Over forty unique helmets hand-crafted by airbrush artist Mark ‘Brownie’ Brown will be on display at this year’s Sydney Motorcycle Show, November 24-26.
The collection is part of a showcase of four local artists and will be a first for the show.
Event organiser Troy Bayliss acknowledged the art showcase presented a rare opportunity for visitors to the show to view the incredible artwork up close.
“Most of the helmets that will feature in the exhibition are rarely seen outside of a rider’s personal collections these days,” Bayliss explained.
“To have so many together and on display is unheard of, and is an opportunity not to be missed.”
Visitors to the show will get a rare, up close look at all of Toby Price’s custom helmets including the one he wore when he won the coveted Dakar Rally.
Other helmets confirmed to be on display at the 2017 Sydney Motorcycle Show include Jason Crump’s Speedway World Championship helmet, Robbie Maddison’s first ever painted Red Bull helmet, Aston Martin Champion Mark Williamson’s helmet, and Courtney Atkinson’s Olympic cycling helmet.
Brown hails from the New South Wales South Coast and began painting helmets as a 16-year-old.
Over the past 24 years has painted helmets for some of Australia’s leading athletes including Dakar winner Toby Price, three-time World Speedway Champion Jason Crump, three-time Superbike World Champion Troy Bayliss, world-renowned stuntman Robbie Maddison and Olympian Courtney Atkinson to name a few.
While each helmet is of equal importance to Brown, he cites a helmet he painted for Toby Price as one that one stands out.
“While every helmet is special, the last helmet I painted for Toby Price before he became a Red Bull athlete is a standout,” Brown said.
“I knew it was going to be the last helmet I would paint that would be personal to him, so I included every name of the event or series that he had raced in up until that moment.
“The colours were spot on and it was the helmet he wore when he won the Finke Desert Race for the fourth time,” he said.
Price, a five-time Finke Desert Race winner and Dakar champion said Browns helmets are a work of art.
“Brownie has painted me some of the best helmets I’ve ever seen,” Price said.
“These helmets mean the world to me as they are one-offs not to be made again.
“It would kill me if I lost these; I’ll be taking them to the grave with me for sure.”
While racing throughout Europe Jason Crump continued to have his helmets painted by Brown.
“From my early days to winning the World Speedway titles when I was racing in Europe I always wanted to support Australian products where possible,” Crump said.
“Although sponsored by Red Bull Europe I always requested my helmets were painted by .
“I hope visitors to the show enjoy viewing the collection of my helmets that will be on display,” he added.
Brown’s talent extends to other incredible projects over the years like painting Red Bull stunt and race planes, shoes for Olympian Yana Pittman, a skeleton luge for the Winter Olympics and championship trophies for the MX Nationals.
He has also spent hundreds of hours designing and painting tribute bikes to Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardner, Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.
The 2017 Sydney Motorcycle Show will showcase more than the latest motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides, it will also give visitors the opportunity to engage with industry experts, test ride a range of both adults and children’s motorcycles as well as be entertained by a full program of demonstrations, stunts, and special features.
Be the first to comment