Eric Gill, Master Printmaker (1882-1940)

Venus Modestly Holding Spray/Cupid Playing Football with the World, 1929, Wood Engraving by Eric Gill
Clothes as Workshops, 1930, wood engraving by Eric Gill

The Purchaser, 1929, wood engraving by Eric Gill

Eric Gill, a British illustrator, printmaker, typographer and sculptor, did some of the most beautiful woodcuts and engravings of the art deco period. I could look at these all day. His imagination and his design-sense were both simply amazing. "Gill never strayed far from the religious roots which inform his work. Eroticism also forms an important part of it. Gill was not afraid to combine these two elements. Among his many and varied achievements are the numerous books he designed, both type and illustration, The Canterbury Tales and The Four Gospels being among the greatest book productions between the Wars."

Many more of his prints are available to look at (and buy) on this website:
Eric Gill Prints

The Art of Amy Crehore

Interviews with Artists

A couple of images from the "Beasts" book- Johnny Ryan(top) and Esther Pearl Watson

Johnny Ryan, Jaime Hernandez, Carol Lay, Esther Pearl Watson and Mark Todd are featured on the kcet website in video interviews about underground comics in Los Angeles. The last time I was in L.A., I met Johnny Ryan at the Felt Club/Maker Faire and I have been in art shows with Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson (the Blab! Show and the Green Show). Check out these interviews. They are very well-done. I dabbled in self-published comics myself in the early 80's. Anyway, here's the link to the interviews:

kcet.org

There is also an interview with Alex Gross on Juxtapoz, where you can see a photo of Alex with his wife standing in front of the Mandolin painting.

(Thanks to boingboing for the kcet link.)

The Art of Amy Crehore

Recent Drawing by Amy Crehore

Drawing of girl holding banjo uke copyright Amy Crehore 2008

I've been working on an oil on stretched linen version of one of my pierrots, "Bubble Gum Encore". I changed some things and here is a new sketch. The painting itself is larger and I have revised it even more since I did the sketch. The format is vertical now, which I like. The girl is holding a banjo uke.
I'm excited about some upcoming shows- Palm Springs (in May), where I can show some monkey paintings in beautiful frames, NYC (in July/Aug) where I will be showing 6 paintings (along with with 4 talented women - hey, back to my east coast roots!), and early next year - a full solo show in L.A.- where will have some nice surprises including an installation (Feb 2009). More and more my life "story" will unfold, as I reveal the music behind the art.
The Art of Amy Crehore

Mirka Lugosi

(All images copyright Mirka Lugosi)

I just came across this wacky French illustrator/artist named

Mirka Lugosi.

I like her retro-style drawings and fearless imagination. Here are two links to some works: airdeparis and lasuperette (click on "okay" and then "suivant"). She is also the muse of Gilles Berquet , a fine art photographer who has captured Mirka Lugosi prancing around outdoors in nothing but a Louise Brook's bob (follow link). Both have books available at Last Gasp.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Creative Tips by Picasso

1. You have to believe to be able to do.
“He can who thinks he can, and he can’t who thinks he can’t. This is an inexorable, indisputable law.”
2. Push your limits.
“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.”
3. Don’t wait for inspiration or the right moment.
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working.”
4. Act.
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”
“Action is the foundational key to all success.”
5. Ask the right questions.
“Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not.”
6. See the hidden beauty by not judging.
“If only we could pull out our brain and use only our eyes.”
7. It’s not too late.
“Youth has no age.”

Paintalicious blogged these quotes/tips by Picasso about creativity and elaborated on them (follow link). I like them...especially the first and last. I also like the mandolins hanging on the wall of this 1956 photo of Picasso drawing in his studio.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Fashions of the 1920s on film

Fashions of the 1920s (Thanks, Aaron 1912, YouTube)

Here we have 1920s' fashions, crazy socks, getting a bob and girls tumbling on stage. I found this film on a wonderful blog called "The Paris Apartment". Thanks, Claudia. Little Hokum Rag loves the 1920s, too.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Ukulele in the Limelight

Jason Castro (America Idol) won them over with his uke version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".

I think he needs one of my Tickler Ukulele T-shirts.

The Art of Amy Crehore