The Vintage Motorcycles and Apparel Retailer Teams Up with Local Artists to Help CASA.
Last Saturday, prominent Tampa Bay artists revved-up interest in a stylish new downtown retail space and donated their valuable time to raise funds for a more-than-worthy charitable organization.
The Tank Art Show gathered Bask, Tes One, Frank Strunk III, Chad Mize and six other artists (see Daniel Veintimilla’s photos below) to create amazing pieces of art on gas tanks at the new Grayspeed. The exhibit coincided with a vintage car show in the Grayspeed’s parking lot. Its cars and trucks from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s took us back to an era when automobiles were stylish and beautiful machines and didn’t all look alike.
Attendees also got to browse the shop, which combines contemporary decor with vintage 1960s sophistication. The exquisite Triumphs, Harleys and other bobbers and choppers — works ofæart unto themselves — took us back to the heyday of London mods and rockers.
Grayspeed sells parts and fashionable apparel as well as accessories. Retro bumper stickers, postcards, and other odds and ends in display cases brought a smile. During the art show portion of the evening, a silent auction benefited CASA, a local organization that helps to end domestic abuse.æLowbrow Customsæprovided the gas tanks.
“I want to build a space that creative people can build and grow,” said owner Grayspeed Jeff Lovelady.
The aesthetically minded presentation of Grayspeed’s bikes and merchandise displays, as well as the shop’s collaboration with the arts community, left us with a positive premonition of how influential art can be in attracting shoppers to brick-and-mortar retail spaces.
Detail of roof in a pickup truck in Grayspeed’s parking lot. Photo: Daniel Veintimilla’61 Pontiac on Grayspeed’s parking lot. Photo: Daniel Veintimilla’56 Chevy in Grayspeed cycles lot. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaDetail of Snowblind one of the Grayspeed’s custom motorcycles, this one is a ’59 Triumph built. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaU.S.A Flag and feel of the Grayspeed cycles at night. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaFrankie Bowman motorcycle tank art piece. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaTes One motorcycle tank art piece. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaRyan Cullen motorcycle tank art piece. He’s also a legit tattoo artist atæClassic Tattoos St. Pete Photo: Daniel VeintimillaSas Christian motorcycle tank art piece. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaBask motorcycle tank expressive art piece calledæäóìA man went looking for America, and couldnäó»t find it anywhereäó . Photo: Daniel VeintimillaFrank Strunk III double motorcycle tank heart. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaGrayspeed art based on logo by Chris Parks, aka Pale Horse. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaFrank Strunk III double motorcycle tank heart, different angle. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaChad Mize motorcycle tank art piece. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaMatt Smith’s motorcycle tank art piece came with some shag carpeting. A friend of Jeff Lovelady and fellow car club member, Smith is an “all-around fabricator.” Photo: Daniel VeintimillaColin Christian motorcycle tank art piece. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaPatrick Vassallo motorcycle tank art piece impressed. He was really helpful with bike and car knowledge, and so happy to be part of the show. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaSparkly gas tank paint job detail. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaSlick Harley’s parked in Graypeed’s store front. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaAmazing gas tank paint job on this Iron head Harley. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaRoad King’s Helmet. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaHarley Road King Amazing ride. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaDetail of “arrive alive” plate on a lowrider Pick-up truck. Photo: Daniel VeintimillaGrayspeed custom bikes store sign and logoæby Chris Parks, aka Pale Horse. late at night. Photo: Daniel Veintimilla
As the County’s Local Arts Agency, Creative Pinellas and the programs we deliver are funded by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, Visit St Petersburg / Clearwater, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts and by sales of the State of the Arts specialty license plate in Pinellas County.