Heat Wave

Detail from a magazine illustration by Amy Crehore

Yes, we are having another heat wave in Oregon this week. It's only going to get hotter tomorrow they tell me. I have been swamped all week with a rush magazine assignment. I have to do 5 paintings in about 8 days or something like that. I never paint this fast when I'm doing my fine art. Anyhow, I have not had a chance to blog or do anything else until this job is done. The last one will be shipped out on Saturday and then I will have more time to update this blog. These paintings are circus-related, so I am sort of having fun. I did not finish telling you about my trip to NYC! Oh well...duty calls.
The Art of Amy Crehore

Hokum Scorchers Play a Tampa Red Song

Tampa Red

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

This song changes every Sunday night, so it will be different by the time you read this post.

Mike Shine Paints

Art by Mike Shine

Sometimes I get good stuff in my emails. Too bad I don't live in San Francisco. Tonight is the opening of "8 Tracks and Wallbangers", the Art of Mike Shine (6-9pm) at Fecal Face Dot Gallery
on 66 Gough St. @Market - Thurs & Fri (4-8pm) Sat & Sun (12-6pm). Show runs from Aug 8 - 31, 2008. From the Fecal Face Dot Gallery newsletter:
"The gallery is covered in Mike Shine's harmoniously colored drift wood paintings which are hung on his site specific wall murals. Mike is a painter who mixes driftwood, reclaimed house paint, Nordic mythology, insomnia, 1970's pop culture, absinthe, Teutonic philosophy, his wife, and woodworking skills leftover from a previous life- to make art that is one part uplifting and two parts disturbing. His coastal art/surf shack was recently featured in Fecal Face's Art Mondays (view it ), and intrigued us to bring his work into the Fecal gallery for a closer look. "

Fecal Face Dot Gallery

Be sure to check out Mike Shine's website- it's strange and cool:

Shine Lounge

The Art of Amy Crehore

Catalina Pottery Show at SF Airport

Playing the flower pots on Catalina Island

angelsouza has a set on flickr of the great Catalina Pottery Show at the SF Airport -

which I was lucky enough to see on my way to NYC and on the way back, too. I love the island of Catalina (off the coast of CA)- it reminds me so much of Italy. I only went there once and I did not even realize that from 1927-1937 Catalina had a thriving pottery business. So, I was surprised to see this massive show full of colorful art deco pieces at the airport.

Here's another link from the Catalina Collectors Blog of the entire pottery show at the airport.

And here is a link to some cool old postcards of Catalina Island, CA. I'd love to go back to Catalina Island in the future.

The Art of Amy Crehore

"Last Kind Words Blues"

Geeshie or Geechie Wiley was a great female blues singer. Her beautiful song "Last Kind Words Blues" (1930) was used in the film "Crumb" (1994) by Terry Zwigoff in the scene where Robert Crumb puts a record on and sits down to listen. Here's the film clip with the music and a slideshow of some of his drawings (from YouTube.)

The Art of Amy Crehore

Join My Email List

July 25, 2008- Photo of me at the Ad Hoc Art exhibition

Hi. I just added a page to my website with a form that makes it easier to join my email list. I do send out little email newsletters every now and again (not too often, so don't worry about spam) with details about art shows that I'm in or announcing new prints, products (ukes, for instance) or paintings. If you would like me to add you to my list, please go here and fill out the form:

Join my Mailing List

Thanks! And you can always subscribe for free to this blog. Use the links on the right-hand side column (near the bottom). There is a link for email subscriptions if you prefer to have Little Hokum Rag delivered by email. Click the one that says: "Subscribe to Little Hokum Rag by email".

The Art of Amy Crehore

Sunday Switcheroo-"Tricks Ain't Walkin No More" (encore) by Hokum Scorchers

Curley Weaver -East Coast Piedmont Blues player
This number, "Tricks Ain't Walkin' No More", was first done by Curley Weaver in 1935. Memphis Minnie also did a version of this song. The Hokum Scorchers recorded this in 1990 for their first cassette. I'm playing the washboard and cups and Lou Reimuller is playing the National Guitar. We are both singing on this one - it's pretty funky and fast-paced. To hear the song, follow the link and scroll down for music player:
The Art of Amy Crehore - Music

This song is an encore - I previously blogged it in April. :)

Also, this song will change on Sunday night, so it will probably be different by the time you read this post.