Mark II in art

[Barry Wolk]

My wife had this made by CarToons about five years ago as a surprise birthday present. They'll even make a model of you in or standing by the car.

What kind of Mark II art do you have?

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/1%20Mark%20II%20docs/Picture0015-1.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/1%20Mark%20II%20docs/Picture0004-1.jpg

[Barry Wolk]

We're all collectors, or we wouldn't be here. I'm not really a car collector as much as I am an art collector. I grew up in a house filled with it. The mentality is deeply engrained. However, my father collected art as an investment, a poor choice, for the most part. I on the other hand have one piece by a famous artist, Jonathan Winters, you know, the crazy comedian. The rest is there to amuse us, that's all.

We collected Coca-Cola stuff early on. Then it was Wedgewood and Lladro porcelain. Then came art glass. Sandwiched in there was a deep love of all things Frank Lloyd Wright. For the last 20 years we've collected, or commissioned, one of a kind pieces.

My wife's major collection is giraffes and I collect naked women and horses.

What do you collect? Please post pictures.

[Barry Wolk]

Photorealism is a difficult thing to do well in paint. To me it's the difficulty level that makes or breaks the piece.

When my Mark II won BOC at Meadow Brook in 2004 it was a real big deal for us. We commemorated the win by commissioning Gerald Freeman to do a painting for us. We went out to Meadow Brook Hall, former residence of Matilda Dodge, who left the house and acreage to Oakland University. It's a 110-room mansion befitting any auto baron.

Gerald took his film camera and I took my digital. We took pictures allover the grounds, but liked the picture below.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Picture0005-3.jpg

Also liked this picture, but decided on the bridge picture.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Picture0010-2.jpg

Here's Gerald's interpretation of the photograph.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/0510014_6-1.jpg

[Barry Wolk]

Tom Hale is a very famous automotive artist. We were attending an annual fundraiser for the CCCA Michigan Region. When we came back to our car there was white-haired gentleman intensely taking pictures of the Mark II. We just stood back and watched him work.

I recognized him from his many years of showing his wares at the Meadow Brook Concours. I introduce myself and struck up a conversation leading to an invitation to see his studio, about a mile away. The visit would have to wait as he was preparing poster art for several Concours.

He called as the first snow fell and we paid him a visit. I like Tom's work, but it's a little too stylized for my tastes, but I really wanted to see his studio. He's actually converted the first floor of his home into gallery and studio spaces. I found he painted much more than just cars. I saw a piece I really liked that had nothing to do with cars and purchased it.

As we were paying for the piece he said, "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I did a painting of your car, but I don't want you to feel obligated to buy it." I didn't, but bought it anyway as he never got around to having the image digitized, so there are no copies. He agonized over selling it outright rather than being able to sell copies. That's how he makes a living. As you can imagine, commissions and sales of original art are not doing real well right now.

However, I would certainly allow him to make a limited edition of giclee prints if anyone's interested. It's our car, but it's very generic Mark II.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/1%20Mark%20II%20docs/Picture0057.jpg

[Mad Scientist]

Those are cool pictures. What I find interesting is the chrome, most people don't realize just how difficult it is to make chrome parts look like chrome.

[Stank-67-98]

Your car, your painting by one of the best, your's to be proud of!

[Barry Wolk]

Thank you, Stan.

[Rick Payton]

Here are some of the paintings I did of my 59 the black and white one is a friend of mine Jeral Tidwell from Louisville KY

[Chuck Lutz]

Rick, very cool.