four.
“For many, Ferraris are all about sensual sheet metal and sensory impressions,” said Blondel. “But as Enzo Ferrari relayed many times over his many years, the heart of any Ferrari is its powerplant, and his iconic Testa Rossa had a very big heart.”
In Blondel’s depiction, measuring 30” X 30”, the 3.0 liter V12, with dual overhead cams per bank, and both banks capped by red (rossa) cam covers, produced 300 horsepower and propelled the Testa Rossa to a top speed of almost 170 miles per hour. Using acrylic on brushed aluminum, it is almost possible to smell the combination of ignited gas and burning rubber.
Juxtaposed against Ferrari’s V12, a Ford V8 may seem an uncommon bedfellow. But when modified by Roush and painted – again, using acrylic on brushed aluminum – by Blondel, the subjects have more in common than simply Victory Lane. There is in Blondel’s V8 rendering a fierce vibrancy, and the artwork is a reminder of the famous “Ford versus Ferrari” war that waged years ago.
The third of the Blondel offerings is her 30” X 30” study of the Lotus Cortina DOHC four.
“Using a Ford block for durability and Lotus-designed dual overhead cams for capability, the Lotus Cortina did for Ford in Europe what Shelby’s GT350 accomplished for Ford in North America,” said Blondel. “While Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s mantra was to ‘add lightness’, I delighted intaking an engine’s basic architecture and adding a sense of external combustion.”
Sandrine Blondel was born in Paris and has been studying art since the age of 10. In utilizing a metallic structure as the foundation of her artwork, she is able to convey a powerful materialization of her themes. Since 2000 she has been devoting herself solely to painting in her workshop/studio in Montreuil, on the outskirts of Paris, and in the south of France. More of Ms. Blondel’s art may be seen on the AFAS website: www.autoartgallery.com.
About the Automotive Fine Arts Society
AFAS was first established in 1983 by a group of artists who are acknowledged by critics to be among the best in their field. Members work in diverse mediums, including oil, watercolors, acrylics, wood, gouache, pen & ink, clay and metal. AFAS and its members have participated in select shows across the country, including the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Dana Point Concours d’Elegance and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Additional information about the Automotive Fine Arts Society is available at www.autoartgallery.com.
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