CARMEL, Calif. – June 7, 2016 – Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS) member Charles Maher will debut two new paintings depicting vintage Bugatti motorcars and classic Brough motorcycles at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® on Sunday, Aug. 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. His pieces will be part of an exhibit sponsored by The Lincoln Motor Company on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links in beautiful Pebble Beach, California.

Maher is known for using a wide variety of styles and mediums, including watercolors and oils, to achieve a stunning outcome. This year, he put his talents to work honoring two famous European marques.

“I wanted to celebrate the timeless beauty of prewar vehicles built by a pair of the most accomplished manufacturers in their day,” said Maher. “My pieces are designed to show that while the world was struggling with the specter of war, a few were still innovating romantic vehicles that stirred the heart.”

Staged on the beautiful grounds of the Concours of America at St. John’s, Maher’s first work is titled “Remains of the Day.” This gorgeous setting with a hint of shadows and stroke of dusk features two sleek 1937 Bugatti Type 57’s enveloped by serene greenery. Set in the late afternoon light after all the other vehicles have left the field, this 14” x 50” acrylic on canvas illuminates the elegant Bugattis waiting for their owners to collect them.

“The Concours of America is a wonderful tradition with roots reaching to France, where Bugatti cars originated,” said Maher. “It seemed fitting that the Bugattis should be the last two standing proudly on the St. John’s show because their beauty has outlasted just about every other car built during that period.”

Another Maher masterpiece on the way to Pebble Beach is titled, “Brough.” Maher’s sunset-colored brushstrokes add warmth and radiation to reveal the exquisite detail of the brightened 1938 Brough Superior SS100 all the way down to the V-twin engine. Adding a historical layer to the piece, T.E. Lawrence, famously known as Lawrence of Arabia, was riding a Superior SS100 at the time of his death.

“The Superior SS100 was the crown jewel of George Brough’s single motorcycle manufacturing company in Nottingham, England,” said Maher. “It was considered the ‘Rolls Royce’ of motorcycles in its day. While motorbikes require a lot of details to get right, I gladly took on the challenge and am pleased with the final piece.”

Maher grew up in Miami, Florida. Destined to work with cars, he began his automotive journey at the wheel of his family’s 1955 Chevy Bel-Air and a Chrysler 300. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the University of Notre Dame in 1968.

After working as a designer for Ford Motor Company, Maher spent 14 years with a graphics firm in Detroit designing production car graphics for Ford, GM, Honda and Toyota. He also completed projects such as pace car graphics for Indianapolis and the Long Beach Grand Prix.

Maher’s work has been displayed at Concours d’Elegance events at Amelia Island, Ault Park, Greenwich, Meadow Brook, the Inn at St. Johns, Pebble Beach and the Eyes-on-Design Exhibition in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. His artwork has appeared in AutoWeek, Automobile, Car Collector, Mustang Monthly, Racer, Road & Track, Automobile Quarterly, and Sports Car Market magazines.

For more information about Charles Maher’s art, visit his website.

About the Automotive Fine Arts Society
AFAS was established in 1983 by a group of artists who are acknowledged by critics to be among the best in their field. Members work in many diverse mediums including oil, watercolors, acrylics, wood, gouache, pen & ink, clay and metal. AFAS and its members participate in select shows across the country including the Pebble Beach Concours d´Elegance, Dana Point Concours d’Elegance and the Amelia Island Concours d´Elegance. Information about AFAS is available at www.autoartgallery.com or by contacting Tyler Weiland at 214.520.3430 x302.

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