The May 2010 issue of Hemmings Classic Car should be hitting newsstands as I type, and it will signify the last ‘Mk II’ old-style issues before the fresh, fully re-styled Classic Car ‘Mk III’ June issue appears. Among the changes inside the new design will be a combined “Art & Automobilia” spread that introduces readers not only to talented automotive artists, but to other collectible automobilia products that will enhance their enjoyment of this great hobby.
But we couldn’t let the beloved “Auto Art” spread go without a great final two-page artist profile.  It was with great pleasure that we welcomed transportation fine artist Stan Stokes into the magazine.
Stan Stokes in front of his Tuskegee Airmen mural at the Palm Springs Air Museum, where he's painted some of his impressive aviation and naval art.
Stan is no stranger to fans of naval and aviation art. He has created spectacular murals like the one in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library that shows every Air Force One variant through history, and his pieces featuring the USS George H. W. Bush hang in the George Bush Presidential Library.
A pilot himself from a young age, Stan’s close connections with the U.S. Air Force through his artwork have afforded him some spectacular flying experiences, like his ride in a Blue Angels jet. He’s also enjoyed some seat time in a P-51 Mustang.
But airplanes aren’t Stan’s only vehicular passions- he also enjoys vintage trains, and having grown up in Southern California in the 1950s and 1960s, he’s a car guy to the core. Below are a few examples of his land-based pieces.
"City Of San Francisco"
"George's"
"Yosemite Gas"
"Every Boy's Dream"
Don’t miss Stan’s “Auto Art” profile: Be sure to visit your local newsstand and pick up a copy of the May issue of Hemmings Classic Car.
Or better yet, subscribe!