I have always loved the look of the classic car; actually, I’m obsessed!! I previously owned many classic cars including my favourite: a 1958 Ford Zephyr Mark II. Now I drive around in a 1959 Triumph Herald! And in the garage sits a 1963 Valiant S Series for the Sunday drive, I love a fin!!!
Maybe it all stems from being driven around as a child in several of the classics that still exist today. Maybe because my father died when I was young, so those cars are associated with a time when we were a family.
Cars evoke memories of people, places and childhood, representing a time and place and journeys past. These paintings draw from memories of your first car, your first boyfriend, the family car you piled into for holidays, the car your dad had to sell when you were little, the car you had to buy because the family was getting larger. No seat belts in the back and a bench seat in the front! “Keep it down in the back there you kids or I’ll pull over!” as your dad waved his hand around menacingly whilst still driving.
“Lets face it; us Aussies love a road trip!”
The one thing I missed when I lived overseas was exactly that! Just getting in the car and going for that Sunday drive. The wonderful thing about living in the on South Coast is on Sunday no matter what direction you decide on going to you discover another piece of paradise.
I really enjoy painting cars for each of my clients. They are all special memories and moments in times for each person. I research each car quite thoroughly and find myself ‘googling’ watching many YouTube videos and buying books to get every detail just right. When in London, I spent a week at the British Library research and reading all about Ettore Bugatti! Just like a classic car I have improved with age and have got better at all the details and have learnt more on my journey. I have had amazing emails and tears in the studio when people receive their paintings. It’s really rewarding and nice to make a piece of art so personal for someone else.
