Motorcycle race through the heath

by Sidney van den Boogaard

Three motorcycle racers charge along a sandy road through purple heather, knees out, numbers 7, 12 and 4 close together. Between the birches and hay bales the crowd stands in their Sunday best. This work is a tribute to the early motorcycle races in Drenthe, in the north of the Netherlands, when riders still raced on ordinary roads between the heathland and the whole region turned out to watch. Purple, ochre and soft green give the work a typically Dutch late-summer feel. A special gift for anyone who loves motorcycles, the Dutch countryside or both.

This work is part of the Golden Racing Years series: ten painterly scenes from the days of leather helmets, roaring engines and crowds lining the track. All the works share the same warm, muted colours and loose brushwork, so they combine easily as a pair, a triptych or a full gallery wall.

The work was created digitally, based on my own concept, composition and colour choices. I then finished it myself: removed badges and logos, refined the crop and added a fine grain and a print-ready colour profile. The cars, drivers and places are fictional and do not refer to real people or brands.

A lovely gift for anyone who smiles at the sound of an old engine: for the study, the garage or above the desk.