Ancient Comics Delight Us Still

First two panels from "The Naps of Polly Sleepyhead"

Peter Newell, author/illustrator of the "Slant Book" (1910), one of my all-time favorite children's books, apparently also created a surreal comic strip in 1906-1907 called "The Naps of Polly Sleepyhead". Like "Little Nemo in Slumberland" it draws us into the wacky dreamworld of a girl named Polly. This strange little girl drifts off to sleep in the middle of doing the most commonplace activities. Here is an excerpt from the first strip where her cat named Spider turns into a scary hybrid cat-spider, weaving her ball of yarn into a big spider web. The second strip has Polly sitting down with a big plate of ice cream, but deciding instead to use it as a hat (!) for her doggy and proceed to take him for a (sleep)walk outside where the hat melts. She then wakes up in a puddly mess. Read more about Polly and other classic and obscure ancient comics at this fascinating website:
Barnacle Press
Thanks to STWALLSKULL (fez lovers) for the GREAT link!
The Art of Amy Crehore

Antique Prints of Flower-women

Thistle
Cornflower and Poppy
Honeysuckle

Marvel of Peru

Prints by J. J. Grandville. From Les Fleurs Animées. Paris: Garnier Freres, [1867]. Octavo: images are ca. 7 x 5 1/2 inches. Steel engravings by Ch. Geoffroy. Original hand-coloring.
"A series of delightful prints illustrating flowers personified in the form of lovely maidens and their animal retinues. Each early 19th-century female figure is richly costumed in the leaves, blossoms and garlands that designate her flower." You can look at or buy these prints at the Philadelphia Print Shop. They also have lots of other inspiring antique prints including American Indian portraits.

The Philadelphia Print Shop

The Art of Amy Crehore

What am I working on?

Detail of illustration by Amy Crehore 2007

Here is a small detail of a larger illustration that I just finished for a NYC-based magazine. It doesn't come out until January. I am also working on a large painting for a show in November at Robert Berman Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA. I just ordered a special frame for it and I'm really excited. This frame will definitely enhance the painting. I am also doing a small piece for Miami Basel. Mark Murphy is the curator for both shows. I will soon be listing all of the other wonderful artists that he has asked to participate in these exhibitions. You might want to check out Mark's website. He has some very interesting art books available!

Also, luthier Lou Reimuller is 3/4 done with the second "Tickler" ukulele which I shall paint as soon as he hands it over to me. This ukulele is a very different shape and style than the first one. It will have a "mother of toilet seat" fingerboard and a uniquely designed headstock. And, last but not least, I am figuring out the artwork for the "Tickler" t-shirt that I blogged about earlier and I hope to have them available in the next month or so on my website. My old pal in Richmond, VA is helping me out. I worked at a t-shirt company for a couple of years when I was quite young.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Mediocrity is the Number One Killer

Don't settle for mediocrity in art.

Andy Warhol said in an interview once, "I just did the easiest thing I could think of". And the public bought into it anyway, didn't they?

Here are some quotes about MEDIOCRITY .

The first one goes like this:

"All good is hard. All evil is easy. Dying, losing, cheating, and mediocrity is easy. Stay away from easy."- Scott Alexander

The Art of Amy Crehore

Little Pink Woopie

I got this off boingboing today. What can I say? It's hokum and surrealism bundled together in one cute little package, folks. You want more? There's more.

The Art of Amy Crehore

"Bergman Enjoyed the Process"

Ingmar Bergman
Woody Allen
I have not been keeping up with things in the news for the past couple of years and I'm behind on everything that I used to enjoy so much, like movies and things. I'm too wrapped up in my own work. But, I happened across this NY Times article yesterday.It is lovingly written by Woody Allen about his great friend and inspiration, Ingmar Bergman, who died July 31, 2007. There are some very interesting things in it. Woody writes:
"I did manage to absorb one thing from him, a thing not dependent on genius or even talent but something that can actually be learned and developed. I am talking about what is often very loosely called a work ethic but is really plain discipline. I learned from his example to try to turn out the best work I’m capable of at that given moment, never giving in to the foolish world of hits and flops or succumbing to playing the glitzy role of the film director, but making a movie and moving on to the next one."
Making art or films is not all about ego, money, or parading around for attention. For some, it's about the actual creative process: challenging oneself and turning out good work, a striving for quality and moving on to the next. Read the rest:
The Man Who Asked Hard Questions
The Art of Amy Crehore

Surreal Bubble Woman

Read about Miss Sally Rand

The Art of Amy Crehore