Artist Barry Rowe produces Pebble Beach concours poster

Automotive Fine Arts Society member Barry Rowe has produced the poster art for the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, set for Aug. 21.

Rowe's artwork features the Mercedes-Benz No. 722 race car, which won the 1955 Mille Miglia.

During the AFAS exhibit at the concours, Rowe will also debut his Ferrari en Provence work on canvas, as well as a piece featuring a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and a Mercedes. The former showcases the red Ferrari Lusso 250 GTO in front of the French restaurant Les Deux Garcons.

The exhibit will take over the 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with sculptures and various types of paintings on display.

Rowe, a native of England, studied graphic design at the College of Art in Coventry. He worked for several years as an art director in advertising and started as a freelance artist in 1966 to pursue his love for painting automobiles.

His painting career really took off when he won the Sotheby's Art Award for a portrait of five-time Formula One world champion Juan Manuel Fangio. This brought Rowe work from Louis Vuitton of Paris, Royal Mail and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, which features his artwork on the walls of its ships.

By Michelle Koueiter