60s Series
I grew up in the 60s and the music was woven into the fabric of my life. I still love it! So when I was asked to be a featured artist at the Prairie Art Alliance gallery, I decided to illustrate 60s songs. I tried to cover all the main genres and popular groups, but space and time were limited. Realizing that some people would not know the songs, I have made labels from 45 records with a small recorder attached to the back. If you hit the button, you will hear a few seconds of the song. I call these "memory joggers." It makes the show a very special one since it is visual and auditory. I had so much fun doing these pieces that I will probably continue to illustrate more songs in the future.
Octopus's Garden
This Beatles' song is completely collaged with hand-painted papers using a Gelli Plate. Lots of fun.
12"H x 12"W
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Hurdy Gurdy Man
This is a Donovan song. I found the man and his dog in a photo on the internet and got permission from the photographer to use them in this work. The collage elements are the large tree, the vest, the hurdy gurdy, and dog's blanket. The rest is acrylic.
36"H x 24"W
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I am the Walrus
I collaged the walrus from hand-painted papers. I had several ideas about adding the egg-man and finally settled on the 3D egg. He looked worried so I gave him a life preserver. Beatles.
8"H x 10"W
Raffle item
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
The tent is made from teabags, the floorboards are cut from a map of Southern Illinois, the podium and guitar are from a hymnal and Brother Love's suit is Bible pages. Love Neil Diamond!
24"H x 24"W
$350
She's a Rainbow
I loved the Rolling Stones but despaired of coming up with a good image until I heard She's a Rainbow on my Sirius 60s station. And she is a rainbow with a caftan made of hand-painted papers.
24"H x 24"W
$300
White Rabbit
I decided to go with the Alice in Wonderland version instead of the Jefferson Airplane psychedelic one. The Dormouse is on the left side of the canvas.
18"H x 24"W
$250
Joy to the World
Jeremiah was a bullfrog--here he is drinking his wine. His body is hand-painted papers. Three Dog Night.
12"H x 12"W
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Eleanor Rigby - back
All the lonely people--Eleanor is faceless, choosing her "face in the jar" for the day. Each jar has a different expression. This is the only 60s song that I could find using a violin. Beatles.
20"H x 10"W x 2"D
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Eleanor Rigby - front
The scene on the front of the violin shows the church and graveyard with Father McKenzie as the only mourner at Eleanor's funeral.
18"H x 10"W x 2"D
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Baby Elephant Walk
This instrumental piece is by Henry Mancini. I used hand-painted papers for the elephant on painted background.
12"H x 12"W
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I am a Rock
Yes, you are! This piece is in my show as a joke. But it does have its own record label with Simon & Garfunkel's song.
4"H x 6"W x 4"D
NFS
Both Sides Now
This Judy Collin's song has a variety of images in the clouds for you to find. The key words of the lyrics can be found in the layers of the hillsides.
40"H x 30"W
$450
Do You Love Me (Now that I can Dance)
This is a Motown song by the Contours, but I pictured dancing Hippy rabbits. Don't ask why!
12"H x 36"W
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The Little Old Lady from Pasadena
The little old lady's super-stock Dodge is collaged with painted maps of southern California. You can read Pasadena on the side of her car. The street is Colorado Boulevard and the boys are ready to race. Jan and Dean.
12"H x 36"W
$250
Little Red Riding Hood
There he is--the wolf in sheep's clothing. His jacket says The Black Sheep. I loved this Sam the Sham record and got to see him perform it in person.
24"H x 18"W
$185
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
I decided to do Lucy from the viewpoint of a 5-year old (Julian Lennon, whose drawing gave the title for this song). This is 4 canvases. Lucy's dress and the kaleidoscope eyes are done with holographic paper. There is real movement when you look at them in the light. The tangerine trees, marmalade sky, and green and yellow cellophane flowers are all there. I worried about the Rocking Horse people, but then made a pub called the Rocking Horse. Therefore the people inside are the rocking horse people--eating marshmallow pies, of course. Beatles.
40"H x 24"W
$850
Mr. Tambourine Man
This piece is collaged on the tambourine. I used the Bob Dylan version for my recording since he wrote the song and I wanted to include him.
8"H x 8"W
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The Strawberry Fielders
I could not resist! Here are my 9 little strawberry baseball players, ready for the game. Beatles.
6"H x 16"W x 4"D
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Sugar, Sugar
This piece is just for fun--like the Bubble gum music that it represents. She is collaged with candy wrappers, sugar labels, cupcake liners, etc. I wanted her hair to look like icing or cotton candy. She has some strategically placed labels to add a little humor. The Archies.
16"H x 3"W x 3"D
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Surfin' U.S.A.
This Beach Boys song brings back memories of my life in California in the early 60s. The beach is full of surfers as they might have appeared at that time.
12"H x 36"W
$250
The Fool on the HIll
I love Medieval fools so doing this song was fun. He is on a very tall hill and there is magic around. Beatles.
30"H x 16"W
$250
Unchained Melody
I heard this song and immediately thought of a Viet Nam soldier writing to his girlfriend back home. The uniform and face are collaged, the rest is acrylic. Righteous Brothers.
24"H x 24"W
$300
Season of the Witch
This Donovan song is not well-known. This witch is kindly, her face, hands, basket and the toad are collaged with hand-painted book pages.
36"H x 24"W
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Traces of Love
This Classics IV song just cried out to be a shadow box with the elements of an old love including a faded photograph, an old love letter, ticket stubs and ribbons from her hair.
10"H x 10"W
$75
Come Together
This assemblage is loosely based on the Beatles' song, Come Together. I view the song as I would an abstract piece of art and I went for the feeling, not the image.
19"H x 11"W x 8"D
$140