Commissions
I’m frequently asked if I do commissions, which is when a customer wants his or her car or bike painted on canvas. Of course I do…depending upon my schedule. Many of my paintings are commissions of sorts. The work I’ve done for Jack Daniel’s was commissioned. I’ve just gotten to a level in my art career where the customer usually leaves the details up to me. I’ve included a few commission works and my thoughts to give you an idea.
"The Home Stretch"
The Home Stretch was commissioned by Kim Reno for her husband Augie who received a fellowship into The American Society of Architects. Very prestigious Augie! Augie is a famous Mountain Architect with offices in Aspen CO & Carefree AZ. Since he has an awesome car collection, many of which he restored himself, we immediately got along.
The pride of his collection is his 1937 Chevy Deluxe Business Coup.
Kim, on the sneak, slips me some workable photos. I decided to place two of Augie’s significant mountain residences reflected in the fenders. He’s also a baseball fan; you’ll notice the fence, and likes to sing. Find the tenor notes hidden throughout. Augie & Kim are blasting out of town as their two daughter wave goodbye. They’re gonna party in the new estate!
What a fun project! Augie was very surprised. The hardest part was swearing our mutual friends to secrecy through this project.
Mike’s 56
Another fun commission. Mike has this beautiful 1956 Thunderbird that he has owned for many years. He’s also a collector of all kinds of memorabilia. The General store in the background is on his property in Minnesota. Its chock full of stuff Mike has collected over the years. So to Mike, this painting represents his life.
"Roadster"
After winning the coveted "Street Machine of the Year" award, GM Design award, and Trendsetters award, Barry Blomquist’s C1-RS Corvette was destined to go down in automotive history. The Gerber brothers of The Roadster Shop fame amassed countless hours and the finest craftsmen in the world to create this stunning 1962 Corvette. Talking with Eric at his art display during The Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, Barry decided to take his “Roadster” to an even higher level and commissioned Eric Herrmann to create a fine art painting to immortalize this famous vehicle.
Eric flew to an open house at The Roadster Shop for a photo shoot and was treated to an inspiring ride in the C1-RS by Barry. A longtime motorcycle racer, Eric wasn’t aware of Barry’s lifelong enthusiasm for automobiles and his ability to use the 600+ horsepower under his foot. Blasting through Midwestern country roads Barry and Eric found a perfect setting in the trees to pose the “Roadster”.
Back in his Arizona studio, armed with hundreds of photos, Eric began the two month long painting project. With only his brushes, acrylic paint, and canvas, Eric has created another world-class work of art, simply titled “Roadster”. I’m very fortunate to have risen to this level in my art career where the finest vehicles in the world are offered to me as subjects, states Eric. Barry’s new painting “Roadster” measuring 30” x 46” hangs proudly in his home where he can view it daily when he’s not out tearing up the countryside.