Amelia Island, FL. February 8, 2008 –-Automotive Fine Arts Society member Charles Maher will debut a new series of paintings that celebrate the legendary Trans Am races at the 2008 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance on March 7-9, 2008, in Amelia Island, Fla. His paintings of the famous cars will compete for attention as part of the Society’s annual show, which includes automotive subjects in a variety of mediums including watercolors, acrylics, oils, wood and various metals. “As a young Ford designer, I attended many Trans Am races and even had the opportunity to meet this year’s Amelia Island Concours Grand Marshal, […]
Amelia Island, FL. February 8, 2008 –-Automotive Fine Arts Society member Charles Maher will debut a new series of paintings that celebrate the legendary Trans Am races at the 2008 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance on March 7-9, 2008, in Amelia Island, Fla. His paintings of the famous cars will compete for attention as part of the Society’s annual show, which includes automotive subjects in a variety of mediums including watercolors, acrylics, oils, wood and various metals.
“As a young Ford designer, I attended many Trans Am races and even had the opportunity to meet this year’s Amelia Island Concours Grand Marshal, Parnelli Jones, during his 1970 campaign,” said Maher. “The motion, sounds, people and machines had a tremendous impact on me and my friends. My new Trans Am series was intended to honor both those great, loud American road racing muscle cars and the heroes that piloted them in some of the most thrilling competitions of the modern age.”
One of the pieces that will most certainly garner a great deal of attention is Maher’s painting of the 1970 Boss 302 Ford Mustang race car driven by Jones. In his 10” X 15” acrylic painting, Maher captured the screaming orange No.15 Boss 302 racer poised for combat. The magnificent painting titled “1970 Parnelli Jones Boss 302” depicts the menacing beast in exact detail, with every aspect of the livery and lines correct.
The SCCA Trans-Am series was known for top-name drivers and fender-banging competition. While Chevrolet dominated the 1969 season, Ford, AMC and Dodge also fielded factory-supported teams. That year, the former Indy car driver Jones drove a Bud Moore team Boss 302 Mustang to capture the driving crown and give Ford the manufacturer’s championship. He won three races and finished in the top five four additional times to beat Mark Donohue by one point. It was the closest driver’s championship in Trans Am history.
“Parnelli was a true racing hero because he was competitive in everything from Indy cars to Trans Am and off-road racers,” added Maher. “He was one of the last of the true ‘iron men’ who lived to race and raced to live. Parnelli, Gurney, Posey and Foyt could do just about anything in a race car.”
Other drivers and cars saluted in the series of 8 great cars include George Follmer in a 1969 Boss 302, Dan Gurney in his AAR ‘Cuda and Jim Hall in the famous Chaparral Camaro. The series also features Mark Donohue in a 1967 Camaro and the 1970 Penske Javelin, Sam Posey in a 1968 Penske Camaro and Jerry Titus in a 1967 Mustang. In addition to the individual original paintings, Maher created a limited edition print that features all of the cars.
Maher has been an independent artist since 1988. In addition to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, his work has been displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, Concours d’Elegance at Ault Park in Cincinnati, the Concours at Cranbrook and the Eyes on Design Exhibition in Grosse Point, Mich.
Maher was commissioned to create the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise poster art for the tenth year by the city of Ferndale, Mich. He was selected as the poster artist for the 2007 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. His studio is located in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where he resides with his wife of 33 years.
