AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA (March 3, 2009) – Celebrated artist and Automotive Fine Arts Society member, Richard Pietruska, will showcase his unique vision of automotive sculpture during the 14th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance March 13-15, 2009, in Amelia Island, Fla. After capturing the AFAS’s coveted “Award of Excellence” at the Pebble Beach Concours last August, “Veronique XGT: The Next Generation” will be presented in print form at Amelia Island alongside another intriguing Pietruska creation, “Automotive Art for the Masses: Fangio-The Maestro.” Prints of “Veronique GT” and “Veronique GT Series II” will also be available.
Pietruska’s famed “Veronique” series represents the artist’s passion for automotive form and how it relates to the female figure. At 6-feet long by 24-inches wide by 52-inches high, the third edition Veronique piece is Pietruska’s most extreme and provocative yet. The fiberglass, chrome and stainless steel sculpture features hubless wheels, spoilers, various lighting effects, bright lime green pearl paint and an exotic soundtrack to match.
“I really tested my boundaries and held nothing back when creating the final Veronique sculpture,” said Pietruska. “In addition to the outrageous design features, ‘Veronique XGT: The Next Generation’ is a tribute to some of my favorite artists like Syd Mead, H.R. Giger, Ernest Trova, Don Potts, Sorayama, Luigi Colani, Rich Parsley and Fritz Lang. They inspire me to push the envelope with my work and remember that form follows fantasy.”
“Automotive Art for the Masses: Fangio-The Maestro” is part of a custom-designed newspaper stand that dispenses plastic, three-dimensional plaques featuring a bust of racing legend Juan Fangio, his signature and him driving the Mercedes W196 race car. The sculpture is approximately 20-inches deep by 20-inches wide by 42-inches high. It will be offered in its entirety, but visitors can also buy individual plaques.
“Tokens are used to purchase the plaques,” explained Pietruska. “They are inserted into the machine and buyers remove a plaque as if they were picking up the Sunday paper from a newspaper stand.”
In addition to his award winning automotive sculptures, Pietruska has been lauded throughout his career for his paintings and tapestry. Other recent projects include graphic design, automotive jewelry and illustration, as well as exhibit and stage design. Pietruska has also designed awards and trophies for the LA Auto Show, Automobile Magazine, Newport Beach Concours, Art Center College of Design and Lexus.
Celebrated in publications and collections across the world, Pietruska’s influence extends far beyond his art. His artwork has been featured in major magazines, such as Automobile Quarterly and the September 2008 issue of Car Styling. He has worked for the past three decades as a professor in the Transportation and Product Design Department at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. There, he molds the minds of future automobile designers. Some of his former students include top automotive designers in the United States and Japan, as well as head designers at Ford and BMW. More information on Pietruska is available at www.rpmart.com.