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| Claiming their territory... Out with the pictures that match the sofa and up with wall hangings for men. |
For years there's been a void of manly, yet tasteful, limited edition wall hangings for men. Other than sports posters from cheap poster companies, there wasn't much a guy could hang to claim his territory. And posters are considered a decorating faux Pas, because they're mass-produced, low quality and they fade fast and discolor within a few weeks.
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This large giclee reproduction of Jo Siffert's Porsche 917 is pre-trimmed to fit a standard size frame. And, it's hand-signed by artist Beacham "Beach" Owen.
See "Accidental find" below... |
Enter beautiful limited edition road and highway scenes, motorsports art and historical vintage racing photos for your walls. So, out with the abstract picture that matches the sofa and those fu-fu flowers and landscapes from the "discount store" embarrassingly taking up space on your guy walls. Do house guests actually look at these things or even make a positive comment, other than saying, it's interesting?
Space bar goers here.
Now hang a 30-inch framed black-and-white photo of Steve McQueen hauling butt down the back airport straightaway at Sebring in 1970, and watch your friends' faces light up. Or another large vintage motorcycle grand prix action scene of "King" Kenny Roberts with rival Barry Sheene cresting a European hill-top back in the day. And for the mantle, a beautiful large canvas giclee of a bright red Ferrari Testarossa painted and hand-signed by artist Beacham Owen. Ahhh, it's your home again.
Space bar goers here.
Now hang a 30-inch framed black-and-white photo of Steve McQueen hauling butt down the back airport straightaway at Sebring in 1970, and watch your friends' faces light up. Or another large vintage motorcycle grand prix action scene of "King" Kenny Roberts with rival Barry Sheene cresting a European hill-top back in the day. And for the mantle, a beautiful large canvas giclee of a bright red Ferrari Testarossa painted and hand-signed by artist Beacham Owen. Ahhh, it's your home again.
These are just a few of the many delights available from the collection of Owen Art Studios -- a California company that's been offering these unique motorsports wall hangings since the 1980s, but known only to the likes of Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and other serious motorsports collectors, until the Studio went on-line in 1998 with their collection of limited edition works. Just about all the Studio's art purchases are now through the website, and European and U.S. sales are running about fifty-fifty.
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Click image to see larger.
This large giclee photo print is over 36-inches wide when framed.
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Accidental find:
I discovered these quality giclees by accident while picking up a print that my wife had framed at our local Michael's art and framing store. There was a young man there who had brought in a painting on canvas of Jo Siffert's Porsche 917 appearing through the early-morning mist at Spa Francorchamps. "Wow," I thought, the Porsche, in Gulf Oil livery was glowing against the dark background -- it was beautiful, almost haunting. He had another large painting of old Burt Munro fish-tailing his Indian Scout streamliner towards the time traps at Bonneville -- right out of 1960s history and the cult movie, "The World's Fastest Indian." All I could imagine was these types of very unique works of art hanging in my home, and looking at them every day. I began talking to my new friend about his art and almost forgot to pick up my wife's framed flower print.
Space bar goers here.
The story of his art:
The young man with the very cool and "manly" artworks told me that he had purchased a colorful painting of Valentino Rossi crashing his Honda NSR500 MotoGP bike in the rain, a painting by Beacham Owen (signed "Beach") and hung it in his office/cubicle at work. Before long, people would stop by and admire it, and he found out that many of his co-workers, whom he hadn't known that well before, were also into cars and motorcycles, rode and took weekend adventure trips, just as he did. He said with amazement, "Because of that painting at the office I've found some really neat friends, of all ages, with the same interest as me. "I would never have gotten to know them otherwise."
I discovered these quality giclees by accident while picking up a print that my wife had framed at our local Michael's art and framing store. There was a young man there who had brought in a painting on canvas of Jo Siffert's Porsche 917 appearing through the early-morning mist at Spa Francorchamps. "Wow," I thought, the Porsche, in Gulf Oil livery was glowing against the dark background -- it was beautiful, almost haunting. He had another large painting of old Burt Munro fish-tailing his Indian Scout streamliner towards the time traps at Bonneville -- right out of 1960s history and the cult movie, "The World's Fastest Indian." All I could imagine was these types of very unique works of art hanging in my home, and looking at them every day. I began talking to my new friend about his art and almost forgot to pick up my wife's framed flower print.
Space bar goers here.
The story of his art:
The young man with the very cool and "manly" artworks told me that he had purchased a colorful painting of Valentino Rossi crashing his Honda NSR500 MotoGP bike in the rain, a painting by Beacham Owen (signed "Beach") and hung it in his office/cubicle at work. Before long, people would stop by and admire it, and he found out that many of his co-workers, whom he hadn't known that well before, were also into cars and motorcycles, rode and took weekend adventure trips, just as he did. He said with amazement, "Because of that painting at the office I've found some really neat friends, of all ages, with the same interest as me. "I would never have gotten to know them otherwise."
His new art pieces were not for his small office, but were going home to the walls of his new house. After talking and getting to know him a little, I knew he wouldn't be in that cubicle much longer.
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| This acrylic painting by artist Beach Owen (Beacham Owen) is a Los Angeles Pasadena-Harbor Freeway scene titled "110 to I-5 North." |
In the 1980s we all got together again and went to the AMA motorcycle races at Road Atlanta. Milestones for sure and they bonded us for life. We always talked about getting together again and going to LeMans and the Isle of Man. And, you know, it's not too late. Thanks to Owen Art Studios, I'm encouraged to pull this off. Right now, I'm just waiting for my new BMW cafe racers wall hangings to arrive. It's about a 3-day wait for photo print, but I can endure -- after all, I'm a man.
Malcolm Hailwood
This article contains information about wall art and photos of road and highway art scenes, auto racing, motorcycle - motorbike scenes and racers, formula one (1) cars, moto-gp, world superbike, AMA races, and events at Sebring, Daytona, LeMans, Spa, Phillip Island, Laguna Seca, Loudon, Road America, Road Atlanta and other American, European and Asian tracks.
This article contains information about wall art and photos of road and highway art scenes, auto racing, motorcycle - motorbike scenes and racers, formula one (1) cars, moto-gp, world superbike, AMA races, and events at Sebring, Daytona, LeMans, Spa, Phillip Island, Laguna Seca, Loudon, Road America, Road Atlanta and other American, European and Asian tracks.
