U.S. Postal Service honors artist Tom Fritz with Forever stamp series

The Postal Service commissioned Tom Fritz to create five stamps for their Muscle Cars (Forever) stamp series.The stamps celebrate five automobiles: the 1966 Pontiac GTO, the 1967 Shelby GT-500, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, the 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda and the 1970 Chevelle SS.

The artwork will become part of the permanent collection at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.

“I’m honored, and it’s a little bit out of this world,” Fritz said as he sat in the basement studio of his Newbury Park home. “I was pleased with the outcome, and it’s something I’m proud of. I’m in pretty small company now, and to have the work in the museum ? that’s incredible, too.”

Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, for many years Fritz, 55, earned a living creating art and illustrations for defense firms and pursuing his passion for painting old automobiles on the side.

“Ever since I was a kid I’ve been involved with old machines, cars, bikes. If you look at my paintings, beyond the subject that is the car, there is a landscape or some sort of a composition that supports the subject,” he said.

In 2003, Fritz, who is married with two children, decided to focus full time on his passion for drawing and painting images reflecting the relationship between man and machine.

He found his first market in Michigan and the automotive industry, which commissioned work from him, and he was invited to join the Automotive Fine Arts Society. It grew from there, he said.

He exhibits his work at selected shows across the country and works on commission. His customers include Harley-Davidson Motor Co., the corporate offices of the AAA, General Motors, the Ford Motor Co. and auto enthusiasts worldwide.

Through the automotive arts society, he met Art Fitzpatrick who, with Van Kaufman, created landmark ads for Pontiac in the 1950s and ’60s.

“The muscle cars are part of the ?America On The Move’ stamp series, and Art Fitzpatrick did the first portion of that series that was called ? ’50s Fins and Chrome’ and another series of ? ’50s Sporty Cars,’ ” Fritz said.

“We were all at the AFAS meeting at Pebble Beach, and Art’s getting along in his years, and he just didn’t feel he had it in him to do another series. So the art director from the post office asked, ?Well, if you don’t want to do it, can you find another artist out there that can do it and would want to do it?’ Art looked around the room and said, ?I pick Tom Fritz,’ and I said, ?OK.’ ”

The biggest challenge was the fact that his oil paintings would be shrunk to an image about 1 inch big.

“When you’re looking at something that small, details don’t really matter,” Fritz said. “What grabs your eye is the colors and the composition, and so that’s what I strove for.”

“There’s an emotive quality to the muscle cars. They look like nothing else out there. People describe the look as menacing. They look angry, and when you start them up you can feel the engine pulsing, and it has a real visceral quality to it,” Fritz said.

“That quality has to come out in your painting, and I did it through my color choices, colors from the edge of the palette, more saturated and stronger, and in the composition, with a lot of angles, straight lines, that indicate speed.”

For more information about each stamp, visit https://www.facebook.com/TomFritzArt.

By Rachel Mcgrath – Ventura County Star

5 different designs are included in the America on the Move: Muscle Cars Forever series:

1966 Pontiac GTO

Initially offered simply as an option on the Tempest LeMans, the GTO became its own model in 1966. Available as a hardtop, coupe or convertible, the Pontiac GTO was equipped with a standard 335-horsepower V8 engine. The “Goat” could really move. In tests, it went from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.

1969 Dodge Charger Daytona

The production version of the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona was powered by a standard 440-cubic-inch, 375-horsepower Magnum engine. A limited number of Daytonas also were available with a 426-cubic-inch Hemi, a race-inspired engine Chrysler introduced earlier that decade. Chrysler first used a version of the Hemi – a high-performance engine with hemispherical combustion chambers – in automobiles in the 1950s.

In order to qualify for NASCAR racing, at least 500 Daytonas had to be made available for purchase. Only 503 were produced. The car, which underwent wind-tunnel testing before its release, took the checkered flag at its NASCAR debut in September 1969 at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega.

1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda

The 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda, was equipped with a 426-cubic-inch Hemi engine, producing a staggering 425-horsepower!
One of the 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda’s more audacious features was a Shaker hood scoop, which vibrated as air flowed through to the engine’s two four-barrel carburetors. It was available in a variety of eye-popping color choices, such as Lemon Twist, Lime Light and Vitamin C. The model also is a rare specimen, as fewer than 700 were produced.

1970 Chevelle SS

The 1970 Chevelle SS was known for its unique style and impressive engine options. SS stood for Super Sport, a fitting designation for this power car. Two versions of the 454 engine were available: the 360-horsepower LS-5 and the 450-horsepower LS-6. For its sheer power, the latter has become legendary among car buffs. . Available as a coupe or a convertible, it featured a black grille and SS emblems on both the grille and the rear bumper. With features like optional twin racing stripes, the 1970 Chevelle SS looked fierce.

1967 Shelby GT-500

The 1967 Shelby GT-500 was powered by a 428-cubic-inch, 355-horsepower Police Interceptor engine. The car was both striking and rare; only 2,048 were built. In 2007, Ford reintroduced the Shelby GT-500 into the Mustang model lineup.