INSPIRED BY THE SPIRIT OF MOTORING
ABOUT ROBIN AND HIS WORK
I have always drawn and
made things and I have always been fascinated by cars;
the style. the
movement and the energy.
I studied Design at art school in South Africa and went into advertising. My first job
was drawing cars and designing motor sport ads and posters.
Later, in the UK, I
returned to university to study ceramic sculpture at Goldsmiths College,
London.
Before getting married, I practiced as a free-lance designer, and took private
motoring art commissions.
When we started a family, I needed a
regular job, so I taught Design in
schools, colleges and at university which kept me fully occupied for a number of years.
When the children grew up I returned to my passion; sculpting,
drawing and painting things that move,
as well as restoring, driving and
riding them
whenever possible.
I began showing my first pieces at club events and motor shows in England and quite soon began to gain an international audience.
A high point came in 2013 when the Ford Motor Company asked
me to make a sculpture to celebrate 50 YEARS of the Mustang.
It was
a wonderful opportunity and the people at Ford were very good to me. They gave me a great deal of support and a
great deal of publicity.
I took my work to California that year for Monterey Car
Week, Pebble Beach. It was an amazing time and I met many interesting
people.
I met up with Bob Bondurant (ex Cobra driver)who signed a
sculpture of the AC Cobra that was auctioned for charity at the Sante Fe
Concorso in New Mexico.
I had made a sculpture of the 'Bubble' Jaguar
for Jeff Lotman who was showing his beautifully restored car at The Quail.
He had invited Norman Dewis over, who had set the speed record in the car on
the Jabbeke Highway in 1953.
Norman agreed to sign an edition of the 'Bubble' and I accompanied him to several events where he entertained Jaguar audiences with the wonderful stories of his career a. He also publicised the edition.
In later years, shortly before he died, I visited Norman at his home where he signed another edition; the two XK120 record breakers, 1949 (HKV 500) and the 'Bubble (1953).
I was also invited to visit the Caroll Shelby Organisation in
LA. for a tour of the work shops and
a viewing of Caroll Shelby's personal car collection.
I returned to
California for several
consecutive years, showing at both Automobilia and RetroAuto.
As well as cars, I have made a couple of motorcycle sculptures. One of them
is of Paul Smart
who famously won the Imola 200 for Ducati in 1972.
Paul agreed to sign an
edition of my Ducati sculpture. I made them in batches and, as he lived fairly close by, he
would hop on one of his Ducatis and pop over to me, or I would nip over to
him, where he and his wife, Maggie (Barry Sheen's sister), would regail me
with stories of those wonderful years. It was such a shock when he was
tragically killed riding his Ducati on a lovely, sunny day in Sussex.
He
was a lovely man.
A fast gentleman.
I felt very honoured when Gordon Murray, designer of world championship F1
cars
and the McLaren F1 roadcar, bought
my painting of Piquet
in the Brabham BT52.
I was further touched when he willingly agreed to
sign a 10 print edition of the painting.
Over the last decade I have shown extensively both in The UK
and in Europe.
I was a 'regular' at both TechnoClassica in Essen, Germany
and also at Retromobile in Paris for a number of years.
I have shown regularly at the
UK Classic Car Show at the NEC
and also at the London Classic Car show.
Although I have have slowed a little since those heady days,
I still show my work every year at
GOODWOOD REVIVAL
and
also at the Members Meetings.
(Goodwood is only an hour's drive away).
My work has been exhibited each year at the RAC 'Art of
Motoring' exhibition since it's inception in 2015.
In 2022 the
exhibition was moved from the RAC clubhouse to Southeby's Gallery in New
Bond Street, London. and so, will in future, be open to the public.
I live with my wife (and dog) in East Sussex, England.
When I have
time, I like to tinker with my old machines. I also enjoy the occassional
bit of landscape painting.
To contact Robin:
+44 (0) 7767 824633
