Projects
One of the many projects that got screwed through the last year... I guess I can now tell you about.
I’m honoured to be commissioned for the worlds first AMG experience centre in Zhejiang China, just outside Shanghai. With this 8ft whopper of a painting! I was meant to be out there to unveil it at the centre’s opening last March which obviously got cancelled, and then the marketing company I was working through in China went pop too so I heard nothing since. It’s only from googling for images I found that it did indeed make it onto the wall there! (3rd image) Which I guess is the main thing. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back out to see it one day.
This painting was very heavily design led by them... at least they went for my suggestion of bright orange, and turned out quite effective.
The unveiling that changed the trajectory of my career, two years ago today at @autosport_international show.
I mean, it was going kinda ok anyway... but this sent everything next level, and changed my career focus to immortalising the greats of F1 in bronze. And I’m well on the way to doing that! Of course progress has slowed over the last year.... but oh boy, you just wait to see what is coming up as soon as the world allows it 😳💥
A cracking sub zero sunset blast round the woods. Now for an evening in the studio! Let’s dooooo this.
Happy 52nd birthday to the legend that is @michaelschumacher !
Forever an icon of our sport.
#KeepFightingMichael
I’m back in the studio!
And bloody loving it.
I’ve actually not painted anything new for almost a month, such was the demand for embellished canvases leading up to Christmas. The absolute best thing is when ya itching to get back painting again, rather than a slog like it can sometimes get with deadlines.
And this one is a monster of a commission for my good friend and collector in Marbella... 8ftx4ft, needs two easels! Still a weeks work at least to go, but it’s starting to take shape #WIP #OzStudioLive
So, 2020 eh! Blimey. A year so repetitively shit that they even named it twice. Well done everyone for getting through it! I hope that it hasn’t bitten too many of you too hard, and here’s hoping that we are soon to turn the corner towards positivity. Of course with what I do for a job, literally everything was cancelled; 30 odd gallery shows, about 20 charity events, 8 or 9 F1 trips, 2 new statue unveilings. Being able to just hole up at home and in in the studio with Mrs Oz was and continues to be a blessing, just working away preparing for a return to some kind of normality. We did rescue a few charity auctions – the one thing we could still do online.
It’s not difficult to pick my own personal highlight of the year, regardless of what else should have happened this year.... my choice would have been the same; It was one stunning summers night in late May, sat cross legged on the floor of McLaren’s totally silent MTC waiting for the sun to set to the perfect height were it popped under the canopy of the building and illuminated my statue of Bruce McLaren perfectly, and Amanda McLaren would light the 50th candle at his feet, to mark 50 years since his passing. Being afforded the opportunity to sit there reflecting and absorbing the occasion at the time made this especially poignant. I mean.... a commission of this stature is not something that only a few years ago that I would have even dreamt of being asked to create - as a lifelong fan myself of F1 and of McLaren, it would have been actually unrealistic to even imagine it. In that regard I am forever thankful of the trust that Zak Brown, Amanda McLaren and the rest of the incredible team in Woking placed in me, to create something so important to them, and so permanent.
The lows of 2020 of course were numerous, but if you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I’m not going to bang on about that. Onwards!
Massive thanks guys for your continued support, entertainment and of course custom. I say every year ‘I couldn’t do this without you’, and that couldn’t apply any more than through this year where I haven’t been able to get out there and meet any of you physically. See you on the other side team!
The first photo of 6ft Alberto in black! In the spray booth at @pangolineditions having a clear coat to protect his patina so that he can stand outside.
8ft tall when standing on his plinth! 350kg balanced on one thin ankle. Because I work with some very clever people. And one very clever horse.
Alberto won’t be at Autosport International in January ... as the show is not on. But I’ll be aiming to get him as publicly seen as the world allows early 2021!
I always love the challenge of commissioned paintings which I would never chose myself. Here’s my interpretation of Antony Gormley’s ‘Angel of the North’ outside Gateshead UK!
What an incredible structure... 54m wingspan!
Huge thanks to the Riley’s for the commission. Xx
How incredible does Alonso’s 2005 car sound spanking it round Yas Marina.... awesome that he wasn’t nursing it round too!
I’m privileged that my good mate and long term sculpture partner @racinggold made me this lamp from a manifold from that very car. His usual lamps for Red Bull are 4 port from the Renault V8, this is only 5 port version! It’s party trick is that despite the red hot bulbs, the properties of inconel mean that immediately behind the bulb, it’s cold.
And yes, that’s a Sandtrooper wearing a decades worth of F1 passes, because why not 😜
And mini Alberto is on his plinth! No.1 is staying raw bronze finish too 😍 for my No.1 collector in Mexico City.
An edition of 50 that we will be casting at world leaders @pangolineditions through 2021.
And his 6ft tall big brother is almost complete too!
Really REALLY can’t wait to hit the ground running in 2021. I’m never one for wishing time away nor new year / new start etc.... as EVERY day brings new opportunities. But blimey... let’s just doooo this already!
Goooooood morning team. Deep into the last few days of getting the Christmas orders out the door.... let’s dooo this! 💥
Apologies for the relative radio silence! Just head down in the studio right now trying to keep up. Daily van runs with Christmas limited editions a real challenge to coordinate.... definitely not complaining. And many thanks!
I’ve been working on this huge Ali screen print too, came out cracking! Impossible to portray how much this sparkles in the flesh 🤷🏻♂️
Have a good day team! 💥
Early start at the foundry @pangolineditions .... golden boy 6ft Alberto nearing completion.
We’re flat out to get him finished in time for @autosport_international next year, and crossing everything that the show is able to happen!
Apologies for the incongruous neck ‘support’.... but he’s 300kg and can’t yet stand on his own 😜
New oil painting just finished!
Alonso’s screaming celebration of his first world title in 2005.
A painting I have been thinking about creating for about a decade, finally commissioned by my good friend and No.1 collector in Mexico.
4x3ft oil on board.
30 years ago today, Margaret Thatcher announced her resignation as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, after 11 years in office.
I can still remember exactly where I was when I heard the news... being 15 at the time, she was all I ever knew as PM.
Many of course were not sad about this at all, quite the opposite. But regardless of beliefs and political persuasion.... I can’t help but think she would have managed the challenges of 2020 just a little bit more assuredly.
Oil painting from my 2015 solo show with @imitatemodern in London ‘80s Kid’.
A few additions to my ‘Bottled it’ series are now complete and ready to hit my gallery partners through @wishbonepublishing this side of Christmas! In several formats, including mounted prints of any three.
Coming to a gallery near you!
Please email studio@pauloz.co.uk if you don’t know of one local to you and we can advise further.
#idontjustpaintf1