There are few people who can draw, or paint, a bike well. Greg Curnoe, a Canadian artist who was also a keen cyclist, was able to do just that. The photograph below was taken by Greg in his studio. Leaning against the bikes hanging from the wall, is a serigraph on plexiglass of a Mariposa bicycle made for Greg by my father in the 70’s. Greg made ten serigraphs of the bike  and one hung in my Dad’s shop for years (it now hangs in their living room). As a young boy it drew my attention for its colour and simple, clean lines. The simple beauty perfectly captures cycling and the efficiency of the bike. The photo below hangs in our apartment in Girona, Spain, along with a Curnoe print of another Mariposa. I love the photo as it somehow captures cycling and tells a wonderful story: the used tubulars, the track bike, the city bike, the racing bike, the spare wheels, the pump and the box of parts.

For more on Greg Curnoe: http://bicyclespecialties.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

And: http://twoseriousbikes.blogspot.com/2010/02/mariposa-bicycles-job-worth-doing.html

Michael

Michael Barry is a former professional cyclist, three-time Olympian, multiple Canadian National Champion, author of four books and is now an owner of Mariposa Bicycles.

One thought on “Greg Curnoe”

  1. That explains it, I just read in Wikipedia that your dad made Mariposa’s, Greg loved his Mariposa’s, that’s so cool.
    keep writing please, I just read your “cutting the grass in the peloton” post, great stuff.
    Mike Hensen

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