My New Painting, 4th "Ephemeral" Exhibit in Tokyo at Jiro Miura Gallery

"Yé-Yé Girl With Guitar", 2021 ©Amy Crehore, 

oil on stretched linen 14" x 14" plus frame 15 3/4"x 15 3/4"

Please click on image to enlarge

Details...

Details...

Here's the new painting that I created for the 4th Ephemeral-Territory of Girls Exhibit in Tokyo, Japan opening Sept. 18th-Oct. 3rd, 2021. I was inspired by the French Yé-Yé Girls of the sixties. This all-women show takes place every two years at Jiro Miura Gallery. I am honored to have been in every show since the beginning. The theme is girls. As usual, there will be a catalog of the show with an image and profile of each artist. Here is a list of the amazing artists in this year's show:

Kaori Aoki, Momoko Akaike, Emi Adachi, Dilka Bear, Jana Brike, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Amy Crehore, Olga Esther, Yuko Fukase, Ai Gonoi, Atsuko Goto, Mao Hamaguchi, Kumiko Higami, Miho Hirano, Miki Kato, Audrey Kawasaki, Rie Kawabe, Kisaki yaya, Chihiro Kogure, Kozue Kuroki, Kimi Kuruhara, Satomi Kuwahara, Selena Leardini, Tracy Lewis, Hiroko Maki, Shiori Matsumoto, Miro Meguro, Kana Miyamoto, Yu Miyazaki, Eri Mizuno, Margaret Morales, Virginia Mori, Yuko Murai, Yuko Nagami, Yuki Nagayoshi, Yumi Nakai, Kaori Ogawa, Saki Ozabu, Yuka Sakuma, Mayuko Sasaoka, Harumi Shinozuka, Kazune Shintaku, Amy Sol, Makiko Sugawa, Minae Takada, Ania Tomicka, Tsubaki Torii, Yuki Toyonaga, Fuco Ueda, Masumi Yamamoto, Chie Yoshii 

JIRO MIURA GALLERY
4F Ishikura Building, 2-5, Nihombashi-Odenmacho, Chuo-ku,
103-0011 Tokyo, Japan
Tel : +81-3-6661-7687
E-Mail : info@jiromiuragallery.com

The Art of Amy Crehore 

"The Leads All Gone" performed by the Hokum Scorchers

In 1990, the Hokum Scorchers performed a song called, "The Leads All Gone". It was originally done by Bo Carter (a.k.a. Bo Chatmon) in 1931 as "My Pencil Won't Write No More" and later it was recorded in 1980 by his brother Sam Chatmon on Flying Fish Records as "Pencil Lead Blues".

Lou Reimuller is singing and playing the National guitar and kazoo and I am singing, playing washboard and kazoo.

The Art of Amy Crehore

A Papa Charlie Jackson song performed by The Hokum Scorchers

This song is from 1929. Lou is playing the guitar-banjo and I am playing the washboard. I painted the portrait of Papa Charlie Jackson. We recorded this in 1995.
Here is the link to the Hokum Scorchers songs on soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/hokumscorchers

The Art of Amy Crehore
 

Gibson Guitar Design Using Headstock for the Body

Clever guitar design using a large replica of Gibson headstock for the body and a
miniature of the same Les Paul guitar (upside-down) for the headstock. Early 50s-60s style.

I like this design. A switcheroo.

Thanks, American Blues Scene FB page



A Rauch with Guitar

Neo Rauch, Rauch, 2005,

Privatsammlung, courtesy Galerie EIGEN + ART Leipzig/Berlin und David Zwirner,

New York/London - Photo: Uwe Walter, Berlin

This is one of my favorite paintings by Neo Rauch.

It is a small self-portrait with a guitar.

There is an exhibit in Brussels at the BOZAR of

his work thru May 19th, 2013. Here's a link with a video of the show:

BOZAR 

I heard that his birthday was April 18th.

Yanna's Donut performed by the Hokum Scorchers

This is the Hokum Scorchers's adapted version of a Spark Plug Smith tune of 1933 called "Mama's Donut". We recorded this in 1995. Lou Reimuller plays National guitar and I play the washboard.

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Pick Poor Robin Clean performed by The Hokum Scorchers

Listen to Luke Jordan's "Pick Poor Robin Clean" (a song from 1927). Lou Reimuller guitar/ kazoo, Amy Crehore washboard/kazoo. Recorded by The Hokum Scorchers in 1990.
The Hokum Scorchers channel on soundcloud with free downloads.
 

"The Tutu" painting by Amy Crehore

Here's an earlier painting of mine that is hanging on one of my walls. Oil on linen, 20" x 24". The girl was inspired by Matisse. This painting features a vintage Regal tenor guitar (one that I own) and a yawning cat. 

The Art of Amy Crehore

artofamycrehore.blogspot.com

Gibson's Banner Guitars Were Made By Women During WWII

The workers at the Gibson guitar factory during WWII were nearly all women (photo 1944). 

In a new book, John Thomas uncovers the story of the Kalamazoo Gals and the Gibson "Banner" guitars that were built by these women during that period.

They are some of the finest guitars ever made.

LINK to book (by John Thomas)

Voice of America Story (Tom Banse)

Thanks, T. Tex Edwards

"Please Don't Wake It Up"- performed by The Hokum Scorchers

In 1992, the Hokum Scorchers recorded the Mississippi Sheiks' "Please Don't Wake It Up" (a song from 1931). Lou Reimuller is on National guitar and I am playing a snare drum. We both sing. Have a listen.

The Art (and music) of Amy Crehore

Let's Get Drunk Again- performed by The Hokum Scorchers

The Hokum Scorchers at my "Dreamgirls and Ukes" gallery show.

(Photo taken by Mark Lowrie 2009 at Thinkspace Gallery in Los Angeles)



"Let's Get Drunk Again" (song by Bo Chatmon 1938). This is a 1990 tape recording- Hokum Scorchers. Lou plays National guitar, Amy Crehore (me) on washboard w/cups.

The Art of Amy Crehore

The Hokum Scorchers Perform "Stamps Blues"

This was inspired by the Tony Hollins 1941 version of the song. Lou and I recorded this in 1995. I'm playing the washboard and Lou is playing a vintage National guitar.

Teenar and the Green Cheerleader

I'm taking some photos around the house with the new ipad. Top photo shows Teenar, Girl Guitar and bottom photo shows one of those green Cheerleader ukes from late 20s or early 30s. 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Combo Waltz performed by the Hokum Scorchers

Here is one of our Hokum Scorcher's recordings called Combo Waltz. I am playing the washboard and cups and Lou Reimuller is playing the National guitar, harmonica and kazoo. This song is based on a Memphis Jugband song from the late 20s, early 30s.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Photo of the Day

I found this photo here: LINK 

Sculptor (above) is making the prototype for the mold for mannequins like the one Lou Reimuller used to build his Teenar, girl guitar (below). Right now, Lou is finishing up Tickler Uke #3, a beautiful custom concert ukulele (that I designed).

The Art of Amy Crehore

1949 Bigsby Solid Body Electric

This guitar just sold at the Vintage Guitars and Musical Instrument Signature Auction in Dallas for a whopping $266,500. LINK If you want to find out more about the maker of this instrument, Paul Bigsby, there is a new blog called The Bigsby Files. Deke Dickerson is the author of the new blog.

Thanks, Fretboard Journal

"Loan Me Your Heart", a Papa Charlie Jackson Song

Papa Charlie Jackson portrait by Amy Crehore

I love Papa Charlie Jackson's music from the 1920s. He played a 6-string Gibson guitar- banjo. Check out the huge head on this banjo (above). I painted this portrait of him in the 1990s. Our little band, The Hokum Scorchers, did a few of his numbers. One such song is "Loan Me Your Heart". I love this song. 

You can listen to our version (recorded in the 1990s) HERE. 
(I play washboard/cups and Lou Reimuller plays guitar and sings).

P.S. Another song by Papa Charlie Jackson is "Papa Do Do Do". Our version of that song can be found here: LINK 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Gweek 017 Podcast: David Hahn & another Hokum Scorchers' song

Gweek is Boing Boing's podcast about comic books, science fiction and fantasy, video games, board games, tools, gadgets, apps and other neat stuff.

This week, Mark Frauenfelder interviews David Hahn, creator of of the comic book, All Nighter, published by Image Comics. David has also drawn for Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse.

The episode closes with another song by The Hokum Scorchers, a duo consisting of artist Amy Crehore and guitar maker Lou Reimuller. The song is called “I Got Your Ice Cold NuGrape" from 1926. (P.S. Here's the history of the NuGrape Song from a previous blog post!)
Link to Gweek:
GWEEK 017

The Art of Amy Crehore

Gweek 015 features Craig Yoe + another Hokum Scorchers' song

Check out the interview with Craig Yoe, designer and comic historian, on a brand new episode of Boingboing's Gweek podcast (015). Also, my band, The Hokum Scorchers, plays a version of Luke Jordan's 1927 song "Pick Poor Robin Clean" at the end of the podcast. Luke Jordan was a blues guitarist and singer from Lynchburg, VA. We recorded this song in 1990.

Lou Reimuller - National guitar/kazoo/vocals, Amy Crehore- on the washboard/kazoo/vocals.

GWEEK 015

The Art of Amy Crehore

Our recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" is also found here.

Unusual National Triolian Mandolin Paint Job

We bought this 1930s National Triolian resonator mandolin a little while ago. The unusual thing is the paint job: a solid pale yellow with custom pinstriping done by hand and a flower (?) design sprayed on the cover plate. I have never seen one exactly like it before. It's in great shape except for a spot where some of the paint is worn away from heavy playing. Wondering if maybe there was a set of them? Perhaps there was also a National Triolian guitar, plectrum guitar and tenor guitar painted to match. I can picture a hip 1930s band playing matching instruments.

The Art of Amy Crehore

P.S. The big instrument in the photo is a Gibson mandobass and the one on the wall is a Lyon and Healy Camp Uke.