Peter Hearsey of the Automotive Fine Arts Society has been selected to create the official poster artwork for the 2009 Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex. The 12th annual drive will take place August 13, 2009, and trace portions of historic 17-Mile Drive and other thrilling coastal roadways.
Hearsey’s painting honors the talents of legendary coachbuilder Zagato by featuring a 1965 Alfa Romeo TZ2 Competition FIA GT Berlinetta. It will be on display during the AFAS art exhibit at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 16, 2009, on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links.
“I was surprised but thrilled to be chosen as a Pebble Beach artist,” said Hearsey. “The Tour d’Elegance has become a favorite gathering each year prior to the Concours. As an auto racing enthusiast, I’ve always enjoyed watching these elegant classic cars in motion, navigating the spectacular turns in and around the peninsula.”
In his Tour poster, Hearsey focuses on one of the most famous mid-century Zagato creations, a red 1965 Alfa Romeo TZ2 Competition FIA GT Berlinetta. Hearsey captures the race car at speed along the Pebble Beach coast, with another racer in the distance struggling to keep up. The background includes a blue California sky, sailboats and a trio of the Monterey Peninsula’s signature cypress trees.
Like many pioneering coachbuilders, Ugo Zagato applied construction and engineering techniques from the aircraft industry following World War I to fuel the growing demand for automobiles. But few did it with as much flair and attention to detail as Zagato. Many of the Italian’s most famous cars were built during the mid 1960s and into the ’70s, when automotive power and performance reached levels once believed impossible.
“This particular Zagato race car was a fitting centerpiece for the poster,” added Hearsey. “The Alfa Romeo TZ2 featured the stylish but functional lines that made Zagato one of the most accomplished designers of his time. And the setting pulls the entire piece together. I chose it because the scene includes so many identifiable aspects of the area that make the Tour such an exciting, memorable event.”
After growing up in London and studying at Kingston-upon-Hull College of Art from 1960-1964, Hearsey enjoyed a successful creative career at a large advertising agency and later as a freelance illustrator. In 1977, he moved to the Isle of Man, where the island’s rich motorsports heritage inspired him to paint full time and specialize in automobiles.
A master impressionist, Hearsey is known worldwide for his ability to move seamlessly from the earliest decades of motoring to current Formula One cars. His attention to detail combined with his exploration of color and tone give his work a distinctive and personal quality. Hearsey has been a member of the AFAS since 1993. His many awards include four “Awards of Excellence” from the Meadowbrook Hall Concours and four AFAS “Athena Awards of Excellence” at Pebble Beach.
He has been commissioned by Ford Motor Company, Rolls Royce and the Indianapolis Hall of Fame Museum, among others. Hearsey has also created the official poster for Lord March for the famed Goodwood Festival of Speed since the event’s inception in 1993.
For more information about Peter Hearsey and his artwork, visit www.peterhearsey.com.
For more information about the Pebble Beach Concours, visit www.pebblebeachconcours.net.
[Source: AFAS]
