By Jay Koka and Wallace Wyss
Photos by Bill Michalak and Jeanne Braun
The 33rd annual exhibition of the Automotive Fine Arts Society took place in late August as part of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The exhibition, sponsored by Lincoln, was located in its usual spot on the 18th immediately adjacent to the Concours field and overlooking the concours awards presentation area.
Larry Braun
Ken Eberts
Dennis Brown
Peter Hearsey
James Dietz
Charles Maher
The annual show returned in a superb tent that featured an elaborate Lincoln automobile exhibit in its front half. Longstanding visitors will recall the earlier years of what could best be generously described as a "circus" tent with the usual intrusive support poles
throughout the display area along with a tremendously uneven grass floor that tripped up more than its share of spectators. lt is now mercifully replaced by a modern exoskeleton tent with superb lighting and, yes, a real, flat floor!
Attendance by regular membership this year (myself included) was significantly reduced for a variety of reason but this was made up by an unprecedented number of Guest Artist invitations that were extended earlier in the year.
John Marsh
Stanley Rose
Bill Motta
Barry Rowe (2017 photo)
Richard Pietruska
Tony Sikorski
The Membership Committee had a big job narrowing down the field from an unusually large number of artist applications. More on the guests a little later.
The annual show really has two parts: the first is a by invitation preview party taking place in the tent on Saturday afternoon followed the next by the art show as part of the concours itself.
Correspondent Wallace Wyss comments on his attendance at this year's preview:
...there is a splendid tent on the same green as the concours housing the AFAS art show.
...AFAS has a preview on Saturday afternoon before the Pebble Concours...refreshments are served but I couldn’t close down my booth at
Concorso fast enough to make it on time for the vittles. But I still got to meet the artists and see what’s new.
...long time member Bill Motta has had some medical issues. He says he has some problems with the full use of his right hand... but with all that experience and knowledge of painting, I'm hoping he teaches his left hand to do the same work… or maybe he’ll come up with a whole new style.
Klaus Wagger
Bruce Wheeler
AFAS Sales: Denise and Cindy