CARMEL, Calif. – July 29, 2019 – Award-winning Automotive Fine Arts Society member Stanley Rose will introduce three original paintings at the group’s exhibit and reception at the New Masters Gallery in Carmel. The pieces combine legends of blues music with the passion for cars at a free exclusive art show, entitled “Old Masters at the New Masters from August 10 through 18.
For his paintings celebrating musical legends, Mr. Rose said, “This series reflects the importance of cars in the lives of some of the most influential post-war artists in history. When a musician featured in the series has no rapport with the automobile beyond its stereo, then the car illustrates an era or mood. The three artists I chose for the collection reflect a passion for cars and, of course, all have come to symbolize their respective musical eras.”
Eric Clapton, a longtime enthusiast of both American rods and Italian Ferraris, is juxtaposed against a modified Ford coupe in “Eric’s 1940 Ford Coupe.” The oil on canvas measures 57.5” X 45”. Clapton’s five decades of superstardom can’t be encapsulated by one guitar and one Ford, but Rose’s combination delivers its own, back-to-the-blues appeal.
In Chicago, a melting pot of race and ethnicity, ‘the blues’ is personified by Buddy Guy. In Rose’s painting, the artist is contrasted against a Ford 2-door, one in which you can almost feel the grit of Chicago’s South Side propelling Guy toward the promise of the Windy City’s Lake Shore Drive. While well-known nationally, Buddy Guy is perhaps the ‘urban legend’ among Chicago’s blues aficionados.
In Boom Boom, John Lee Hooker “walked the walk and talked the talk.” The same could be said for Stanley Rose’s artistic tribute, “John Lee Hooker’s Black Ford.” Despite its almost muted presence in the painting’s background, the Ford’s impact is as authentic as Hooker’s music and lyrics. And just as Hooker’s Boom Boom was said to shape rock and roll, so did the black Ford shape postwar motoring.
A resident of France, Rose began exhibiting his art throughout Europe in 1988; he was welcomed as a member into AFAS in 1999. A winner of numerous awards at Pebble Beach, that recognition includes the Lincoln Award in 2002 and 2008; the Peter Helck award in 2001, 2008 and 2015; as well as awards of excellence on six occasions. To learn more about his work, visit www.stanley-rose.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 many diverse mediums, including oil, watercolors, acrylics, wood, gouache, pen & ink, clay and metal. AFAS and its members participate in select shows across the country, including the Dana Point Concours d ’Elegance and the Amelia Island Concours d ‘Elegance. Additional information about AFAS is available at www.autoartgallery.com.
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