Tony Smith has always been fascinated by racing cars. His history and experience with motor vehicles helps him to capture the atmosphere, nostalgia and emotion of the race all in a single painting. Tony's father had been an artist, producing colorful decorations for paper maché trays, coal scuttles and ladies dressing table sets including mirrors and brushes. Tony on the other hand was a racing artist from an early age, which started by drawing sketches of cars at school.

After graduating from Moseley Art College, where he came top of the class, Tony got a job with an adverting agency. Tony began building his own special cars in his spare time, and soon got jobs working with car firms. All the time he was painting, capturing scene after scene of fast paced races.


His big break came in in the early 80's when publisher Keith Davies, from Brynmawr, in Wales, commissioned him to produce a series of Grand Prix paintings. This proved highly successful and was followed by a series of pen drawings of classic cars and race cars. Today Tony works from home in a studio not far from Shelsley Walsh hill climb, his pictures of such places as Le Mans and Monza finding their way all over the world.

© The Paint Box 2003