Get to Know 2023 PVGP Poster Artist Tavis Coburn
June 25, 2023 – Canadian artist Tavis Coburn returns to create his second Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix poster. He previously created our spectacular 2016 poster featuring a white E-Type Jaguar.
The striking poster depicts a red 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta racing on the track with a 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 FIA Roadster in hot pursuit, the way they would have raced each other 60 years ago. The Ford vs Ferrari theme mirrors the fact that the PVGP is honoring both Ferrari as the Marque of the Year and hosting the Shelby Convention this summer.
In his own words Tavis describes his inspiration “First and foremost, I was extremely honored and excited to be asked to create another poster for this year’s event. My first step with any motorsport art is to try and compose the most dynamic scene I can as I look at the group of cars I have to play with. The lines of the Ferrari screamed at me to compose the cars on a bit of a curve that matched the sweeping lines of the Ferrari with contrasting muscle-bound lines of the Shelby. A slight tilt of the viewer’s perspective helped ramp up the action as well.”
Tavis Coburn graduated from California’s prestigious Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Illustration. Since then, Tavis has created countless works for leading publishing, advertising, music companies in North America and Europe.
Tavis loves illustrating cars and has had the opportunity to create art for the Virgin-Marussia Formula One team, Toyota, Volvo, and Mercedes Benz. Over the years Tavis’ work has garnered many accolades, including top honors from The Society of Publication Designers, the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Society of Publication Designers, and the Art Directors Club of New York.