Brian Kinkaid
The older Lancia world in the US was a wonderful collection of talented and thoughtful people who appreciated design and well made things. Mike Miller was one such person in New York, Brian Kinkaid was another in Chicago.
I met Brian years ago in a communal car storage/workspace that exists in a low brick loft building in an industrial part of Chicago. Brian had been in charge of the graphic production for the Sears catalogs, but in the change to new technologies, had been let go. He had only a little money, a B20 and a very talented drawing hand. He did the Ferrari motor above, and then the B20 car below late in his life in 2000. Lovely work.
I’d go visit him on Saturday afternoons, where he’d be putzing with something (for years he was trying to restore an Invicta), and we’d share our affection for Aurelias with Italian opera in the background.
His 6th series car was a lovely example, lightly worn, all original. When he was thinking of selling it, sadly he preferred it go out of town than to one of several people here who would have loved it to stay. It went to good hands on the east coast.
Brian was known in Chicago for his skill, but never really was understood in the larger market. The drawing skill belies the complex character that was never far underneath, wondering about technology, art and beauty in a world that seemed to have moved on. Brian is no longer with us, but the drawings are – as are the memories of a glass of wine, a moment of reflection in the dusk of the afternoon.
More of his work can be seen at
Brian’s 6th series B20
please see Brians own website put together by his daughter….a link perhaps…
Richard Simonsen
December 10, 2014 at 8:36 pm
Do you have a link for this?
Geoff
December 15, 2014 at 2:42 pm
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. It would be nice if could provide a couple the drawing you have to this web site with a brief description. We are trying to assemble examples of his work in one place.
Richard Simonsen
January 29, 2015 at 3:33 pm
Thanks for this – I’m happy to link this to a Brian webpage. Blog post has been updated.
Geoff
January 29, 2015 at 8:48 pm