David Uhl

David Uhl is an American artist who specializes in oil paintings of vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles and is known for his ''Women of Harley-Davidson'' collection.Huze, Cyril
"The Secret Life of David Uhl."
Cyril Huze Post. May 25, 2011"Sexy Girls and David Uhl's Classic Motorcycle Pin-Up Art"
American Iron Magazine. May 29, 2014

Career

David Uhl was born in Toledo, Ohio, on September 20, 1961, and was raised in Luna Pier, Michigan, where he was one of seven children.Layman Roman, Maryangela
"Harley Artist, God Ride Together"
Catholic Herald. Aug. 22, 2013 He attended high school at St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy in Toledo. When Uhl was in high school, he planned to become a marine biologist. During classes, he had a habit of creating images with his ballpoint pen while taking notes. Eventually, he started selling his pictures to his classmates. In 1979, Uhl applied for and received the only full-ride scholarship offered to a high school senior in the United States to the Colorado Institute of Art (CIA). Uhl left the institute before completing his studies and became a freelance illustrator. His clients included Coca-Cola, Apple, IBM, Federal Express, and Time magazine. He and Danial James Stuckenschneider founded Uhl Studios LLC in 1989."About Danial"
Uhl Studios website

Uhl's artistic focus started to shift after he purchased his first motorcycle in 1988 and was exposed to the culture of motorcycle enthusiasts during a ride to The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota."About David"
Uhl Studios website
Quickthrottle.com. Dec. 2010 While attending a dealer meeting in Boston, Uhl presented Harley officials with an image of the Harley Motors symbol superimposed on Mount Rushmore. As a result, Uhl landed an account creating images for Harley T-shirts in 1993. He became Harley-Davidson's first licensed oil painter in 1998.Fliby, Julie
"'Norman Rockwell of Harley-Davidson' paints for Pope"
Catholic News Agency. Aug. 17, 2013

Uhl has become known for using black and white photos from the Harley-Davidson photo archive to create painted images of the company's motorcycles with accurate colors and mechanical details. In 2013, he was commissioned by both Harley-Davidson and the Vatican to create paintings commemorating Harley-Davidson's 110th anniversary celebration in Rome.Cravy, Katrina
"Artist commissioned by Harley, Vatican to paint 110th piece"
Fox 6 Now. Aug. 30, 2013 Uhl presented the piece ''Chance Encounter'' to Pope Francis and the Vatican during a private meeting. The painting depicts a group of clergy noticing a 1948 Harley-Davidson FL panhead while walking in St. Peter's Square and is now part of the Vatican's art collection. The image is also sold as a commemorative postcard with a Pope Francis stamp. The Vatican Post Office designed a mark for the postcard based on Uhl's painting.Mitchell, David
"Colorado artist's motorcycle paintings are world famous"
Fox 31 Denver. Aug. 30, 2013

By 2013, Uhl had painted between 400 and 500 images depicting Harley-Davidson motorcycles.Lawrence, Larry
"The Harley Painter."
Cycle News. Mar. 12, 2013 He has been described as the " Norman Rockwell of Harley-Davidson artists" by Charles Osgood of CBS Sunday Morning.

Collectors of Uhl's work include Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler and former Tonight Show host Jay Leno. In 2013, Uhl created a painting of Tyler riding through a crowd of paparazzi on a motorcycle. ''The Reckoning'' was made available as a limited-edition print to benefit DonorsChoose, an online charity that connects the requests of teachers in high-need communities with donors who want to help.

Uhl also has created archival paintings for Shelby American and has done work on the history of wine making in Napa Valley, California. He was selected in 2011 to design the program cover for the 100th running of the Indy 500 on May 29, 2011.Moss, Greg
"Colorado man honored as Indy 500 artist"
9 News KUSA-TV. May 2, 2011 His painting was inspired by a 1911 photo of the car race.Leach, Gordy
"Gordy's Garage: Indy 500 Art"
CBS Minnesota. Apr. 12, 2011

Exhibits and collections

Uhl launched his ''Women of Harley-Davidson'' collection in 1998 and adds a new painting every two years. His latest addition, ''Jessi'', inspired by women who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, was released in 2014.Anderson, Tim
"David Uhl's Latest, ‘Jessi,’ A Colorado Project"
Southwest Scooter News. Jan. 29, 2014

Uhl's artwork is displayed at Doubletake Gallery in Burnsville, Minnesota, and at David Uhl Studio in Golden, Colorado."Artist's Biography – David Uhl"
Doubletake Gallery
Vintage Allies. Apr. 29, 2011

His work has been in exhibits at the Marietta/Cobb Museum in Marietta, Georgia; Shelby American Museum in Boulder, Colorado; Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania;Sholly, Chris
"Indian motorcycle exhibit to open
at AACA Museum in Hershey" Lebanon Daily News. Mar. 26, 2014 The Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, North Carolina; Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana;Patterson, Doug
"David Uhl's ‘In The Beginning"
OpenPaddock.net. Apr. 23, 2011 Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado; National WASP Museum, Sweetwater, Texas; Legends Vintage Motorcycle Museum, Springville, Utah; National Motorcycle Museum, Anamosa, Iowa; Sturgis Motorcycle Museum, Sturgis, South Dakota;Schmitt, Genevieve
"Editor's Blog: Motorcycling Sidenotes, Week of January 23, 2012, Women and motorcycling history immortalized,"
Women Riders Now. Jan. 23, 2012 Chandler Vintage Museum of Transportation and Wildlife, Oxnard, California; and American Motorcycle Association Hall of Fame Museum, Pickerington, Ohio.

Personal life

Uhl lives and works in Golden, Colorado, and is married to Elizabeth Uhl. They have two children, Isabella and Sterling.

Paintings

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uhl, David
Living people
Artists from Toledo, Ohio
Motorcycling mass media people
20th-century American painters
People from Golden, Colorado
1961 births
People from Monroe County, Michigan
21st-century American painters