New Sam Bass book tells story behind art

If you know anything about the artwork of Sam Bass, you know that each composition is much more than just a montage of images. There is a story behind every Sam Bass masterpiece. A tale of why each illustration was created and exactly what the artist is conveying through the strokes of his brush.

"The NASCAR Art of Sam Bass," a new book from David Bull Publishing, goes behind the scenes with motor racing's most celebrated artist to give fans an insider's look into the mindset that spawned some of his most compelling compositions.

"The NASCAR Art of Sam Bass" was co-written by Bass himself and noted author Brad Bowling. It is Bass' story, told in his own words. This is the only publication to chronicle the career of the first artist officially licensed by NASCAR.

"When fans come into our gallery, I am forever telling them stories behind each piece of art," said Bass. "So, this book is a way of giving the fans a look at some of my favorite pieces and familiarizing them with the stories behind them. This is something we've talked about doing for three or four years now. In the beginning, I wasn't sure that I had reached a point in my career that I wanted to put my artwork in a book and summarize my career to that point. But I got so much encouragement from fans and collectors and so many requests for a book that it seemed the time was right."

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The book is punctuated with dozens of full color images of many of Bass' most popular works, accompanied by an in depth commentary of each. Featured drivers include Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Allison, Jeff Gordon, Rusty Wallace, Richard Petty, Tony Stewart, Harry Gant, Terry and Bobby Labonte, and many more. It not only chronicles his original paintings and limited edition prints, but also other collectibles he has designed, such as trading cards, tins, guitars and program covers.

Bass has amassed the most expansive portfolio in motorsports art, so choosing the pieces to showcase in "The NASCAR Art of Sam Bass" was quite a challenge.

"I've done a lot of artwork over the past 20 years," said Bass. "It was tough to choose from 400-500 paintings. So I picked pieces that were very meaningful and career-defining to me. I began with the piece that got it all started for me, a painting I did of Bobby Allison and took to Talladega in 1981. That artwork opened up a lot of doors in the garage area for me. I remember coming back from Talladega with commissions for three artworks and thinking, 'Wow, this is so cool.' That really got me thinking that I'd love to make a career of this."

A foreword by H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, sets the stage for the publication-outlining Bass' expansive influence throughout the depth and breadth of the racing world.

As Wheeler so poignantly stated, "the pope needed Michelangelo, and we (NASCAR) needed Sam."

Bass' own introduction to the book covers the early days of his career, an overview of his techniques, the importance of licensing in the NASCAR collectibles market and a compelling anecdote about the foundation of his longstanding relationship with The Intimidator himself, Dale Earnhardt.

"Perhaps the most pivotal point in my career was when I did a painting of Dale's Wrangler car in 1985," Bass recalled. "I was only 24 years old and didn't really know Dale or Teresa that well. I showed the piece to them for the first time in the infield at Richmond in February of '85. The conversation that day--their reaction to my work--began a really strong friendship and working relationship with the Earnhardt family that continues to this day. It was a moment that truly changed my life."

"The NASCAR Art of Sam Bass" is offered in two editions, both in an easy-to-view, easy-to-read 9" x 11" coffee table format. The soft cover edition contains 160 pages and nearly 90 full color illustrations-many of them close-ups.

The hardbound "Publisher's Edition" is limited to only 312 books, with each signed and numbered by the author. This very special collectible features 190 pages and more than 90 full color illustrations. Included are many never-before-published works from Sam's personal portfolio.

The softcover edition of The NASCAR Art of Sam Bass is now available at the NASCAR.com Store. As an added bonus, the first 100 sold via our on line collectibles mart will be personally autographed by the artist himself.