Artist Jay Koka To Evoke Admiration With Masterpieces During The Afas Exhibit At Pebble Beach

July 9, 2012 - PRLog -- Automotive Fine Arts Society Board Member Jay Koka will showcase his masterpieces “One Lane Closed Ahead” and “Savannah Number 5,” during the AFAS Exhibit on Sunday, Aug. 19, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PDT, which demonstrates his unique fusion of realism and impressionism. A well-known and internationally respected artist, Koka exemplifies the artist who is never satisfied with the status quo and always brings an element of surprise at each new exhibition.

Koka’s 36” x 22” acrylic on canvas, “One Lane Closed Ahead,” features a Ferrari 599 GTO at speed on a curvy coastal road. The painting draws the viewer in, allowing him to feel like he is part of the experience. The title is derived from the warning sign in the painting.

He will also display another acrylic on canvas, “Savannah Number 5.”  The 36” x 28” painting features a vintage Classic Cord in one of Savannah's historic squares. It is the fifth in a series of pieces featuring the historic squares of old town Savannah. It captures the old charm of the 1930’s and the lifestyle that people lived.

“I’m drawn to artwork that has a large dynamic range from light to dark,” said Koka. “‘One Lane Closed Ahead’ captures the artistic effect of dodging, which manipulates exposure from extreme light to dark, and replicates the experience of driving through a heavily wooded area. Similarly, ‘Savannah No5’ showcases the brilliant light and deep shadows of a hot summer day in the deep south.”

Koka, the 2012 poster artist for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, garnered a large and loyal audience with his realist style over the first decade of his painting career.  In the mid-90s, he embarked on a dramatic and some said even “shocking” change in style.   The small, tightly rendered gouache works were replaced by large canvases, often with a notable disregard for detail and to emphasize texture, form and color. Koka continues to be creatively restless and endlessly experimenting in style and media.  He loves to explore two style extremes- realism and impressionism, which exist side by side in Koka's body of work.

Koka has been commissioned for many international events including the iconic Daytona 500, the Rolex 24 Hours of Datytona, the inaugural poster art for the 2011 St John’s Concours d’Elegance, the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Ferrari Club of America events, the Barrett-Jackson Auctions and the Louisville Concours d’Elegance. In 2007, he was honored with a 20-year "one man" retrospective show at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nev. Koka is a 20 plus year member of the AFAS and serves on its Board of Directors.

Koka's original paintings as well as an online catalog of his print and poster editions are featured in two extensive websites located at www.jaykokastudio.com  and www.autoartprints.com.

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 calling Laura Sayed at 214.520.3430 ext. 306 or lsayed@tprm.com.