TB 4

 

Feature written by Thomas Bucher.

I was fascinated by the aesthetic and mechanical design of cars since I was in elementary school. Model car building was my form of involvement at that time.
During my high school years in Daton, Ohio, I occasionally went to the local drag strip and was offered the opportunity to design the lettering on a AA/G dragster. I was thrilled to later have the chance to watch it run. Wow, it was like a rocket sled, smoke and all! What a thrill.
in 1967, I read about the Ferrari “hat trick” at the Daytona 24 hours. I was smitten. I still love those beautiful 330 P4s.
Raising a family and my job as a public school art teacher kept me busy for quite a few years during whcih I read automotive magazines and watched races on the Wild World of Sports.
I became actively involved in motorsports in the late 1980s when I linked up to John Higgins’s Porsche/Fabcar, GTP/L team. John really gave me a “leg up” in many ways.
I first offered my services as a photographer. But, Jack Webster was the crew chief and an excellent race photographer. When I mentioned that I could illustrate livery designs for sponsorship proposals, I was off to the races.
Literally! I did the designs, worked on the cars (more “go-for” than mechanic) and was able to get away from teaching on long weekends to serve as an over the wall crew member.
I met other drivers and owners who were all interesting and wonderful people. Among the drivers I met were Brian Redman, Derek Bell, Jackie Ickx, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Roger Penske, Hurley Haywood, David Piper, Arie Luyendyk, Hans Stuck Jr, Walter Wohrl and others you would know.

Two in particular who impressed me as not only good drivers, but true gentlemen were Bill Adams and the late Paul Newman. Good men those.
The men and women I met who were involved in racing were without exception all friendly, generous, full of stories and most encouraging.
The races were sensory and visceral excitement… it was nirvana for me! I love it! I eventually began doing design work for other race teams and drivers. I was delighted to have designed the livery for Doug Schierson’s Domino’s car that won the Indy 500 in 1990.
My enthusiasm was boundless and I began doing illustrations on iconic race cars and famous drivers which were marketed with some success as prints.
Visiting race tracks like Daytona, Watkins Glen, Mid Ohio, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Monterey and others provided me with backgrounds for my paintings.
I was never able to drive a purpose built race car in anger, so I tried to capture in my paintings what it mus have felt like to driver at ten tenths.
Painting the cars was to me a vicarious experience that I wanted to share with my viewers.
Sadly, I have developed a tremor in my hands that has made painting as I once did impossible.
I do however, enjoy digital illustrations which is possible because I can steady my hand on the desk top- not all bad.

You can contact and follow Thomas here.

Below you can enjoy some of Thomas’s work which he has kindly sent to us to share with you. Always respect copyright.

Click images to enlarge,

More featured artists here.