It is quite interesting to pay attention to just how many car artists took their first steps in the world of automotive art as a way of finding work, and indeed spent some years in the design sector of the car industry. Charles Maher is just one of many who was doing very little but struggle through college trying to shake off the feeling that what he was doing was not for him. His natural talent for fine art was spotted and filtered through an industrial design brief at Notre Dame (no less!).

Although the industrial design sector was not the absolute ideal setting for Charles’ creativity, it did allow him to take his natural talent and use it in his own favor – something which is often denied to talented artists. Having learned to drive at the age of just fourteen, it was possibly inevitable that he would take the direction of car art. Love becomes obsession after a while, after all.

It was after attending sports car races with a friend, though, that Charles Maher really knew what he wanted to do, and these days he is getting paid to do it. Among the paying commissions he has had are several Concours posters – perhaps the ultimate recognition of a car artist’s talent.