Our buddy Branscombe Richmond and his band “Branscombe Richmond and the Renegade Posse” head out to Sturgis to perform for the faithful many who will attend this year’s event. Have a safe journey.
For those of you who may not be aware, Branscombe also has a line of cool motorcycles that they’ll be showing there as well. American Motorcycles offers a compolete line of custom bikes including a Bobber, the Six Killer 300 Pro Street, a selection of ultra-cool choppers, and the much talked about Apache Bagger. If you miss Sturgis this year, check them out on their site, which is also cool, at AMC1902.com
If you like bikes, babes and airbrush, then the LA Calendar Show 2006 was the place to be. Beautifully located near the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, this year’s event was outstanding! We were there - and fear not, we took notes and pics to share with you.
I have to tell you straight out - this event had more phenomenal examples of excellent airbrush art than I’ve ever seen in any one place - ever! It was total eye-candy-galore… and more. Throw in all the outrageously cool custom bikes and a plethora of beautiful ladies and you have an all-American event that keeps you coming back for more.
Spectator attendance reaches close to 20,000 hard core motorcycle enthusiasts at the exciting 2-day weekend. Exhibitors include 170 major motorcycle and parts manufacturers, top name bike builders, along with selected product and apparel venders to keep it fun for the entire family. Spectators have a chance to meet top celebrity custom bike builders and attend free Iron & Lace Calendar Bike Builder Seminars with America’s top celebrity Iron & Lace Calendar builders including Jesse Rooke, Roland Sands, Mike Stafford of MGS Customs, Harold Pontarelli, Joe Takai of Mercury Customs and Bob Phillip of Wizzard Cycle Creations. Visitors can also enter your their bikes in the exciting Jardine World Record Horsepower Dyno Shoot Out.
So, as you can see, when it comes to these events, these guys know what it takes to put together a successful show. Hats-off to Gianatsis Design for their efforts.
So, we digress (Blogs do that sometimes)… but before we get ahead of ourselves…
Day One - Friday evening; I tripped across this screamin’ sport bike right out the gates. The show wasn’t really open yet, since it’s really a weekend show. But hey, we were there, the bike was there, and the camera was loaded.
Check out the wicked details on this beast. Hot paint. Custom seat. It looks like there was quite a chrome budget with this project too. It’s a great looking bike all around.
Carlos Avelar, the bike’s painter, was there hanging with the Vance & Hines guys. I hadn’t seen Carlos since an Airbrush Action Getaway in Las Vegas a couple years ago so this was a chance to catch up with him a bit. We’ll bring you some cool shots and a little from insight from his studio later this summer. Until then, click here to check out his online gallery.
Well, that’s it for metric crotch rockets for a while - from here on it’s mostly American Iron, of which I’m a fan. Not that we discriminate regarding the brand on the tank, because we don’t really. It’s just that we’re more into the art on the tank than the plaque that the factory put there. But since we’re talking American Iron and art on the side, check this beast out.
Once a helicopter protecting America from the forces of evil, this bird is now street legal. You may have seen the Limokopter on the Discovery channel. Here’s a quick shot to hold you, but watch for our upcoming post reflecting its artistic side, along with it’s outrageous creator and builder, Big Daddy “The Kustomizer”.
Sporting beauty in the form of full-size airbrush pinup. Some traditions are worth fighting for.
An excellent example of beautifully rendered airbrush art from a slightly different perspective. These comic book style illustrations are incredibly detailed. The bike rocks too! Joe Takai from Mercury Customs has a few tricks up his sleeves when it comes to bike design. A master builder and designer, his creative fingerprints are all over these creations which favor a clean contemporary look. We’re looking forward to sharing more from the crew at Mercury Customs. In the interim, check out his site by clicking here.
Ron Simms bikes rock! They always have. His bikes are huge statements of power and style, and each comes complete with a full tank of attitude.
Simms’ painter, the world-renown Horst is a master with the airbrush, and Ron will tell you, Horst paint most all his bikes. Check out a few here…
Check out the incredible airbrush work by Horst on this Simms creation.
Well, that’s it for this post. Check the next post (already in the works); Part 2 of the LA Calendar Show 2006, where we’ll bring you some cool stuff by Wicked Brothers, Stones Choppers, Rocky’s Pure Kustom, and a ton of great shots of a Kamikaze gone wild, and a plethora of beautiful airbrush art.
We’ll leave you with this great shot; Bourgets of SoCal was there showing off their incredible machines, and this beautiful lady, the infamous Glenn-Marie Endris, was making them shine. We couldn’t resist. Just remember to check out the airbrush work. We have plenty of ultra-cool Bourget bikes to be featured in upcoming AirbrushTour post.
Like art?… motorcycles?… How about 75 year old 1,000 ft. long luxury liners? If so, then we have the show for you. If you’re in SoCal, and want to check out some of the best talent in motorcycle fine art, then the V-Twins Chrome & Creations: An American Motorcycle Art Review is right up your pier. This limited-engagement show will feature some of the best work two-wheel artists have expressed in paint. Featuring original art by Charlie Patton, Scott Jacobs, Michael Lichter, David Uhl, Sara Liberte, Jeff Decker, Jason Mernick and Fabrice Spies. What a great group of creative talent! I’d love to have any of these guys art in my living room. If you’re a fan, take a trip to the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, swing by her boiler rooms, and view this great art up close. You’ll enjoy the ride.
This show runs Saturday August 26th from 7PM to Midnight, and Sunday August 27th, from 10AM to 6PM
Copperopolis, CA - Renowned motorcycle historian, musician and storyteller, Charlie Brechtel, will be releasing Iron Buffalo at the world famous Buffalo Chip Campground during their 25th Anniversary Celebration. Iron Buffalo is a fitting tribute to Indian Larry and David Mann. The title track, Iron Buffalo will take you on a trip to Gasoline Alley where you can imagine Larry wrenching on a bike. Ghost Cowboy is a melodic journey to the wide-open spaces of the old west where you will see visions of the Ghost Rider, made famous by Dave Mann.
Sonny Keaton, a true “Old School Biker and Bike Builder” collaborated with keyboardist Ray Ray Crow to compose a true biker anthem, Horses of Iron and Steel; this song is what being a biker is all about. The album also includes songs about Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductees along with future members of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
This will be the third Album for the Charlie Brechtel Band, and with each song you will feel the wind in your face and the sweet vibration of the road. Charlie will take you on a journey through time and boundaries that have been closed to all but a chosen few, he will take you into the Inner Circle. Charlie also produces a weekly radio show on the Internet at www.big7productions.com and has a number of videos available.
So what’s Charlie’s new album got to do with airbrush you ask. A.D. Cook is proud to have recently designed Charlie’s new band logo which is featured on the album’s cover, and we’re fans of his tunes. We’re also fans of both Indian Larry and David Mann - both incredible artists that have passed away in the last couple years.
As stated so well on his official site… “Indian Larry’s inspiration was 50’s - 60’s motorcycle clubs, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and the legendary, Von Dutch. The skilled machinist, metal-sculptor and master motorcycle mechanic won countless custom shows, participated in motorcycle racing, and originated the hard-core motorcycle style - a blend between classic choppers and hotrod race bikes. Indian Larry’s resume includes movie, video, television, and magazine spreads. His eccentric nature combined with a unique and colorful appeal has gathered great interest from media, producing a fanatic fan base. Larry could usually be found around beautiful women, tattoos, motorcycles, and the Coney Island Polar Bear Club.”
In 1971 a new motorcycle magazine emerged on the scene and an ad was placed in the back pages for an artist. That ad was answered by an artist from Kansas City by the name of Dave Mann. The magazine was Easyriders and as they say…the rest is history. David Mann’s work adorned the centers of Easyriders magazine for decades and even though he has now passed his art remains alive in bikers’ hearts. Click here to view the largest and most comprehensive collection of Dave’s artwork on the net.
A tribute to Indian Larry, David Mann, and Iron Buffalos everywhere.
The 2006 San Diego County Fair was a beautiful way to take in a day. Kathy and I haven’t been to a fair in a couple years, and the last few have been in Oregon. This year it’s San Diego, which is offers one of the coolest fairs I’ve been to. These guys have everything a visiting airbrush artist blog traveler could ever want; rock shows, photography and art shows, murals, not to mention all the other things that fairs have to offer. I go for art and eye candy, always wishing I’d have taken ten times more photos than I did. I’m a sucker for all the colors and visuals that make the fair exciting. The fair always offers an array of airbrush mural art that screams for attention and keeps us excited. Somehow, it wouldn’t be the same in any other medium. The airbrush makes it exciting.
The Fine Art Show was very impressive. We were amazed just how many great works were on display; paintings, sculpture, pastels, drawings, and a couple airbrush paintings. I wish I had a few days just to take it all in.
This year’s fair also featured the world’s most renowned marine life artist and his work. Wyland’s work speaks loud and is making a difference in preserving, protecting and respecting the earth, which is cool.
While we missed Wyland, the artist, we did get an opportunity to see his art up close. Wyland is also an airbrush artist, painting huge high-profile marine life murals that demand attention, as this one does. His large whale murals are legendary. Click here to visit Wyland online.
Taking orders and painting shirts. ART ATTACKS INK had the busiest and most colorful display of airbrush goods at this year’s San Diego County Fair. The bright colors and impressive display offered enough reason to stop and meet these guys. This crew really has their act together, and it’s obvious that they know what they’re doing. They should — Jo Ann Mauck tells us they’ve been spraying at the fair for 21 straight years, and in that time they grew. With the help of her team of artists (shown here are Andrew Hodnet and Stevie Kunkle), and banks of Iwata Eclipse airbrushes ready to go, Jo Ann is doing her part in making the fair events a funnier place.
This friendly gang of airbrush artists take a moment to say “hello” (pictured left to right are Patty Brannan, John Kinebrew, Andrea Sepelak, Tim Lowery and Jo Ann Mauck). If you missed them at the fair, you can catch them and the Brats™ at their Oceanside, California location (by appointment only), or click here to visit them online or stop in on them at the Orange County Fair, opening on July 7 and running through July 30.
A fondness for whales, this gate entrance features another large airbrush mural featuring sea life.
Captain Tattoo’s Body Art Theatre was busy too. I noticed a lot of people wearing body art - kids and adults alike. Everyone seems to be having a good time with it.
AirbrushTour showcases all types of airbrush talent, along with other creative and artistic disciplines. We also share fun events and the latest happenings in the airbrush community and paint industries. As we travel, we bring talented artists' work and the events of Las Vegas-based artist and photographer A.D. Cook to you.
AirbrushTour also features posts about motorcycles and hot rods, and the events that surround them, and some great travel pics of exciting places from all over the USA, so come along and share with us in America's passion for airbrush art.
AirbrushTour is an ADCook LLC project (702) 875-5676
