Description
By Simon Owen, Hardcover, 192 Pages, ISBN: 9781845846527, Published: 2014
A classic compilation of famous racing car markings by the late Simon Owen.
David Owen's moving Foreword to his son's posthumus publication -
I suppose it was inevitable that my son, Simon, would become interested in motor racing. Motor sport was something I was always interested in, loved watching and reading about; the motor magazines of the day alwoys around the home. Simon was also an easy excuse for the Scalextric motor racing set that I bought and extended. Many Grand Prix events were held on the long table in the spare room. Needless to say my Graham Hill BRM was always beaten by Simon's immaculately turned out Jim Clark Lotus. Perhaps it isn't surprising that Simon was creative, as his dad painted in his spare time, working too as an advertising art director. I am happy to soy that there was no disagreement between us about the work we produced, as each admired what the other was doing. Ever since Simon began to follow his heart and produce his first car watercolours we had discussed his work. Simon was always keen and interested to have my views, my approval. Lots of talk about future paintings and compositions, exciting stuff for a dad to be involved in, very lucky too.
It is interesting now to look back at some of his early car paintings and compare them with those painted a few years later. His first were generally of a racing car with large background of team pits or parts of a particular racing circuit. Later, Simon's painting concentrated more closely on the car itself until, finally, he zoomed in, as it were, and took it as far as he could, and yet, retaining all the information, all the excitement that we associate with these wonderful machines. It was obvious, even then, to see how they would eventually morph into the beautiful images that are now reproduced on the following pages. What staggers me, though, is the fact that his usual medium of watercolour was abandoned. A new look demanded a new contemporary medium so all the images contained within this book have been produced entirely upon Simon's Apple Mac computer. That's what I call progress!
David E Owen, 2012
