My Widespread Panic 25th Anniversary Tour Poster has won Expressobeans Poster of the Week. Super happy, thanks everybody! I’ll be making a very limited release of Artist Proofs and a selection of variants on Sunday, April 17, 2011 at a random time. Stay posted.
Winston Smith’s class was not only informative, but extremely fun! Vale played straight man while Winston brought the house down with his quick wit, sharing his many years making some of San Francisco’s most inventive, challenging and subversive art. Winston shared so much cool art and so many hilarious stories during this class. Winston has a non-stop creative genius. Be sure to check out his books at Last Gasp. Lawrence Colacion snapped these pictures while the class progressed. Thanks to Winston and Vale for making this an historic occasion, enlightening The Free university Art School, and showing that true art can be purposeful and fun at the same time.
The first five week course offering for The Free University Art School was completed last Sunday, April 3, 2011, with Jon-Paul Bail’s presentation of a personal history of Oakland Street Art. Fitting perfectly into the Free University Art School’s step-by-step art of the street approach, the sweep and course arch of the four presentations:
1. Chris Shaw and I present Rock Art, and demonstrate printing techniques.
2. Blek le Rat – speaks to three decades of street art, defines the state of the art both high brow and low brow, and produces a stencil painting live.
3. Winston Smith – discusses his life and art, with me and Vale of RE/Search Magazine as moderator. Winston explored the long San Francisco tradition of DYI and punk art.
4. Jon-Paul Bail’s story of Oakland and San Francisco street art from 1980’s to present. I moderated and Ron Donovan printed JP’s street piece.
Jon-Paul culminates his class – and the Free U Art School first five weeks – by leading our class down Valencia Street in the Mission of San Francisco to make art on the street. We pasted Winston Smith’s Nuclear Scream, a reaction to the Japanese nuclear disaster.
Thanks everyone who came to learn, who came to teach, and for keeping the dream alive.
The Odyssey of Homer
22 x 33
Edition of 50
5 color silkscreen
Printed on archival cream paper
Signed and Numbered
Poster will be made a available at Gallery 1988, on April 15, 2011 at the Opening Reception 7pm – 10pm. Online availability will be announced on OMG Posters at a future date.
Mitch Putnam and Rob Jones invited me to make a poster for their show, “Required Reading” at 1988 Gallery on April 15, 2011, 7 pm – 10 pm. I leapt at the chance, thanks Mitch and Rob!
I chose “The Odyssey” of Homer and dug into the book for another reading. I love this book! This time around, I was struck by the kind, friendly relationship between Odysseus, and goddess Athena. How much both inspire and move the action.
In Book VII of “The Odyssey” Athena reveals herself to Odysseus, who has been praying to her for help to get home throughout the entire book. Odysseus is finally home, and they meet face-to-face, the two prime movers of “The Odyssey.” It’s a great scene: Odysseus meets Athena who is disguised as a goatherd. He immediately unwinds a meandering deceit – telling Athena he’s from Crete, fearing to reveal his true self and meet the same fate as Agamemnon who came home only to be killed. The goddess Athena uses her disguise to learn Odysseus’ frame of mind. She’s impressed by his quick wits. All at once, Odysseus’ lie is revealed, Athena changes into her true aspect, and a mist she had lowered over the island of Ithaca lifts, and reveals to Odysseus that he is finally home.
This is the scene I chose to illustrate.
Therewith the goddess scattered the mist, and the land appeared. Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus was glad rejoicing in his own land, and he kissed the earth, the graingiver. And anon he prayed to the nymphs, and lifted up his hands, saying:
‘Ye Naiad nymphs, daughters of Zeus, never did I think to look on you again, but now be ye greeted in my loving prayers: yea, and gifts as aforetime I will give, if the daughter of Zeus, driver of the spoil, suffer me of her grace myself to live, and bring my dear son to manhood.’
Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again: ‘Be of good courage, and let not thy heart be careful about these things. But come, let us straightway set thy goods in the secret place of the wondrous cave, that there they may abide for thee safe. And let us for ourselves advise us how all may be for the very best.’
Therewith the goddess plunged into the shadowy cave, searching out the chambers of the cavern. Meanwhile Odysseus brought up his treasure, the gold and the unyielding bronze and fair woven raiment, which the Phaeacians gave him. And these things he laid by with care, and Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, lord of the aegis, set a stone against the door of the cave. Then they twain sat down by the trunk of the sacred olive tree, and devised death for the froward wooers. And the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake first, saying:
‘Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, advise thee how thou mayest stretch forth thine hands upon the shameless wooers…
After many poster tours, I have always related to Odysseus returning home only to find more trouble to deal with. Getting home from tour means getting back in the saddle and dealing with getting your life back. That’s the part of “The Odyssey” that never fails to come to my mind after tour.
Anyway, for this project, I went to research the island of Ithaca. I found this tiny picture of the Cave of The Sanctuary of The Naiads on Ithaca where Odysseus and Athena were said to have met. I wanted an authentic setting.
Then I started my first draft in pencil – from pictures I had seen of Ithaca – it looked to be very similar to Liguria in Italy where I spent a lot of time – so drew the hills, trees and harbor from memory:
Second pencil draft:
Ready to ink, I realized that the Island of Ithaca scene was going to be done in a terra cotta color to emphasize the distance and bring the figures in black to the front for emphasis – so I inked them separtely:
Details of Athena’s shield – the “Greek Key” design and Aegis (Head of Medusa) design – would also be in color and inked separely:
I hope you enjoyed my design process post. “Required Reading” looks like it’s going to be a great exhibition! Looking forward to it. One interesting fact I stumbled on while researching: The Greek word Odyssey translates to “Trouble.” I like that. That’s why I went to all the trouble to do as good a job on this as I could.
The Free University of San Francisco aims to make the highest level of education available, completely free, to any individual who wants it, regardless of color, creed, age, gender, nationality, religion or immigration status— a university free of money, taught for free. The only requirement for membership is a desire to teach and/or a desire to learn.
Eric Drooker, Free University Art School Event
Friday, April 15, 2011 – 7:30PM to 9PM
Fivepoints Arthouse
72 Tehama Street (one block south of Howard Street / off 2nd Street)
San Francisco, CA
Visual artist Eric Drooker will project hundreds of images and explore his early years as a street artist in New York City. Although he continues to create radical street posters, he’ll demonstrate how his images function in various popular mediums. He’ll trace the evolution of his graphic novels into animation–as in the recent hit film “Howl”–and discuss his experiences creating public art, covers for “The New Yorker,” and his slow infiltration of the mainstream.
Lecture will be accompanied by the artist on a variety of musical instruments.
Visit: www.Drooker.com
Chuck Sperry lives in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, where he’s made his particular style of rock poster designs for over 20 years. He operates Hangar 18, a silkscreen print studio, located in Oakland. Learn More…
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