Anywhere the Sun Shines (Joe) 2010

Joe from the rockin' newly reunioned Flower Travellin' Band: old school Japanese blues/psyche/ hard rock/ proto-metal sweetness!
Ink and acrylic on found wood...greatest pair of skinny jeans I have ever painted!

A Long Walk Home (James 'Son' Thomas) 2010

Like I said before, wicked wicked wicked! My sculptural tribute to Mr. Thomas: sun-dried clay mixed with sawdust, pine cone pieces for teeth, rope, dryer lint, foil, cigarette, plastic rat, paint can lid, .38 bullet casings, found liquor bottle and found wood...and a whole lotta swearin' and hollerin' (wood working ain't my thing)

Devil Blues (James 'Son' Thomas) 2010

So, this guy is kinda a holy grail in my own particular niche of geekdom...he was a blues musician who also made some wicked folk art and had a mighty interesting life story. James 'Son' Thomas was a grave diggin' skull scultpin' geetar playin' dude from Mississippi. Here is an awesome interview with Mr. Thomas done in '81. Wicked Wicked Wicked...anyway this man has already been the basis of a painting and sculpture and the second painting is on its way!!!

This here painting is on found wood and done with acrylic and ink, found rope, and homemade clay skulls with foil eyes. (It is as if this wood was condition for this image)

Mr. Tambourine Man (Big Chief Monk Boudreaux) 2010

Now this is thee big chief, I believe, one of two "thee big chiefs" of the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans. Big Chief Boudreaux has been leading the Golden Eagle Tribe for nearly a decade after a long run in the Wild Magnolias, chiefed up by Big Chief Bo Dollis...anyway The Mardi Gras Indians are a very wicked culture! This here is the Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, ink, acrylic, feathers, jar lid, poker chips, and pie pans on a found wooden ironing board.

The Fonky Fessa (Professor Longhair) 2010

The one and only Big Chief, the Professor of Piano Hisself...Professor Longhair. The genius behind and beyond the keys bridging the old and new, the funky and exotic...ink, acrylic, bottle caps, and found wood on found wood.

My Time Outside the Womb (Titus Andronicus) 2010

Titus Andronicus: a nasty little play from Shakespeare and a nasty little band from New Jersey. I saw these guys in a tiny little hole in the wall and it rocked: kinda like the Pogues and Bruce Springsteen jamming at an east coast hardcore show...good stuff, anyway here is the lead singer/songwriter of the group...Titus does have a very wicked beard! Ink and acrylic on found wood.

My Intentions are War (Lord Invader) 2010

Lord Invader was one of the most popular Trinidadian Calypso singers to bring the music form to the states. He did so to collect royalties on a song he wrote (Rum and Cola) that was appropriated by a folk group in the fifties. After a very lengthy trial (several years) Lord Invader conquered New York legally, but he vanquished it with his scorching tunes years earlier. Ink and acrylic on found wood.

Love Letters (Lord Cobra) 2010

Lord Cobra, a... no... thee Panamanian Calpsonian...wicked stuff from this guy
Ink and acrylic on found wood

That Golden Melody (Lord Melody) 2010

Another Calypso superstar from the golden age.
Ink and acrylic on found wood

The Golden Voice (The Mighty Terror) 2010

A Calypso superstar: The Mighty Terror
ink and acrylic on found wood

Lucha Verde 2010

Here's some of the highlights from my LuchaVerde show now hanging at Chile Verde Cafe on Sawmill Rd. Come for the art, stay for the food...it is excellent!! All the pieces are ink and acrylic on found wood.

Gonna Rock this Joint Tonight (Esquerita) 2010

The one-eyed (maybe I made that up, I read somewhere that he had a wooden eye), extremely tall, white painted face, double bouffant wearin' piano slingin' uniquely fabulash: Esquerita! Which came first, the Little Richard or the Esquerita? Who really knows for sure?! Ink, acrylic, and rope on wood

Down at the Rainbow's End (Hank Snow) 2010

A tender? portait of the man whose been everywhere...ink, acrylic, rope, and plastic flowers on found wood

Super Sonic Astral Projection (Sun-Ra) 2010

The mighty Sun-Ra, slightly less tripped out than normal...ink, acrylic, plastic flowers, and stereo parts on found speaker panel

The Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder) 2009

Been going through a serious early 70's Stevie phase. This one is for Ezra Bean, we have been diggin' Stevie's Superstitious on Sesame Street! Ink and acrylic on stretched fabric...37.5" x 48"

United Our Thing Will Stand (James Booker) 2010

The great gonzo pianist from the Big Easy! Ink, acrylic, bottle caps, found wood on found wood

Hell's High-Sheriff (Peetie Wheatstraw) 2010

Peetie Wheatstraw: Hell's High-Sheriff, The Devil's Son-in-Law, and one of the first musicians to take on and perform under a "fiendish" alter ego...on a side note he is usually pictured with a geetar, but in actuality he played a very wicked piano! Ink, acrylic, straw, and found wood on wood.

The Log Bomb (Bob Log III) 2009

"Ladies and gentleman...Bob Log the Third, one man band from Tuscon, Arizona...I am a professional goddamnit!" See this cat live, holy smokes, it'll change your life...ink, acrylic, and found wood on found wood

Los Tres Gallos (The Three Roosters of Mexico) 2010

The Three Roosters of Mexico: Javier Solis, Jorge Negrete, and Pedro Infante were extremely popular singers and actors who died early and tragic. Ink, acrylic, rope, plastic flowers, and found wood on found wood

Folk Blues (Leadbelly) 2009: response to LA trip

Short and sweet little piece of Leadbelly. Ink and acrylic and bottle caps on found wood...found in Louisiana, anyway this is going to the Holcombes. Thanks for all your hospitality and great kindness!!

From All Sides (Vince Guaraldi) 2010

This one's for you Jerry Kalback! Pretty large and heavy...I mean heavy freakin' piece. Ink and acrylic, found wood, Peanuts finger puppets, and poker chips on found wood