Graham Annable's Animations

Comic art by Graham Annable

Hey, this guy lives in Portland, Oregon and he makes funny-as-shit cartoons.
There's a new one on his YouTube page called
Botched
Enjoy! You might want to stay and watch the
rest of them or bookmark the page.
(Grickle is his website.)

Thanks, Johnny at Drawn!

The Art of Amy Crehore

Bullies with No Imagination of Their Own

The Great Charlie Chaplin

I like Lloyd's recent post about the history of the Hollywood film industry-

the myth about art and commerce:

Mardecortesbaja

This Monkey Seems Oddly Familiar

From a T.S. Sullivant header for the Comic Supplement of "The Chicago Sunday American", November 5th, 1905

I like this! See more at

STWALLSKULL

Also, watch "Pipe Dreams", 1938, an MGM cartoon featuring the Three Good Little Monkeys. What a hoot!

The Art of Amy Crehore

1916

Hugo Ball's world - 1916 -

they say he was the one who named it "dada".

Luscious Oil Paint and J. Currin

John Currin's Honeymoon Nude 1998

I bought this book about John Currin's art the other day. No, it's not the big, fat expensive one. It's the smaller book that was published around the time of his 2003 exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. I have never seen any Currin works in person, but I would like to. I especially like his nudes of 1998-99 and his "Hobo" and "Sno-bo" paintings. They are beautiful. The skin and hands are especially nice. The humor is subtle in these.

But, there is much to look at in his other works as well which are often laugh-out-loud funny.

Mainly, I look at how he uses oil paint and how he obviously enjoys painting - the lusciousness of the oils and the effects that are achieved through slow layering, textures, happy accidents and the spontaneity of wet-on-wet painting. He is sometimes delicate, sometimes rough. He uses the paint every which way he can think of. In crazy ways. In logical ways. Many styles rolled into one painting. Inspiring stuff if you are an oil painter. Oil paint is just so delicious to use. I'm hooked on it myself.

(Please do not eat the paint, dear readers.)

The Art of Amy Crehore

Francis Picabia 1879-1953

The photo is of Francis Picabia in the film Entr’acte (1924)wearing a dress. Also, here are some examples of his figure paintings of women. "Francis Picabia worked across a huge range of media, from painting and drawing, to poetry, publishing and performance. Born in France he worked between Paris, Zurich and New York at different points throughout his career and was variously integral to and then disassociated from both the Dadaists and then the Surrealists." link

"In the early 1940s he moved to the south of France, where his work took a surprising turn - he produced a series of paintings based on the nude and glamour photos in French "Girlie" magazines, in a garish style which appears to subvert traditional, academic nude painting. He loved fast automobiles and was reported to have 150 of them." Fast cars, cross-dressing and painting more than one woman together based on girlie mags. I sort of like the style of some of his figurative work. However, some of it is clearly lacking in feeling, depth and compositional flow from heavy reliance on stock photos as a reference. Still, he gave painting a good ol' try, when he wasn't being an asshole playboy.

Francis Picabia

The Art of Amy Crehore

Surrealism in B & W Vintage Films

There is a most unusual and interesting blog about B&W cinematography and film art direction called

Six Martinis and the Seventh Art

This blog features mesmerizing, mysterious and surreal B&W stills.

The architectural sets are amazing on some of these films.

Thanks to mardecortesbaja (another great blog about films) for the cool link.

The Art of Amy Crehore

All Stocked Up

= Tickler Uke T-shirt by artist Amy Crehore available HERE =

I just want to let everyone know that I replenished my inventory of Tickler Ukulele Artist T-shirts and the (2XL 's) came in earlier this week. An amazing number of people ordered this shirt and I want to extend a big thank you. I got some nice letters from people. It was great seeing Mark F. wearing it on boingboing tv this week! (Monday's episode-Maker Faire tryouts). Also, a customer in the U.K. was wearing one on flickr (birthday present for himself).

The number two Tickler Ukulele is nearing completion, but it will still be a couple of weeks. The luthier is using special wood that has been aged 30 years. This uke is guaranteed to have an incredible sound and also be a unique one-of-a-kind art object. Every detail has been carefully thought out. I'm so proud of it. It's looking very art deco, yet modern.

Stay tuned.

The Art of Amy Crehore

How to be Mysterious

You can find out how to be mysterious and stand out on

WIKIHOW

I know a few people who follow these tips, but I'm not sure it's working for them.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Searching for Gaudy Frames

While doing a search for "gaudy frames", I found this funny cat image. link

It made me laugh. I was just thinking about the current trend to frame paintings in gaudy, ridiculous frames, even cartoon art. Don't get me wrong, I love frames. But, some paintings are all frame and no substance, if you know what I mean. I think sometimes it's the easy way out for lazy artists.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Amazing Collection of Antique Beadwork

Banjo Wall Hanging
Frame

Iroquois pin cushions

I came across an amazing collection of antique beadwork (1840's-1930's) online at:

Otsiningo .

Have a look - if you like this kind of stuff. I absolutely love it. It's so "me".

"This page is adapted from text and pictures published in the program of the Sertoma Million Dollar Antique Show. The pictures were taken by Chip Hunt and the text is by Dolores Elliott. The beadwork was exhibited at the antique show and is from the collection of Dolores Elliott."

The Art of Amy Crehore

Closing Reception, Deep Pop Exhibit NY

Photos of Deep Pop show here , more on Juxtapoz

"Feed the Bear Blues" painting by Amy Crehore in Deep Pop Show
Last two days to see the DEEP POP SHOW curated by Andrew Michael Ford at the Brother Kenneth Chapman Gallery, Iona College, 715 North Ave, New Rochelle, NY. There is an ART & DESSERT CLOSING RECEPTION Thursday, February 21st, 2008, Noon -3:00 pm - for those who happen to live nearby. Please contact Andrew Michael Ford at Ad Hoc Art about the artwork in this show. List of participants here (scroll down).

The Art of Amy Crehore

Banana Book Author on the Radio

Banana Book by Dan Koeppel
Click to enlarge (framed, signed print of "The Banana Eater" by Amy Crehore- only 40 in the edition)

On Feb 11, 2008 Dan Koeppel was interviewed on Public Radio's International Marketplace. Follow this LINK . And, yesterday he was interviewed on NPR. Dan is the author of the book, "Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World". Here's the link to his Banana blog where you can find out more. He never fails to come up with interesting banana news. There are links to these stories and there are links to buy his book.
He blogged about my oil painting, "The Banana Eater", a few months ago and now it is a framed print from Pressure Printing. Someone who recently bought one of these prints wrote to me the other day and was amazed at the way the painted bananas glowed in the picture. I just want to say thanks again to Dan for blogging my painting and congratulations on his book and interview(s). And, thanks to Brad Keech for doing such a superb job on "The Banana Eater" print. Here's the link to the making of this amazing print.
The Art of Amy Crehore

The Humor of Cranach the Elder

Venus Standing in a Landscape
Venus with Cupid Stealing Honey
Cupid Complaining to Venus
Venus and Cupid

Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) had a great sense of humor. He painted a lot of pictures of Venus or Venus and Cupid together. Some of his nudes are discreetly and gracefully holding pieces of fabric over their private parts, but often the fabric is transparent so you have to wonder what it's for. Maybe he was being ironic and maybe he was just having fun painting see-through fabric. Cupid is stealing "honey" from Venus in one picture and complaining to her in another. Venus also has a big crazy hat on. Why? I don't care, I love it! Cranach the Elder had a wonderful narrative folk-art style with a great sense of design. I like these tall panels for standing figures. I am working on a painting right now that has a tall format.

Lucas Cranach the Elder

Thanks to Femme, Femme, Femme for reminding me of Cranach. There will be a show of Cranach the Elder at the Royal Academy of Arts from March-June, 2008

The Art of Amy Crehore

Old Postcard from Dresden

Can you figure this one out? Vintage image from a beautiful myspace page: link

The Art of Amy Crehore

Document Records is Having a Sale

"If you`re looking for rare, classic, vintage Blues, Jazz, Boogie-woogie, Gospel and Country music then you have come to the right place. Many call it the place. "-blurb from Document Records website. They are having a sale until Feb 22, 2008 on a whole lot of great CDs. If you like the old stuff, you can't go wrong.

Document Records Sale

The Art of Amy Crehore

P.S."Vote for me" if you like this blog

Sunday Night Song - Tampa Red

Painting by Amy Crehore for "Feed the Kitty" album cover

From the Hokum Scorchers' "Feed the Kitty" album comes a wonderful song- originally done by Hudson Woodbridge (a.k.a. Tampa Red 1936)- called "When You Were a Girl of Seven". This version was recorded in 1992. Lou Reimuller plays the National guitar, sings and plays kazoo. Amy Crehore is on a vintage tenor banjo. Scroll down for the music player on this link:

Hokum Scorchers

By the time you read this, the song will have changed. I'm rotating songs every Sunday.

Bendies Headless

Bendies Headless figures are now available at:

Mannequinland

The Art of Amy Crehore

Morton B. is famous now

I wish I could have seen this Morton Bartlett exhibit last summer at Julie Saul Gallery. I blogged about him earlier. LINK

Here's a NYTimes article about that show. I LOVE M.B.

Marion Harris has a cool new website. She wrote about his art and preserved it for the rest of us.

The Art of Amy Crehore

P.S. "Vote for me" if you like this post

Krazy Kat Plush

Cartoonist George Herriman with a model of Krazy Kat. This photo from 1944 is up for bidding on ebay until Feb. 24, 2008. This is so sweet.

Thanks STWALLSKULL

Psycho Girlfriend

I saw these designers on boingboing TV and I thought they were cool and funny.

Your Psycho Girlfriend

Xeni wears a tutu of babyheads in the boingboing episode.

The Art of Amy Crehore

The Making of the Fine Print at Pressure Printing

Pressure Printing just blogged the careful and elaborate process of producing two new framed giclee prints. Here is the making of "The Ruiners"by Glenn Barr and "The Banana Eater" by Amy Crehore. It is very interesting - showing all of the steps leading up to two very fine art products. Read about it here:
THE FINE PRINT

While you are at it, you will want to read about the making of Mark Ryden's print as well. Pressure Printing is best known for the quality of it's fine art pressure prints using antique presses.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Happy Valentines Day

I like the little guys with wings in this illustration for the Kissing Bug Rag.

Happy Valentines Day from

The Art of Amy Crehore

Gallery of Vintage Valentines on flickr

The top one is sexy, eh? In a somewhat stiff kind of way it is cool. And the bottom one reminds me of a Fred Stonehouse painting. I found these on flickr where there is a very nice collection of

Vintage Valentines.

The older, the better, I think. I love the way that people pool their collections on flickr. It's such a great resource and a it's lot of fun to look at. Remember the Valentine shoebox with the hole in the top? They still do that in the grade schools, don't they? I always freaked out on Valentine's Day back then, when I was just an 80 lb. weakling. The Valentines weren't as nice as these.

The Art of Amy Crehore

100 Years ago - Ragtime Music

Hey, looky what I found. Well, what do ya know? The "Tickler Rag Two-Step" (by Frances Cox) and "Teasing the Cat" Rag (by Charles L. Johnson) - sheet music from 1908 and 1916. Here are my favorite characters, too. This is the first time I have ever laid eyes on these. See more examples of interesting cover art here:

Ragtime Piano

The Art of Amy Crehore

Sunday Night Song Rotation

"Yanna's Donut", cover image from a cassette of Hokum Scorcher's music

I have a new song on my music player now. This one is called "Stamps Blues". We got this song from the Tony Hollins' version, 1941. Lou is playing the National guitar and I am playing the washboard. We both sing on this one. We recorded it in 1995 for a little cassette we made called "Yanna's Donut" (Chimborazo Records).
Scroll down to hear the song- here:
LINK

The Art of Amy Crehore

P.S. The songs are changed every Sunday nite, so it will be a different song on the player by the time you read this.

Feed Your Wall - Amy Crehore's Art Print

Here's another nice blog that picked up my new framed print by

Pressure Printing.
I like the name:
FEED YOUR WALL


The Art of Amy Crehore

Frauenfelder, Sol and Estrada at Roq La Rue

Amy Sol
Catalina Estrada
Mark Frauenfelder


Roq La Rue Gallery in Seattle, WA just opened a big group show called "A Cabinet of Natural Curiosities" (same name as one of my favorite books). Here are a few stand-out pieces from the show. I think they may still be available, too, if you hurry. There are many different stylistic interpretations of nature in this show. Have a look (click preview):
Roq La Rue

Artists include: Femke Hiemstra, Travis Louie, Brian Despain, Amy Sol, Lisa Petrucci, Chris Ryniak, Chet Zar, Kozydan, Junko Mizumo, Liz McGrath, Kukula, Laura Plansker, Mark Frauenfelder, Christian Vanminnen, Mark Gleason, Nathan Ota, Catalina Estrada, Sarah Joncas, Kamala Dolphin-Kingsley, John Brophy, Anthony Pontius, Jeremy Bennet, Jim Woodring, Heiko Muller, Javier S. Ortega

The Art of Amy Crehore

Pop Drawer - Great New Blog

Aesthetic Apparatus Print

The "Pop Drawer" blog alerts people to all kinds of great new art and affordable art products.

Here's a cool print from their post about OX-OP .

They also just featured my new, framed print from Pressure Printing, "The Banana Eater" and mentioned my t-shirt -you can read it here:

"WHO NEEDS GROCERIES ALERTS"

You might want to subscribe to this blog to stay on top of the latest pop surrealist and contemporary art events and products. It is well-written and looks nice, too.

POP DRAWER

The Art of Amy Crehore

"The Banana Eater" Print, a T-shirt, and a Ukulele

Close up of Front of Tickler Uke Number One - design by Amy Crehore

T-shirt by Amy Crehore

Amy Crehore's "The Banana Eater" print by Pressure Printing

CLICK ON IMAGES FOR ENLARGED VIEW

This has been an exciting month for me with three very special "fine art products" being released: my new t-shirt, a special framed print of my painting "The Banana Eater" by Pressure Printing and, last but not least, a brand new Tickler Uke Number Two designed by me and built by luthier, Lou Reimuller (due out in 2009). And, I added a music player to my new website and I will rotate a new Hokum Scorcher song every Sunday nite. Don't forget the "Deep Pop" show at Iona College, New Rochelle, NY. It continues until Feb. 21, 2008. I have a painting in that show and I will also be showing at Ad Hoc Art, Brooklyn, NY in July.

The Art of Amy Crehore

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