MANITOBA, CANADA
Diversity is the key to success in any business, and the business of custom airbrushing is no exception. Dale Lawrence of Uncle D’s Airbrushing and Design knows this better than anyone. Specializing in original murals for your motorcycle featuring everything from angels and demons to Conan and dragons, Dale can set your bike apart from the crowd. “Hot rod flames, graphics, real flames, gold leafing and hand pinstriping are just a few of the other things we do.”
With a repertoire of satisfied customers as long as your arm, Dale’s skills as an artist can be seen on everything from cars and motorcycles to trucks and big rigs, helmets and goalie masks. Even helicopters and tundra buggies have felt his artistic touch. Dale’s clients are just as diverse; Freightliner, Lonestar Harley-Davidson, Underground Performance, JDC Customs, Kelly’s Killer Kustoms, Tauer Machine and Plisken Cycles to name just a few.
Though Dale opened Uncle D’s 12 years ago, in the small Manitoba town of Warren, he hasn’t stayed grounded in the province, “I have had the privilege of painting bikes across Canada, coast-to-coast and across the border from Minneapolis to San Diego.”
In his travels, Dale has made his name known to the judges from his many awards at the Rat’s Hole in Sturgis, the Western Canadian Biker Build-off, and the Las Vegas bike show. At the World of Wheels in Winnipeg, Dale has secured the best paint prize for 6 years running.
Show judges are not the only people taking notice of Dale’s skill; several bike publications including, Barnett’s, Street Chopper, WPG Cruise and, of course, Motorcycle Mojo have all featured Dale’s handiwork. Authors, Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz included Dale’s work in their book ‘Extreme Motorcycle Art’ which features 50 top bike painters from around the world. Dale’s work is featured with many of the greats in the motorcycle world including Dave Perewitz and Vince Goodeve.
In 2006, country music artist Jason McCoy from the group, The Road Hammers, asked Dale to work his magic on a bike for a special on Country Music Television (CMT). “I flew to Calgary and painted in Underground Performance’s paint booth with only 3 days allowed,” Dale smiles, “I did it in 2 days.” Dale gave the bike an old school look including black and white pin-up girls and retro white and red pinstriping. And on June 10, 2007, the world tuned in to CMT and got their first glimpse of the bike.
Dale’s toughest critic is his lovely wife Laura, who not only offers criticism, but also does the books for Uncle D’s Airbrushing and Design and when a mural or painting calls for a beautiful and powerful woman, she is the one who poses. Laura also knew that painting was Dale’s passion and from the very beginning pushed him to focus on his art and quit wasting time with a 9-5 job.
“In Advertising Art in college I always drew Conan or Heavy Metal guys for everything; whether it was an ad for a restaurant or a stereo system. My teacher told me I would not make a living at painting Conan and half naked girls all the time, he was so WRONG!!!”
Uncle D’s Airbrushing and Design
Box 100
Warren, MB R0C 3E0
1-888-624-8986
www.uncledsairbrushing.com
