Automotive Fine Artist Bill Neale Resurrects Cobra-ferrari Wars At The 2012 Amelia Island Concours

Fine Artist Bill Neale will bring the 1960’s “Cobra-Ferrari Wars” back to life with two magnificent paintings at the 2012 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
By: Laura Sayed
 
March 8, 2012 - PRLog -- Fine Artist Bill Neale will bring the 1960’s “Cobra-Ferrari Wars” back to life with two magnificent paintings at the 2012 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.Neale will show “Competition GTO” and “Terlingua Racing Cobra” during the Automotive Fine Arts Society’s 17th annual art show from March 8-10*, at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island in Talbot Room A&B and March 11 on the green. Neale is a longstanding member of AFAS, which boasts 24 of the most celebrated automotive artists from around the world.

“I witnessed Ferrari and Shelby American battle bitterly on racetracks around the world during the mid-1960s,” said Neale. “Some of my dearest friends, like Phil Hill, Dan Gurney and Bob Bondurant drove for those teams. My two pieces are based on personal recollections of watching those titans roam the paddocks and fight on road courses for Enzo Ferrari and Carroll Shelby.”

Neale’s piece “Competition
GTO” depicts the front three-quarter view of a Rosso Red Ferrari at speed. The 24” X 30” acrylic on canvas was created based on Neale’s first sighting of a Ferrari GTO at Daytona. It is easy to imagine the legendary wail of the V12 Ferrari as the piece almost vibrates with energy.

The other painting, “Terlingua Racing Cobra,” recalls a much lighter moment. The piece comes from a mental snapshot when Neale saw his friend, team owner Carroll Shelby, place a “Terlingua” logo on the factory #96 King Cobra. The mid-engined Cobra was sitting in the Laguna Seca pits before the 1964 Monterey Grand Prix, waiting for Bob Bondurant to drive it in the car’s final race. The lanky Texan smiles as he places the fierce rabbit crest on the Cobra. The logo was designed by Neale earlier that year as a poke in the eye to the racing establishment – and Ferrari. The piece is a 22” X 28” acrylic on canvas

“We created the Terlingua logo to symbolize our West Texas community that was founded solely to have fun,” added Neale. “One of the reasons that I chose the fighting rabbit was to make fun of Ferrari’s prancing stallion crest. The King Cobra was built to beat Ferrari as part of the Shelby American team, so it seemed fitting for Shelby to paste it on the fender of the car.”

The pieces are perfect for this year’s Amelia Island Concours, which will celebrate the iconic Ferrari GTO and the Shelby team with special display of these historic cars. While Neale will display other pieces ranging in size and content, he expects pieces that honor those cars will garner the highest attention.

Neale has long been celebrated for his ability to paint pieces that accurately portray automobiles, drivers, owners and people who are associated with the auto industry. His work can be found in galleries and collections of many of the world's racing greats as well as distinguished aficionados. Neale’s involvement with aviation often shows up in his work resulting in compositions, including cars and airplanes.

His credits cover a wide range of automobile events which include Cavallino, Road & Track, Automobile Magazine, Car&Driver, Sports Illustrated and others. Neale’s commissions include posters for Automobile Concours d' Elegance and events such as the Monterey Historic Races, The San Diego Concours, Houston Classi-Chassis, Jim Hall Chaparral Museum and Carroll Shelby Nationals. He is a poster artist for the Colorado Grand Rally and in 2011 was named the first ever Grand Marshal for the event. Neale’s work has won numerous accolades in the U.S., Europe and South America including the prestigious Peter Helck and Athena awards. He also captured Mazda’s prestigious “The Emotion of Motion Award” for his painting, “Aston Martin and Friend” in 2009 at the Amelia Island Concours.

Bill Neale helped found the Automobile Fine Arts Society and serves on the board of directors. He resides in Dallas with his wife Nelda. Additional information about his work is available at www.billneale.com.

*Editor’s note: The art show from Thursday, March 8 to Saturday, March 10, is open to the public with free admission.

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 participates in select shows across the country including the Pebble Beach Concours d´Elegance and the Amelia Island Concours d´Elegance. Information about AFAS is available at www.autoartgallery.com or by contacting Laura Sayed at (214) 520-3430 ext. 306 or lsayed@tprm.com.
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Source:Laura Sayed
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Tags:Fine Art, Automotive Fine Art, Afas, Automotive Fine Arts Society, Cobra-ferrari Wars, Bill Neale, Afas Members
Industry:Arts
Location:United States
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