PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA (July 15, 2009) – Automotive Fine Arts Society member Jay Koka will again showcase his talent during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with two new masterpieces, “Flashing Lights” and “Hey, Nice Car.” The paintings will be shown at the 24th annual AFAS exhibition, sponsored by Lincoln, at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® on August 16, 2009. The AFAS is comprised of automotive artists from all corners of the globe who create subjects in a variety of mediums including watercolors, acrylics, oils, wood and various metals.
“Flashing Lights,” a large 45” x 60” acrylic on canvas painting, features an unusual viewpoint of a busy intersection from the interior of a new Ferrari California Spyder. Presumably speeding, the driver has just been pulled over by the police. The inspiration for this painting came to Koka near Union Square in downtown San Francisco.
“Two years later, I heard the song ‘Flashing Lights’ by Kanye West, and the idea for the painting immediately solidified in my mind,” said Koka. “Almost all of our interaction with cars takes place inside the vehicle, yet nearly all automotive-themed art is viewed from the exterior. This is an angle I’ve wanted to explore for a long time.”
Koka’s second piece, “Hey, Nice Car,” is another large 45″x 60″ acrylic on canvas that features the artist’s own Porsche Cayman S with an attractive brunette behind the steering wheel.
“I was out on my bike last year when I pulled up beside a friend driving a beater and said sarcastically, ‘hey, nice car,’” explained Koka. “As is usual for me, the idea for a painting came in a flash. I swapped the beater for my Cayman S and also added some eye candy at the wheel.”
Koka will debut each of his latest paintings during the AFAS Pebble Beach art show. Each artist who participates in the exhibition must show work not previously displayed at Pebble Beach, plus debut at least three new works (one for sculptors). The art presentation is, therefore, always fresh and much anticipated by the enthusiasts.
Koka was born in Budapest, Hungary, and immigrated to Canada, where he attended school and had a successful marketing career. In 1985, he opened a studio near Toronto. Always creatively restless and endlessly experimenting in the style of his work, Koka continues to alternate between realism and impressionism. From small and tightly rendered gouache works to large format canvases with notable disregard for detail, his body of work is exceptionally diverse.
Koka is a 20-year member of the AFAS and serves on the organization’s Board of Directors. He has been the featured artist and poster artist for many international automotive events, including poster artist for the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours. His work has been extensively reproduced and he has received numerous awards, including his fourth “Athena Award” at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the prestigious “Lincoln Award” at Pebble Beach in 2006.
Information about AFAS is available at www.autoartgallery.com.