There is a bit of nostalgia in Tom Fritz's paintings, for he admits he does have an attachment to the past. However, his art is more than a glimpse into the good old days when ordinary people owned hot rods and San Fernando had its own drag strip. His paintings are infused with a dynamism that goes hand-in-hand with fast cars and the passion of the people who own them, rebuild them, drive them, and couldn't live without them.
Fritz's work, along with the work of fifteen other artists, will be on display at La Galeria Gitana beginning on Saturday, September 11 and running through October 16. Among the other exhibitors are famed Chicano artist Frank Romero who was commissioned in 1984 to paint the mural "Going to the Olympics" along a portion of the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles. Also included in the show is the woodcraft of Bruce Crawford; from his intricate automobile sculptures to his restored wooden steering wheels, Crawford's mastery is obvious in his attention to detail and authenticity.
To kick-off the art exhibit, gallery owner Karen Nichols has helped coordinate a car show that includes a variety of vintage hot rods. The car show is a one-day-only event being held at the corner of Maclay Avenue and First Street, from 4:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday. With tunes from the fifties filling the air, visitors can also enjoy never-before-seen clips from Los Angeles filmmaker Faith Granger's "Deuce of Spades". A hot rod enthusiast, Granger purchased her own 1932 Ford Roadster a few years ago, and has painstakingly worked to restore the car, which is an integral element of her film. Against the backdrop of the 1950's car culture, "Deuce of Spades" is a period drama, complete with retro music and dance.
Among the highlights of the art exhibit will be Fritz's "Johnny Callaway", the image of which was used on one of the movie posters from "Deuce of Spades". Described as a premiere "motor sport artist", Fritz has repeated this theme in his paintings again and again. Whether in his commissioned works that he has done for Harley-Davidson, or his award-winning paintings as a distinguished member of the Automotive Fine Arts Society, Fritz explains that it is the relationship between humans and their vehicles that he strives to explore and capture in his work.
Growing up in the city of San Fernando in the late 1950's, Fritz says, "hot rods were a part of my life." The car culture was robust, and by the age of fourteen, Fritz was dreaming of building a hot rod. By age 16, he had rebuilt the engine of his 1956 GMC pick-up (which he still owns).
This mechanical inclination was what led him to one of his earliest jobs as a repair technician for Sears. He used the money to help pay his way through college, where he was studying to be an engineer. But after struggling through his Chemistry course- not once, but twice-he realized there might be a more suitable career for him.
Back when he was seven years old, Fritz had told his dad that he wanted to be an artist (complete with a beret and mustache) when he grew up. So, while in college, Fritz began focusing anew on his childhood dream.
Taking the common advice of his art instructors, "Paint who you are and what you know", Fritz's love of motor vehicles became his driving force. From the early days of the Santa Monica Road Races, to the 1930s and '40s when hot rods raced across the Mojave Desert, right up until the heyday of the Saugus Speedway, Fritz studies automotive history so that he can present a realistic interpretation of his subject matter. He describes "Car Culture" as a compilation of just that, an overview of the significance of the automobile in our lives.
Owner Karen Nichols got the idea for this show more than a year ago because she said the city of San Fernando was the heart of the automotive and hot rod culture. "It all started here," she said. Her continued and diligent effort to bring art to the city is generated from her passion for art. "We want people to get used to seeing art," she said. "We want them to be able to enjoy it and take pride in it."
(La Galeria Gitana is located at 120 N. Maclay Avenue (Suite E) in San Fernando. Admission to the art exhibit and car show is free. For additional information call: (818) 898-7708)
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