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TOPS GROUP - MOTORING ART Motoring art - one of the toughest disciplines of all, as generally, there is very little opportunity for artistic licence and any mistake is usually obvious to the enthusiast. The brushes were used frequently up to 1969, then there was a 30 year gap and now, when the mood takes me, normally during a winter evening, I'll get back into it. Still a bit rusty but getting better - slowly... All so far are gouache on either canvas board or watercolour paper, but it looks as though acrylic will be next. All images are of course copyright © Ray Green 1999-2007 and cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission. Contact me directly for further info or larger images on erc11 at tops.co.nz August 2007 marked the end of a 10 year sponsorship by Geoff Bonham's Leisuretime company. A totally new departure for me was to incorporate a portrait. This was a a first for two reasons, a montage - something that is not really my style, and secondly, I had never attempted a portrait before! I promised Geoff that he was booked in for plastic surgery so that he would look more like the painting...
Presented to Geoff at the series awards dinner, following a hilarious 'This Is Your Life' presentation by Jeff Page. Picture is from a photograph, rather than a scanned image, so some detail has been lost.
June 2003 a couple of additions to the portfolio - the TR6 is part of a possible series (see Morgan below) .
Whangarei 2000 and a successful inaugural street race with rain on the Saturday, bright sunshine on the Sunday. A bit of artistic licence in the painting, as the TR6 won on the Saturday and the Marcos on the Sunday, but the painting of the TR6 looked better in bright sunshine... Mike Petersen's TR6 before replacement by a Rover SDI Vitesse. Mike has the painting on loan hanging in the Barfoot's real estate office at Hobsonville, and he has first option to purchase. Mikes choice of number 46 is not a hero worship of Valentino Rossi, as Mike carried 46 on his own motocross bikes, years before Rossi became a superstar. The Leisuretime race series has developed since 1996 when Derek Prior bullied me into being the convenor, but Derek has moved up North and stood down mid 2003,but then he returned 2004, but the following was presented to him at the annual dinner, August 9th 2003 as a thank you.
Gouache on 20" x 16" canvas board This is Derek's MGB at the Taupo hairpin back in 1996 when it was miserable and damp. The car was developed to be one of the quickest 4 cylinder MGs in the country and has since passed into the hands of co sponsor, Greg Bellingham, and more recently, Tony Sturm - and it is still winning. The painting had a bit of reflection added to it at the last moment and after I had scanned it, but you get the general idea... First of non-commissioned paintings is of the early narrow bodied Morgan +8 of Chris Fraser, which was drawn initially as a commission but the initial composition wasn't to my liking, as the angle didn't suit what I really intended, so I started again and that painting was presented to Chris. This is the car first raced by Paul Leuch who is now in the south Island. However, this original drawing was eventually finished off, as it seemed a shame to waste it! I rather like this one and it is the first of series of single car paintings for a new project - a set of Classic British Sports cars in competition in NZ. The intention is to produce greetings cards from them - unadorned by messages proclaiming the recipient is 50, 60 or 21 years of age.
Painting currently on loan to Chris & Carole Fraser who have first option to purchase.
Dave Mallin - MGB GT at the 2000 Whangarei Street Race 20" x 16" Commissioned for his 50th birthday.... Following Dave is the BGT of a very sideways Barry Hare - who always drives with the side window open, hence the rather strange shape... No, he didn't fall off the circuit - this time. Next MG is the Midget of Clive Taylor just in front of Greg Bellingham's B Roadster.
Geoff Bonham, Series Sponsor leading yours truly and other Series competitors at Pukekohe Presented to Geoff July 2000 as a thank you 20"x16" gouache on canvas board This was my first picture for 30 years! Behind yours truly (Marcos) is the XJ6 of Rob Moston, the TVR 3000M of Rod Hemmings dicing with Dave Mallin, Gary Kirkland-Smith's Spitfire, the flying Jaguar XJS of Andy Turpin and the spectacular Mark Parsons Triumph TR7 V8 and the beautiful TR3A of Bert Dove. Before the series grew, sports, GTs and saloons all raced together. Now it is all by two speed groups. Getting rid of the personal rust on the paint brushes on this one, so it is not one of my best, but it did kickstart a renewed interest... Ironically, I also purchased that green MGB September 2007 for a short time, as Geoff hung up his helmet and overalls Christmas 2005. I onsold it March 2007, after doing three race meetings with it. Two more commissions in the pipeline... still. I have been slack...
I also tripped over a very old painting, on paper, dating back to about 1963, and probably worth scanning, though I note that maybe the driver (Pierre no0blet) should be on the other side of the car? Number 46 again! Jim Carrey may be interested... LINKS TO OTHER LOCAL NZ MOTORING ARTISTS For some really good local motoring art, have a look at Don Packwood's site. Don is the official artist to the McLaren Trust, Targa NZ and Warbirds over Wanaka. Excellent paintings and an international reputation. He just loves Bentleys... A recent site now up and running for Peter Osborne who specialises in Grand Prix paintings and has his own unique style, concentrating on the driver. Some almost look like photographs... |
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Late April 2004 and a painting which combines the two
areas of this website at once. Chris Barber bought the first customer Lotus Elite
in 1959 and raced it occasionally. June 11th 1962 was one of those days and the
Nottingham Sports Car Club put on what was its first International F1 meeting. (Try that
today...) The Grand Touring race was three heats, and a 25 lap final for the fastest 14
cars - and Chris Barber made it to the final,- much to his surprise... The painting
below, was presented to Chris at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, May 27th 2004, to celebrate
his Jazz Band's first 50 years, and shows Chris exiting the Mallory Park hairpin, just in
front of John Surtees (Ferrari GTO). 
