Chiswick Painter to Feature at Sydney Concours d'Elegance
Simon Cavelle made artist-in-residence to classic car exhibition
Painting of the yellow Porsche once owned and raced by New Zealand motorsport legend Jim Richards. Picture: Simon Cavelle
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February 3, 2026
Chiswick-based artist Simon Cavelle has been appointed the first ever Artist-in-Residence for the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance. It is a major coup for painter whose work particular on classic and sports cars has earned him international recognition.
Mr Cavelle, who has spent more than three decades producing finely detailed paintings of classic and high-performance cars, will travel to Australia for the 2026 edition of the Concours, which is a judged exhibition of rare, historically significant or exceptionally well-presented cars.
His appointment reflects the event’s growing emphasis on the crossover between automotive design, craftsmanship and fine art.
During his residency, Mr Cavelle will exhibit a new painting of the yellow Porsche 993 RS CS once owned and raced by New Zealand motorsport legend Jim Richards, who drove the car to victory in the 1999 Australian GTP Championship. In addition, the winner of Best in Show will receive a bespoke Cavelle commission of their car.
Mr Cavelle’s work is known for its meticulous technique and narrative detail. Through his company Pavilion Art, he produces several distinct series including the “Profile” series, which presents cars as fine-art subjects, stripped back to their pure form, “Garage Art”, bespoke commissions that tell the story of a specific vehicle — from race history and engine numbers to design quirks and personal anecdotes and “Icons”, a collection focused on automotive emblems, using ageing and texturing techniques to give marque badges a sculptural, timeworn quality.
His paintings are held by collectors in the UK and abroad, and his reputation extends beyond the automotive world. One of Mr Cavelle’s most distinctive non-automotive projects was his commission for Strawberry Hill House, Horace Walpole’s Gothic Revival villa in Twickenham. The historic house invited him to create artwork capturing its architecture and atmosphere, including a Christmas card design and interior studies.
Organisers say the collaboration underscores the Concours’ commitment to celebrating not only the engineering of classic automobiles but also the cultural and aesthetic stories behind them.
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