I was a kid...
... and I loved art...
... and I LOVED music...
It's kinda strange in that regard...
... because I still do love Art and Music.
Have I ever told you all that I was an Art Major when
I started college...
I loved to draw and paint...
I had this passion for Art back when I was just
a pair of little Red Shoes...
I became aware of Bill Graham and his Fillmore West concert productions...
The Late Great Bill Graham...
One of the things that Graham did was to
have GREAT advertising posters
for the shows that would be
playing at the Fillmore West.
I became mesmerized by the poster art that
were created for his shows...
... and decided,
I WANT TO DO THAT!!!!
... so I went about teaching myself how to do that 'far out' lettering.
This is an example of such posters that
promoted one of my favorite bands at the time,
Big Brother and the Holding Company,
which featured a relatively unknown singer at the time,
Janis Joplin.
A poster from the Fillmore West
I learned how to do these posters...
and class mates wanted me to do designs for them...
A poster from the Fillmore West
The Yardbirds!
AUGH!!!!
If that guy playing the opening riff and lead licks
on that white Fender Telecaster looks familiar,
that is Jeff Beck...
I've told this story here before...
about how Jeff Beck replaced a guitarist
by the name of Clapton...
... and how Beck was replaced by a
guitarist named Page...
... and how the Yardbirds changed personnel...
...became the New Yardbirds...
and morphed into
Led Zeppelin....
We had some bands in high school...
... and in the area...
they liked the work I was doing on posters...
... and asked if I had ever considered
painting drum heads for bass drums...
not my work...
I thought... it can't be THAT difficult!
I bought some oil cloth... paints... and started designing
heads for bass drums with
the band's name and some kind of artistic design...
A poster from the Fillmore West
This was the first song of Santana's that I recall hearing...
Look at the names above on that poster...
Graham had all of these bands playing across a
time span of about a week in his venue...
The Byrds...
A poster from the Fillmore West
A poster from the Fillmore West
Roger McGuinn wasn't that hard to spot,
but did you see the young David Crosby??
My senior year in high school...
a friend and I organized a band for
a talent show that the school was having.
I made large posters to put up around the school...
for our band...
They were taken down as quickly
as we put them up...
I guess they were popular...
Each semester, I tell myself that I want to go
take some painting classes...
drawing classes...
photography classes...
and try to get that Muse back...
... might even start a band.
~shoes~
Gods, I loved those posters, too! I think a lot of us were inspired by concert posters and album artwork, back in the day. When you listened to Janis, Jim, Grace, etc. - how could you not be!
ReplyDeleteListen, you don't need classes, instructions - whatever - pick up the brush, pen, camera or pencil and just DO IT! It's in you. Creativity can't be taught, it's just there.
Hi there, Nitebyrd... weren't those posters of that era fantastic?!?!?! I would have loved to have been able to be out at Haight Ashbury at that time.
DeleteYou are right... all of the commentors are... I just need to do it...
~shoes~
I suggest Zentangle or Zentangle inspired art.
ReplyDeleteIt really does reach a place of zen in me to sit and just let it flow.
http://www.zentangle.com/
You don't need their tiles and special equipment, either.
And I second nitebyrd, you just do it.
Hi there, Ami...
DeleteI was not familiar with that site! Thank you for sending it... that would be the kind of things I would start with when I did my work... this could be fun!
~shoes~
Dang, u are talented! I love the second poster.. Get back into it.. How about drawing one of your Dad?- like the photo u did a post on him awhile back??
ReplyDeleteHi there, Chris... I wish I had done those posters... I went back and re-read what I wrote... and I can see that I wasn't clear in my writing. Those are photos of the actual posters that Bill Graham had produced... those are the designs that motivated me to do what I did. I wish I had slides or photos from back then, but I just didn't think about it...
Delete~shoes~
Everything old is new again. My late teen/early 20 something kids are drawing trippy artwork that is so close to what we all loved. Allman Brothers had some great album art as well. And I did not know the brilliant succession of guitarists Beck-Clapton -Page and so on. Shoes, pick up that pencil or brush or both and start enjoying that kind of creativity that you were gifted with from birth! <3 <3
ReplyDeleteHey, Linnnnnnnnnnnn...
DeleteYeah... it all goes 'round in circles... according to Billy Preston. You know, album artwork was ONE of the reasons we bought albums back then... when they went to 8-tracks, and cassettes... and then to CDs... and now mp3's, there's a great deal of that I miss. I remember buying The BeaTles' "White Album" and spending so much time sorting through what was enclosed inside...
I've got a great camera that I have yet to fully understand... that would be a great place to start...
~shoes~
Do it!
ReplyDeleteHi, Steven... I think I shall!
DeleteHow are you doing?? :o)
~shoes~
The posters are super cool - although, you could add photography to that list as well?!?
ReplyDeleteHi there, Ella... good afternoon...
DeleteYes, I could... I used to do a great deal of 35mm... for some reason, the digital doesn't come as easy to me... insane on my part, I know.
It's not like I don't have the time to do so...
~shoes~
Hello Shoes! I just the other day was searching You Tube and watched a documentary on Led Z. Saw all these great old names, faces and songs! Not to mention the others you mentioned. Fabulous music and art! Because I can't draw (seriously can't) I discovered Zentangle. It's a way to doodle and makes me feel like I'm actually capable! lol. Kind of looks like 60's art and makes me smile. Look it up!
ReplyDeleteAs for you...JUST DO IT! xx
Hi there, Barb... Ami, above, also mentioned Zentangle... I will have to look at that site in more detail later...
DeleteYeah... something about that '60's art does speak to me!
~shoes~
Hey, hey, hey Bobby McGee! Love me some Janis Joplin! Those posters were amazing art. I used to do collages on a big corkboard with images from magazines I liked. Now I take a few pix but I really want to get a good camera and take a class too. Good luck
ReplyDeleteHey you...
Delete'From the Kentucky coal mines... to the California sun...'
Lalalalala...
That is one cool song that Kris Kristofferson wrote...
I agree... as I stated above, I bought a nice camera for my trip to Europe the summer before that I have yet to come to understand...
~shoes~
I've read your comments and everyone is saying "forget the classes and just do it." I have to agree. If you love something, why not? Does it matter to you if they become world renowned and hang in art museums? Or do you just love to paint? I think what is important here is the Why. Of course, many people who did something just because they loved it ended up having their work seen by EVERYONE. And many people who desired that their work be seen by everyone are, and will forever, be unrecognized. Funny how that works.
ReplyDeleteHi there, Robin...
Deletethe idea about taking some classes was about learning how to work with the media again. It's been awhile... mixing colors, etc...
I've been thinking this afternoon about how a room here at my house would actually make a great studio...
This may actually happen!! :o)
You are right... think about all of the famous artists of ages past... they weren't well regarded during their lives.
How are things in your world this afternoon??
~shoes~
Hey Red Shoes,
ReplyDeleteWow and far out, man. I just tripped down memory lane with all of this.
Your talent, good sir, is mighty obvious. You have to do what's written in you heart. You have the creative passion. Go for it.
And you have brought back those magical days of the late sixties and early seventies. Suddenly, I'm at a concert in Vancouver, Canada. Country Joe and the Fish are playing.
Have a good remainder of your weekend.
Gary
Hi there, klahanie/Gary...
DeleteThank you SO much for stopping in here at my madness... Your comment that you left for Middle Age... is the funniest thing I have read in a long time!
Thank you for your kind words... as for the late 60's, man, weren't those some great times???
Country Joe and the Fish??
Gimme an 'F!'
HAR!!!
My weekend has been great.. I hope yours is as well!
~shoes~
I wish schools would promote art and music a little more and that the govt would provide more funding for it. As important maths and sciences are kids also need that creative plug for their minds.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention its a very positive and healthy way to unleash expression and yes, we all need a muse in life....
Hi there, Princess...
DeleteI wish the schools promoted the arts, visual and performing, more than they do. I do think it's in the Arts where we do form a great deal of our analytical processes...
Instead, it seems we quash any desire to be creative... to think outside the box, so to speak...
Yes, we all DO need muses in our Lives!!!
~shoes~
DO IT!!! You know you can. :)
ReplyDeleteHi there Yvonne... good evening!
DeleteI am seriously thinking about it!!! I think it could be quite fun! Very interesting!!!
How are you??
~shoes~
I think you should definitely take up some classes - and then perhaps when you've finished a painting/drawing, you can uploaded and share it with us! I'm sure we would all love that!
ReplyDeleteHi there, O... I think taking some classes would be a great idea!! Learn how to paint with a knife... work with colors...
DeleteThe possibilities are endless!!!
~shoes~
All good groups. I saw the Byrds in 1969. But Janis. I loved her.
ReplyDeleteHi there, JJ... I would have loved to have seen the Byrds... but to have seen Janis would have been outstanding! What a great voice she had!!
DeleteHow are things with you??
~shoes~
Great post. Do it - start a band! And tell us all about it!
ReplyDelete