Cool Classic Art Show: EXOTIC CLASSIC CARS, Book Presentation, and Signing

About the Author and the Artist

Born in Beirut and raised in Los Angeles, Vasken Bedirian discovered his love of automobiles while working after school at his father’s gas station, where he learned mechanics and restoration. As a teenager, he became a fixture on Hollywood’s streets in his hopped-up 1970 Trans Am, exploring Sunset Boulevard’s neon glow and the tight curves of Mulholland Drive—roads that sparked both his passion for racing and his emerging artistic eye.

Through the 1980s and ’90s, Vasken raced in regional and national vintage championships, while painting, collecting, and restoring classics, mostly European sports cars. After retiring from a successful real estate career, he settled in Pebble Beach, where he remains deeply involved in the automotive community, joining rallies along California’s coastal roads and mountain passes—journeys that now fuel both his artwork and his writing.

A vivid biography of a classic automobile, tracing its glamorous origin, and its odyssey across continents – from Europe to America and ultimately home again.

From the cobblestone streets of Milan to the neon glow of 1970s Los Angeles, this narrative follows the mysterious journey of an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider across decades and continents. Private investigator Trofio and Olympic skier Franz find themselves entangled in smuggling, betrayal, and stolen dreams as they track the elusive Spider through Italy, Austria, and California’s shadowy world of street racing and exotic car dealers.

Blending authentic automotive history with vivid character drama, the novel captures the thrill of Targa Florio victories, the danger of Mulholland’s midnight races, and the timeless seduction of Italian design. More than the biography of a car, it becomes a story of obsession, legacy, and the pursuit of something always just out of reach.

ZARTONK Gallery is located at Historic Helm Building 1107 Fulton St. Downtown Fresno, 93721.

Free and open to the public.