Sunday, November 30, 2008

Whistler's Jug Band 1930


This is great. I have the Yazoo video tape at home, "Times Ain't Like They Used to Be" with this clip from 1930 and the one I blogged earlier from 1928....and many more. You can obtain one here: Yazoo.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Hokum Music on YouTube


Eddie Thomas and Carl Scott play "My Ohio Home", 1928, uke and washboard, recorded in Richmond, VA.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

"What's the Matter" Memphis Jugband Song performed by the Hokum Scorchers

Image of the Memphis Jug Band from R. Crumb's "Heroes of the Blues" trading cards. LINK

This Hokum Scorchers' song is a version of "What's the Matter"originally done by the Memphis Jug Band in 1929. Lou Reimuller is playing the National guitar, kazoo and vocals and I am on the washboard, kazoo and vocals. We recorded this in 1990 for our first Hokum Scorcher's album. Hokum Scorchers are now on myspace, so follow this link to hear the song,
plus 5 more:

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Giving Thanks for all the Good Things

This charming little postcard is from Riptheskull Thanksgiving postcard set on flickr. It's an amazing collection! Thanks so much for collecting them and posting them on flickr, Riptheskull. I also want to thank Thinkspace Gallery. They blogged my studio photos this morning along with a new article about my upcoming show, "Dreamgirls and Ukes"(Feb 2009). Just follow the link to read about it. Boingboing picked up the story, too. I'm grateful for that as well. And....I'd like to wish all of the readers of this blog a very Happy Thanksgiving! Luv ya, me.
The Art of Amy Crehore

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Photos of Os Gemeos Street Art


Brasilian artists OS GEMEOS and NINA visited Cuba a few years back and left their marks. JASON NOLAN documented the murals for Supertouch blog. Follow this link for a series of some of the most beautiful photos you've ever seen. I was able to see an exhibit of Os Gemeos artworks over the summer in NYC at Deitch and it was simply amazing -

Crehore Studio Photos

Detail of a new painting by Amy Crehore 2008
I just put a set of studio shots on flickr of my work in progress.
This is for my "Dreamgirls and Ukes" show coming up Feb 13, 2009 at Thinkspace Gallery.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Speaking of Cats in Art

"Maiko Tiger"painting copyright Moira Hahn
"Bat Luck" painting copyright Moira Hahn
Aren't these beautiful? Moira Hahn is currently showing her watercolors at Roq la Rue in Seattle until Dec. 6 (shown above are two from that show) and she is also in the upcoming "KNOW" exhibit curated by Mark Murphy (Art Basel Miami). If that isn't enough, she is having a solo show at Koplin Del Rio in Culver City, CA opening January 10th, 2009. I am hoping to swing by and check it out when I go down there in February. Can't wait. "Moira Hahn celebrates the mythology of Persian miniatures, Tibetan Thanka paintings, Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, Indian animal drawings and Chinese guardian figures" ...with a twist.

Eva Natus-Salamoun, Czech Ilustrator

This is a sweet little romantic drawing by Eva Natus-Salamoun, born in 1936. This one is from the blog, Lezinfo . And, there is even more of her whimsical, fairy-tale folk art on:
(Thanks, Will)

Sneak peek

It looks like I may not have time to finish painting Tickler Uke Number 2 anytime soon. I've been working too hard on things for my Feb. show in L.A.
Here's a sneak peek at the Jux ad for my show . (Click to enlarge)
More details coming!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

What am I listening to?




One of my favorite albums from Yazoo with the Robert Armstrong cover. It's perfect to paint by. No singing, just pure guitar music. Listen to a few more tracks and buy the album here:
His name was Salvatore Massaro a.k.a. Eddie Lang (1902-1933). He died tragically at a young age during a botched tonsillectomy. He was a jazz guitar virtuoso. Read more about Eddie.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Ukulele Headstock Designs


I like looking at ukulele headstocks.They come in all shapes and sizes. Beautiful. Here's a handful of old drawings of different headstock designs on a great uke website: Nalu-Music Link

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Art Basel Miami with Thinkspace!

(Click to enlarge)
I am fortunate to be included in an exhibit called "Looking Glass" with Thinkspace Gallery in the Gen Art Vanguard New Contemporary Art Fair this December during Art Basel in Miami, FL.
I will be showing two of my new paintings with beautiful frames:
"The Caged Wonder" and "French Bubble Gum Encore".
The ‘Looking Glass’ exhibit will offer a sampling of new works from artists that are showing with their gallery in Los Angeles during 2009 and 2010 and beyond.
Gen Art Vanguard New Contemporary Art Fair
Charcoal Studios in the Wynwood Arts District 2135 NW 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33127
Runs 12-04-08 through 12-07-08
Allison Sommers
http://www.flickr.com/photos/on_a_boutade
Amy Crehore
http://www.amycrehore.com/
Andrew Hem
http://www.andrewhem.com/
Andy Kehoe
http://www.andykehoe.net/
Anthony Pontius
http://anthonypontius.vox.com/
ARMSROCK
http://www.armsrock.blogspot.com/
Audrey Kawasaki
http://www.audrey-kawasaki.com/
Bo130
http://www.bo130.org/
Brandi Milne
http://www.brandimilne.com/
Brian M. Viveros
http://www.brianmviveros.com/
Camilla d’Errico
http://www.camilladerrico.com/
Cherri Wood
http://cherriwood.livejournal.com/
Damon Soule
http://www.damonsoule.com/
Dan-ah Kim
http://www.dkim-art.com/
David MacDowell
http://www.macdowellstudio.com/
ELBOW-TOE
http://street-fodder.blogspot.com/
Ekundayo
http://www.ekundayo.com/
Esao Andrews
http://www.esao.net/
Fafi
http://www.fafi.net/
Imminent Disaster
http://www.flickr.com/photos/disasterstrikes/
Joao Ruas
http://souvlaki.jp-ar.org/
Kelly Vivanco
http://www.kellyvivanco.com/
KMNDZ (aka Johnny Rodriguez)
http://www.kmndz.com/
KuKula
http://www.kukulaland.com/
Matthew Feyld
http://matthewfeyld.blogspot.com/
Michael Alvarez
http://www.michaelalvarezart.com/
Microbo
http://www.microbo.com/
Mr. Jago
http://www.mrjago.com/
Paul Barnes
http://www.paul-barnes.com/
Peter Taylor
http://www.handmadefeat.com/
Reuben Rude
http://www.reubenrude.com/
Robert Pokorny
http://www.ripgallery.com/Site/Home.html
Sarah Joncas
http://www.teapartylove.digitalinkz.com/
Seth Armstrong
http://www.setharmstrong.com/
Stella Im Hultberg
http://www.stellaimhultberg.com/
Stephen Smith (aka Neasden Control Centre)
http://www.neasdencontrolcentre.com/ncc.html
Timothy Karpinski
http://timothykarpinski.com/
Tony Philippou
http://www.tonyphilippou.com/
Yosuke Ueno
http://www.spaceegg77.com/
Check out their current Drawing Show curated by Audrey Kawasaki (they had lines around the block at the opening for this one):

Thursday, November 13, 2008

My New Painting for Murphy's 2nd "KNOW" Exhibit in Miami

The frame is actually more bronzy-gold antiqued color, but this sort of gives an indication.

Here is my oil on linen, "The Song of the Firefly", featuring a girl and her uke, 6" square with a 10"x10" ornate gold frame. Copyright Amy Crehore 2008. Contact Mark Murphy if interested.

This is for Mark Murphy's KNOW exhibit. He will be at Art Basel Miami again this year and he invited me to participate. He has gathered together many artists for his KNOW exhibit to be held at Gen Art Vanguard New Contemporary Art Fair - Charcoal Studios in the Wynwood Arts District 2135 NW 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33127
12-04-08 through 12-07-08
Follow this link to see some more of the art and for contact info:



Featuring:Jennybird Alcantara : David van Alphen : Ana Bagayan : Robert Bellm : Jonathan Bergeron : Mike Bertino : Cathie Bleck : Jonathan Boam : Darren Booth : Brandon Boyd : Katherine Brannock : Calef Brown : Ryan Bubnis : Marc Burckhardt : Christopher Buzelli : Ray Caesar : Luke Chueh : Dave Chung : Robert Connett : Molly Crabapple : Amy Crehore : Brian Despain : Xiaoqing Ding : Leslie Ditto : Doodles : Ekundayo : P-Jay Fidler : AJ Fosik : Andrew Foster : Ken Garduno : Ill Gill : Matt Haber : Moira Hahn : Robert Hardgrave : Ryan Heshka : Vincent Hui : Jordin Isip : Jason Jacenko : Levon Jihanian : Ron Job : Dan Kennedy : Kinoko : KMNDZ : Zane Kozak : Kukula : Travis Lampe : Daniel Hyun Lim : Tommii Lim : Jen Lobo : Lola : Dan May : Brandi Milne : Mark Murphy : Joel Nakamura : Andrew Neyer : Clinton Neuhaus : Kathie Olivas : Brandt Peters : Jenn Porreca : Luke Ramsey : relAx one : RG : Mark Ryden : Chris Ryniak : Erik Sandberg : Mijn Schatje : Jeffery Scott 92501 : Kim Scott : Jeff Soto : Nathan Spoor : Matt Stallings : David Russell Talbott : Yoko Tanaka : Gary Taxali : Peter Taylor : Jon Todd : Joe Vaux : Alexei Vella : Jonathan Viner : Marco Wagner : Cynthia Walton : Nicholas Wilton : Martin Wittfooth : Davey Wong : Johnny Yanok : Marco Zamora : Chet Zar


More of my art here:

Monday, November 10, 2008

Nice Old Drawings

Click to enlarge
" 'General Jackson Slaying the Many Headed Monster'Lithographic cartoon; Andrew Jackson, Van Buren and assisting personage in uniform battling with serpent with numerous caricature heads. Artist unknown, Henry R Robinson (publisher); 1833."
More drawings here:

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Ladies and Their Fame


acjnakedladies
Originally uploaded by carbonated

Great set on flickr (by carbonated) that goes on and on. (Click link above)
Includes lots of Alfred Cheney Johnston photos.

Friday, November 07, 2008

"View" Arts Magazine

I love this cover painted by Morris Hirshfield in 1945 for"View"arts magazine. Kind of sexy, yes? So modern. That fabulous blog, A Journey Round My Skull , has 13 more by famous artists like Georgia O'Keefe, Andre Masson, Duchamp, Fernand Leger, Man Ray, Calder, etc. Just follow the link. Cool.

Alice in Different Styles

Mabel Lucie Attwell
A.E. Jackson

Gwynedd Hudson


Arthur Rackham

Here are some beautiful interpretations of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland from early 20th century illustrators.
More links at this site: Alice (by David Neal)

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Jack and Beverly's Optical Toy Collection

Thomas Rowlandson engraving
2"Slip slides" in animated form

This is the coolest website - Jack and Beverly's collection of vintage optical motion toys including the "magic lantern, Zoetrope (wheel of life), Praxinoscope, Phenakistoscope, a Polyrama Panoptique, a Kinora, Mutoscope, and flip books. These toys are the genesis of motion pictures. They are, in effect, single frame animations like a modern movie cartoon."

Read about them and see more at
Brightbytes

The Art of Amy Crehore

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Jacqueline Marval Was a Marvel.





Here are 3 examples of paintings by Jacqueline Marval done in the early 1900's. In 1901, she exhibited ten paintings at the "Salon des Indépendants", which was held at the "Universal Exhibition" in Paris. All of her canvases were bought by Ambroise Vollard. She was an amazing painter and had a great sense of design. More about her at

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Halloween #29


Halloween #29
Originally uploaded by stevechasmar
Steve Chasmar still
has a few more days of
vintage Halloween photos on flickr.
This one is-
"Bluebeard's Wives"

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Black Angel

I think she is standing on a bowling ball - Aurora Consurgens, Black Angel from Wikipedia commons, Angels. Thanks, Internet Weekly.
The Art of Amy Crehore
(My website sale continues until Halloween. Free signed drawing comes with orders.)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

What am I up to?

In progress -painting detail- by Amy Crehore
I have been working like a dog on secret projects. There are shows coming up in Miami and L.A. and all of my efforts are going into painting. I can barely keep up with emails or my blog, but I am doing my best. Here's a partial peek at painting I am working on. It is only half finished. I am working on a zillion things all at once, so this hardly shows what I am really up to. However, I do not want to ruin any surprises, so I am keeping a lot of it to myself for now. I will reveal more later. I just wanted to give you something to look at and look forward to. The Art of Amy Crehore

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Liz McGrath Has Wonderful Hokum-style Sensibility

XII, Mixed Media, Liz McGrath
XI Mixed Media, Liz McGrath


Artist Liz McGrath gets a Little Hokum Rag seal of approval for her ambitious new show at Iguapop Gallery in Barcelona. I especially like her sculptures with portholes in the bellies of the animals - where I can see things like cake and little people. You will see musical references, vintage children's book motifs, old clowns, and two-headed beasts in her work. It is all done with a good dose of dark humor and surrealism. It reminds me a bit of the wonderful world of Tim Burton.
Here's a link to the preview thanks to boingboing.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Photo of the Day

"Kudzu, US460 West" by Raleigh Powell Copyright 2008
My photo of the day is a recent one by Raleigh Powell - nature's "sculpture" -it's a photo of kudzu along the side of the highway. Thanks, Raleigh!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Vintage Witch Halloween Paper Hat

Halloween Hats on flickr.
Really cool illustrations on these.
(Thanks go to riptheskull.)

Sunday, October 19, 2008

WWII Envelope Art


There is a small collection on flickr of historically interesting and humorous envelope cartoons: "A group of original and vintage WWII envelopes decorated with drawings by Corporal Weinert, an Army soldier who served during WWII. He created these works of art on envelopes he used to mail letters home to his wife." It looks like in the top one she was Miss York and in the bottom one she is Mrs. Weinert. I wonder if he wooed her with his art.
See a few more here:

Saturday, October 18, 2008

This Is On My Dining Room Wall

Yes, it's none other than a giant Mr. Peanut. He greets me each day and does a little dance while I eat my dinner. His cane is missing, but he's still got his monocle and spats.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

My Sale Continues Until Halloween...Plus Bonus!

I am extending my website sale until Halloween and I will personally include one very small, signed drawing in every order of prints or Uke T-shirts from now until then (limited to one drawing per person.) How's them apples?

The Art of Amy Crehore

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Walter Schnackenberg's Surreal Drawings

The decapitated girl and the bat (1949)
The sleepwalker (1956)
You can see more of these fascinating drawings at
Walter Schnackenberg was a German artist born in Bad Lauterburg in 1880. This small body of work is highly imaginative, unique and unforgettable.

Zulus Playing Ping Pong



Missionaries taught the Zulu tribe to play games. Click on images to enlarge. More photos: LINK
(Thanks, dirty.ru)

Monday, October 13, 2008

This is Hanging in My Kitchen


These are Victorian trade cards -which I blogged about some time ago. The top one, "Brooks Spool Cotton" happens to be an image that I live with everyday. I have a metal repro-sign hanging on the wall of my kitchen. It makes me smile when I make my coffee in the morning. The trade cards for the sewing industry are among my favorites. Here's one for J & P Coats thread featuring cats teasing a vicious dog (bottom image). Right up my alley!
Thanks for reminding me of this great art BibliOdyssey .

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Glamour Halloween




A collection of vintage glamour Halloween photos plus more:
Thanks to Confetta on flickr. So cool!

Vintage Halloween Part Two!

Tuck Series 150 postcard
Barton and Spooner postcard

If you liked the collection of vintage Halloween photos by Steve Chasmar that I blogged about about earlier, take a look at this extensive collection of old postcards by
(Thanks, Dave) This collection goes on for miles and it's simply beautiful! What a great way to get into October and the change of season. I love flickr!