The Signal from Santa Clarita, California • 35

Friday, August 25, 2006 ESCAPE 3 Vroom! Vroom! TO 5 Ant Slmow as CDirinL Wild to Chopper artists ride into the Queen Mary for weekend art show celebrating the American motorcycle. By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Escape Editor If you were "bom to be wild" then a trip to see Valencia artist Charlie Patton's "V-Twins, Chrome Creations: An American Motorcycle Art Review" show Saturday and Sunday at Long Beach's landmark Queen Mary may be your ticket to ride. The event will feature more than 200 original art works from Harley-Davidson licensed painters Scott Jacobs "and David Uhl, renown motorcycle photographers Michael Lichter and Sara Liberte, sculptor Jeff Decker of Utah's Hippodrome Studios, Los Angeles-based nation al metal artist Jason Mernick, French painter Fabrice Spies, and host artist Charlie Patton. "When I look at motorcycles, there's a rhythm to them that's like a musical note.

It's similar to an old muscle car, which have beautiful lines," Patton said. "Custom motorcycles have that same coolness. As popular as they are, I really felt the time was right to showcase the fine art side of motorcycle culture. That's why I'm so excited to have nationally recognized artists like Scott Jacobs, Michael Lichter, David Uhl, and Sara Liberte on board." Among the works Patton has created for the show are portraits of chopper icons Jesse James and Billy Lane. Patton's oil and linen paintings depict scenes familiar to any motorcycle enthusiast includ-, ing offering up the thrill of the open road in "Speed Limit 150," the sexy sidekick in "Long Beach Annie," or the machine's pure beauty in "Iron Jack." Echoing the look made famous by Gustav Klimt of "The Kiss," Patton uses a figurative style and some gold leaf touches to soften the hard edges of his subjects, while faux diamond plate, rustic metal frames, and bolts add an authentic hardcore vibe.

As the first Harley Davidson-licensed painter, Jacobs' motorcy- Valencia artist Charlie Patton at work in his studio. cle art has been featured in VQ Magazine, American Iron, Art Business News, Easy Rider Magazine, Airbrush Action Magazine and more. He is now an internally sought-after artist whose work is collected by celebrities such as Peter Fonda, Lorenzo Lamas, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, John EJway, and Karl Malone of the Lakers. Since the 1970s. Michael Lichter's photographs have become an indelible part of motorcycle culture.

Featured in everything from Easy riders to commercial assignments, such as American Iron horse and Perse Performance, across the globe, Lichter is also a familiar presence at Sturgis. In 2003, his work was compiled into a coffee table book "Sturgis. The Photography of Michael Lichter." as well as featured in Willy G. Davidson's 100th Anniversary Book of Harley Davidson. Sara Liberte is a professional photographer specializing in motorcycle and portrait photography whose photos have appeared in Easy Riders Magazine, In the Wind, and Iron Works.

After an inspirational 1993 "run" to Sturgis, David Uhl witnessed first-hand the unique style of Harley-Davidson enthusiasts, launching a career in creating offi-' cially licensed Harley-Davidson art work. His shirt designs soon became the top seller in the industry, many of hich can still be seen today on various Harley Davidson licensed products. To house the artwork, crowds, live music, and motorcycles, the Queen Man's 55.000 square foe, three-story boiler room prov ided an inspired kxatiun. said Patn tl kind of like the motorcycles themselves, hard and rusty, with a history all its own," he said. "V-Twins, Chrome Creations: An American Motorcycle An Review" will kick off 7 am midnight Saturday and 10 a.m.

6 p.m. Sunday. The event will feature live entertainment and custom cy cles on display. Entrance is free. For more information, visit www.cpattonart.com or call 702-1876.

Coumy CKwW Paaon "Iron Jack" is vibrant celebration of the motorcycle in bright red with a splash of orange..