THE ART OF TRAVEL

"Little Venice" ©Jay Koka

Little Venice

Title: "Little Venice" by Jay Koka, © 2024
20”w x 24” (50x60cm), acrylic on canvas, with the studio

This new original work features the barques of "Little Venice" in Comar, France. Ever on the lookout for the next painting, Jay Koka came across this wonderful location on a recent visit to the town. Known for its network of canals and bridge, medieval Comar is located near the border with Germany. The waterways are filled with half-timbered houses in pastel colors while the town center features cobblestones and traditional architecture. Not published.

"Longtails in Phuket" ©Jay Koka

Longtails in Phuket

by Jay Koka, © 2021
44”w x 34”, acrylic on canvas, Artist Collection

A 2017 trip to the Thai peninsula resulted in first, the 2018 painting "Welcome to Patong Beach" and now "Longtails in Phuket".
The magnificent beach and nearby dock is crowded with these boats called "long-tails". Named because of the exceptionally long drive shaft leading to the prop...as much as 2 meters or more...creating the appearance of a "tail" while in motion. The engine (with prop shaft) can be rotated 180 degrees as shown in this work to store the assembly while docked.
This wide arc of motion also makes them exceptionally maneuverable. The engines are mainly secondhand car and truck engines making purchase and ongoing maintenance economical. Hugely popular, they are not however unique to Thailand, seen throughout Southeast Asia.

"On The Nile" ©Jay Koka

On The Nile

by Jay Koka, © 2021
44”w x 34”, acrylic on canvas, Artist Collection

A long trip to Egypt that included 6 days on a boat from Aswan to Luxor created an intimate experience of the Nile River. Described as the heart and soul of Egypt, it flows through the country's center with magnificent ancient monuments on each river bank.
The gift of the Nile is its rich soil and each bank is devoted to agriculture... but the desert, especially the edge of the Sahara... is never far from the river's edge and almost always in view.
The painting captures the warmth and languid feel of a relaxing afternoon as you float down the river.

"Evening at Place des Vosges" ©Jay Koka

Evening at Place des Vosges

by Jay Koka, © 2020
44”w x 34”, acrylic on canvas, Private Collection

Koka: Our annual February trip to participate in the Retromobile Show in Paris with our ArtistAuto colleagues has provided an endless series of locations for new works. It's no secret that historic Paris is a wonderful city, most certainly one of the most beautiful in the world. This has presented many settings for equally historic or "significant" vehicles. My work has become as known for this attention to the setting, mood and background as much as the vehicle featured in the painting. Sometimes internationally recognized sites like the Eiffel Tower in Pres de Champ de Mars and the turning circle in Place de la Concorde are featured in my work.
Place des Vosges is the oldest square in Paris. Initiated by King Henri IV in 1604, it was inaugurated in 1612 as the "Place Royale". Napoleon changed the name to that current in 1800. Many famous Frenchman have called it home including Cardinal Richelieu and Victor Hugo. Hugo lived there 1615 to 1627 and wrote most of "Les Miserables" while there.
The Place des Vosges is located in the historical Marais district in the 3rd arrondissement near the Place de la Bastille.

"Place de la Concorde" ©Jay Koka

Place de la Concorde

by Jay Koka, © 2019
44”w x 34”, (110x85cm) acrylic on canvas, private collection

A return to Paris to exhibit in the 2019 RetroMobile show presented the opportunity and inspiration for this work. Like "Pres de Champ de Mars" and "Bourdonnais et Rapp" this latest work resulted from a trip into the heart of the city immediately following the close of the show.
I had the opportunity to drive the Place de la Concorde turning circle on my way to the Fedex office and was taken by the wonderful fountains - in between dodging vehicles front and back and each side. Those who have driven the circle will fully appreciate this comment and then wonder how I could have taken a whole series of pictures (which I did) without stopping!
Of course the fountains were off and there were very few people since it was an early morning in February but I wanted a more spring-summer setting for the painting so that I could display the fountains in their full glory. (There are two, the second is at the far right.)
So this painting is my commemoration of a swift and memorable drive around this most famous traffic circle.
Contemplating a vehicle for the painting, the "Tour de France" immediately came to mind and the Patterson Collection's pristine 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France fit perfectly and also somewhat appropriately for the background.
It's certainly in the right neighborhood.

"Bourdonnais et Rapp" ©Jay Koka

Bourdonnais et Rapp

by Jay Koka, © 2019
44”w x 34”, (110x85cm) acrylic on canvas, private collection

Cathy's and my walk on a beautiful sunny February morning in 2018 in the Champ de Mars area of Paris has been exceptionally fruitful in providing inspiration for new works. (The park is named after the Campus Martius (Mars Field) in Rome, a tribute to the Latin name of the Roman God of war.)
First "Pres de Champ de Mars" ("Near the Champ de Mars") featured a wonderful cul de sac that ends at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. And now, just a few blocks up the Avenue de la Bourdonnais is the latest work "Bourdonnais et Rapp" which features a typical Paris cafe/bistro located on Avenue de la Bourdonnais at the intersection with Avenue Rapp.
Don't bother looking for yourself if you happened to be at the cafe that morning: all of the patrons are "made up" (except for the waiters) and tables have been moved around to suit the painting. The cafe is called Le Champ de Mars, a natural painting title but when contemplating a name for the new work, I decided the painting needed its own name apart from the cafe.
The magnificent 1938 Delahaye 135MS Teardrop Coupe is parked in the "LIVRAISON" zone, and, like the patrons has probably never been there... but... it is at home where it belongs: in front of a cafe in Paris, France. The elegant and sensuous Figoni and Falaschi body mirrors the architecture of the cafe and the neighborhood. It just looks right. The 44x34" (110x85cm) acrylic on canvas was a major new work premiered at the 2019 Retromobile Show in Paris. The original painting is in a private collection.

"At the Darwaza Gate" ©Jay Koka

At the Darwaza Gate

by Jay Koka, © 2018
48”w x 32”, (110x57cm) acrylic on canvas

The 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance featured a special exhibit of "Maharaja" cars from India. I saw the Star of India there and thought that such a beautiful car should warrant a painting of some sort but I wasn't sure at the time what it could be. Fast forward to 2017 and Cathy and I are on another of our Asian voyages and find ourselves in Agra, India on the grounds of an area commonly referred to as the Taj Mahal. To say it is beautiful is an understatement of epic proportions. It is the equal of "The Great Pyramid" and "Machu Picchu" in every sense of the word, both of which I have been privileged to experience in person. The "Taj" is perhaps the most beautiful building I have ever seen. An odd thought when one considers that it is a mausoleum.
I am always on the hunt for settings for future paintings. As I absorbed the "Taj" grounds, I knew there was a painting here, just not how it would work out. I thought the last thing the world needs is another rendition of the Taj Mahal and I also thought that a car adjacent to the "Taj" itself would be at best strange… and at worst, culturally insensitive.
You can't see the "Taj" even once inside the main entry gates of the 42 acre grounds. You approach along a lengthy corridor of red sandstone buildings culminating in a ninety degree right turn to face the wonderful Darwaza Gate. As you approach the building, you see the spot at which the "Taj" will appear. You then walk through that portal from darkness to brilliant sunlight and there's the "Taj"…but it takes a moment to resolve itself. Every step is a brilliantly designed and executed drama.I was reviewing my onsite photos of the Taj Mahal in late 2017 and tried a number of drawings with the "Star" and the "Taj" itself. They all seemed contrived and ordinary. And then I stumbled on the idea of the Darwaza Gate…. and the rest of the story is in the painting.
This is the most complicated and most researched painting I have ever completed. I don't think anything in the painting has every actually met anything else. Of course, the scene depicted in the painting is entirely invented. I wanted to capture not just the famous car and iconic buildings but also to present a look at the rich culture of India.
The Star of India is now back in India in the hands of Maharaja Mandhatasinh Jadeja, grandson of the Maharaja of Rajkot, the original commissioner of the magnificent 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II. The car represents a vital element in the automotive history of India with iconic names such as the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and Queen Elizabeth of England being some of the most celebrated individuals having taken a ride in this special car.
Finally, it took 22,000 craftsmen 22 years to create this architectural masterpiece. It only feels like it took 22 years to complete the painting.

"Welcome to Patong Beach" ©Jay Koka

Welcome to Patong Beach

by Jay Koka, © 2018
44”w x 56”, (110x140cm) acrylic on canvas, private collection

The bay at Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand may well be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It certainly looked like it when we arrived at the dock by boat one morning in 2017. The bay boasts pristine azure waters and a magnificent sweeping arc of a sand beach stretching in both directions as far as the eye can see.
As always, I'm on the lookout for interesting and unique backgrounds for future paintings. And after a pleasant walk up the beach road, Patong Beach didn't disappoint. The intersection of Thawewong Rd (the beach road) and Thanon Banga features an improbable yet remarkable and audacious welcome sign that I just couldn't resist. Thanon Banga is a one way street that is closed off to traffic at night and that's a good thing because I haven't been anywhere in the world that has more bars and nightclubs per foot than this party street.
But at 11 in the morning, all is quiet and laid back. Taking advantage of a lull in traffic and an empty road, a McLaren 720S makes its way up party central avenue… A very large but finely detailed and rendered acrylic on canvas original. Premiered at the AFAS Exhibition at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the original painting is in a private collection.

"Pres de Champ de Mars" ©Jay Koka

Pres de Champ de Mars

by Jay Koka, © 2018
44”w x 34”, (110x85cm) acrylic on canvas, private collection

The iconic Eiffel Tower is located on the Champ de Mars in the 7th Arrondissement of Paris France. I was in Paris early in February of 2018 exhibiting my work at the RetroMobile show with the European Artist Auto group. The RetroMobile show at the Paris Expo facility in the Port de Versailles area is a long 6 indoor days so on completion, Cathy and I were thrilled to get out and have a good walk before our flight home.
Fortunately the Champs de Mars is a short tram ride from our hotel and once there we were treated to a gorgeous sunny day, some excellent coffee and the prerequisite patisserie. I am forever on the prowl for painting settings no matter where I am. And this sunny morning was no different as we strolled down the Avenue de la Bourdonnais and came upon the Rue de l'Universite intersection. The base of the tower framed by the buildings on this gracious cul-de-sac was irresistible.
A Ferrari 275GTB/4 rounds the corner…on its way home?
A very finely detailed and rendered acrylic on canvas original.

"Around the Corner" ©Jay Koka

Around the Corner

by Jay Koka, © 2016
60”w x 36”, acrylic on canvas, Private Collection

‘Old Propaganda Posters’ is an immensly successful travel art example based on an old Chinese quarter setting in Hanoi. The completely modern LaFerrari turns into an intersection in a incongruously old and cluttered setting.
"Around The Corner" is a followup to the 2015 work. The title isn't a play on words... the setting really is "around the corner" from the previous painting.
This time, an F12 gingerly winds its way into an intersection cluttered with cars, scooters and pedestrians. The setting is actually "enhanced" to get across the idea of clutter and activity. Close examination reveals a representation of the inconceivable number of scooters and mopeds that ply the streets of Hanoi.

"Breathless in Shanghai" ©Jay Koka

Breathless in Shanghai

by Jay Koka, © 2016
60”w x 44”, acrylic on canvas, Private Collection

Jay Koka: "I saw a photo of a billboard in Shanghai about six or seven years ago and sort of filed it in my mind and my "ideas" folder. I found that there was something really captivating about the model. She is obviously quite beautiful but sort of in your face with attitude at the same time. A look I couldn't resist…
Half a decade later I finally got around to doing the painting and having no idea whatsoever about the Mandarin text on the billboard I proceeded to develop my own. The core of the idea…the concept of the painting is that she, her spectacular emerald jewellery and the Ferrari 488GTB will leave you "breathless".
I had almost completed the painting with the word "breathless" in white characters as the major message of the billboard. I have an advertising background and for some strange reason one day the thought occurred to me that the word may be wrong… right word but wrong meaning in that context in another language and culture. A mistake that has been made by many advertisers over the years.
I contacted a Madarin speaking aquaintance and, sure enough, I had the wrong word. This was a major calamity because it was right in the middle of the painting occupying a large area that was going to be a major problem to change. It took five days to remove the paint from the area and another three to repaint the area with the correct word.
The new word is, loosly translated, "Wow". Actually it means "Ye" in Mandarin which would be the exclamation made by someone in Shangahi under the circumstances. The small text at the bottom? I think most people can figure out what that says.
This is an exceptionally striking painting. Not just because of its large 60x44" (150x110cm) size, but its content and color make it impossible to ignore on a wall. A long time in the making, I am very happy with the result."

"Seven Tuks in Bangkok" ©Jay Koka

Seven Tuks in Bangkok

by Jay Koka, © 2015
44”w x 34”, acrylic on canvas, artist collection

TUK-TUK: wikipedia: "An auto rickshaw, also known as a three-wheeler, samosa, tempo, tuk-tuk (in Thailand), trishaw, autorick, bajaj (in India), keke Napep or Maruwa (in Nigeria), rick, tricycle, mototaxi, baby taxi, lapa or tukxi (Piaggio Ape Calessino) in popular parlance, is a common form of public transportation in many countries ..."
"I've seen Tuk-Tuks in countless countries and, I have to confess, I would love to own one." says Jay Koka, "I am however concerned that it would be a real roll of the dice to walk away from a collision with anything but the tiniest cars where I live." (They are called Tuk-Tuks in Bangkok because of the sound of their engine.)
"Like everyone else, I thought that Tuks are all the same... as cool as they are, they are really nothing more than overgrown 3-wheel motorcycles. Bangkok is home to an astonishing number of them, more than anywhere else I've been and it's when you see them in a group, standing still, that you start to have an appreciation for how different they truly are from one another."
"In big tropical cities like Bangkok, they are the ubiquitous Taxi. But closer examination like that required while doing this painting has shown me that first they are very different from each other and second that they perform an immense number of jobs. For example, in the painting there are a number of Taxi's but there are also a couple of "freight" Tuks, sort of like small transport trucks that carry everything that can possibly be strapped, balance or wedged into their somewhat limited space. The 3rd and 7th from the left are "transport-Tuks"."
Another discovery was just how individually unique they are." continues Koka, "Take the first Tuk on the left. This is obviously a high-end machine. Note the pin-striping and the chrome trim not to mention the positively luxurious interior...and not just for the passengers... but the driver too. But that's only the beginning. Like motoring enthusiast the world over owners customize and personalize their Tuk in an effort to make it "their own"."
Concludes Koka, "I came across this group of Tuks in Bangkok at what could best be described as a "tuk- stop", a watering hole for the locals."

"Old Propaganda Posters" ©Jay Koka

Old Propaganda Posters

by Jay Koka, © 2015
60”w x 44”, acrylic on canvas, Private Collection

“ ‘Old Propaganda Posters’ is an amalgam of Saigon and Hanoi recently visited by Cathy, my wife, and me.” says Jay Koka, “We were walking in the old Chinese quarter when I rounded a corner and saw the sign: 'Old Propaganda Posters'. It literally stopped me dead in my tracks… I knew there was a painting here but how do I construct it? The idea was formed and crystalized a few minutes later when a Gallardo rounded a nearby corner.”
“I love paintings that present great contrasts and perhaps even clashing forgrounds and backgrounds. The old quarter with its cluttered art shops, flower sellers and purveyors of just about everything has a feeling of age, perhaps even pleasantly decayed. Contrast this with the the very newest and the very latest… which the Ferrari LaFerrari most certainly is.”
“It took a very large painting, 60 inches wide by 44 inches to be able to capture the level of detail that I felt the painting needed to communicate this foreground-background contrast.” continues Koka, “I am really pleased by the detail depth and wide range of colors in the background... and the LaFerrari is no slouch either. I was looking for a very delicate balance of the car in motion but just barely… I wanted to show every aspect of this awesome car.”
“I find world travel invigorating for my soul and of immense influence on my art. Direct personal experience of a location is invaluable in interpreting and transferring the scene to the canvas. I know it sounds corny, but all places have a very unique feel that I endeavor to get across in the work.”

"Calao" ©Jay Koka

Calao

by Jay Koka, © 2014
48”w x 30”, acrylic on canvas, Private Collection
Jay Koka: “Cathy and I went on a long ocean trip to South America in the spring of 2014. Five countries, 4,800 miles and one week on the ground in Peru took us to a fabulous range of cultures and both mundane and exotic locations (yes, we went to Macchu Picchu). We visited a large number of seaports and I very quickly became enamored with the gigantic container cranes. Gigantic does not do them justice... you actually have to stand underneath one of these incredible machines to fully appreciate their scale.
Calao is the seaport for Lima, Peru. Since we had already spent a full week in Peru, we decided to stay on the ship while it was in port in Calao. As such, I had the opportunity to walk around and, much to the concern and displeasure of the port security people, very thoroughly inspect and photograph every detail of the cranes. I can only imagine what it looked like when I took my huge number of reference photos at every angle imagineable.
The cranes at Calao are manufactured by “ZPMC” Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, the largest manufacturer of port equipment in the world. The Calao cranes are actually all blue. This concerned me because I was already thinking about my painting and was distressed that the machinery, which is very complex and interesting, would end up looking like a “wall of blue”. The answer, the solution, came a week later in the port of Cartagena, Columbia where I saw a few cranes at some distance with these diagonal stripes, no doubt in place to warn traffic of the machines.
The 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4 Scaglietti NART Spyder I photographed in 2013 at the Pebble Beach Concours was selected because, aside from being a drop dead beautiful car, it is more or less the same color as the crane. While I did not want the crane to be a “wall of blue”, I also did not want to place a color in front of the crane that would become too much the focus of the painting.
I am immensely pleased with the outcome of this techincally challenging painting. Although that Ferrari probably never came anywhere near that port, somehow the car and the crane live well together.”

"Directions in Cartagena" ©Jay Koka

Directions in Cartagena

by Jay Koka, © 2014
48”w x 36”, acrylic on canvas, private collection

"The range of cities in South America is astonishing. From the modernity of Santiago Chile and of 10-million-person Lima Peru to tiny, historic Urubamba, the bounce from today to hundreds of years in the past can be disarming. But one thing is evident from country to country: a great care and respect for the past that we in North America seem to have lost. The quality of care and restoration of "old" or "center" parts of cities varies but I would place the walled city in Cartagena, Columbia at the top of the list.
Although still a work in progress, many spots in the old city are simply, irresistably beautiful. Plaza Santo Domingo is one of these special spaces and no less for featuring Fernando Botero's definitive work "Gertrude". Unfortunately we approached her through a sidestreet from the rear so we didn't really get that "oh wow" moment until rounding the statute. It is perhaps one of Botero's best know works exploring figures in both two and three dimensions with large, exagerated volumes.
I knew there was a painting in this setting almost immediately. But selecting the right vehicle would be crucial to the success of the work. I wanted something that would compliment Gertrude's voluptous curves but not something so outrageous that it would battle the work of art for attention. I wanted the painting to be about two works of art, each a masterpiece in its own right.
I had admired a 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster at the 2013 Pebble Beach Tour as well as on the Concours field itself. Not a wasted line, not an unecessary line anywhere… the Roadster has all the beauty and design integrity that made the 30's such a Golden Age for automotive design. The fact that it is black just made my decision that much easier."