folksingers who are also artists

Subject: folksingers who are also artists
From: peregrina
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 11:55 AM

Woody Guthrie was once a sign painter and filled notebooks with sketches (some now published); Dylan has an exhibition of his art in London. Any other examples?

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: theballadeer
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 11:59 AM

Both Roy Williamson and Ronnie Browne of the Corries and Scottish Folk singer Josh MacRae...and I believe they were all art teachers (as well).

Nick

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 12:01 PM

Terry Masterson in sunny Brighton.

G

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 12:07 PM

Gifford Rolfe in Wakefield

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 12:11 PM

me!

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Leadfingers
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 12:23 PM

MudCatter Alice (In Montana) is a superb artist as well as being a very competent singer !

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: GUEST,Pete Sumner
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 12:29 PM

Stan Hugill.....
Wonderful renditions of square riggers in full sail....he was also an artist in so many other ways...including rope work and of course, his writing.
Still missed....

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Rumncoke
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 12:44 PM

Not exactly art, but I can make knitted things with writing and patterns on - I design both the letters, patterns and the shape and size of the garment, then use a computerised knitting machine to make them.

I write science fantasy.

I'm pretty good with knots and macrame work, I used to sail a small yacht.

I used to make English smocks and patchwork quilts, now I make kilts from 7 to 9 yards of material. All handsewn.

I don't know why.

I just need to make things which are that bit special.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 02:23 PM

The wonderful Scottish folk fiddler Davie Lockhart from Fife (played with Heritage on their recordings) is an artist by profession. He taught at an art college for most of his career.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Bee
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 02:32 PM

Me! (Kind of a lightweight on the folk musician side, though.)

Traditionally painted and kiln fired stained glass art/paintings/leather sculpture/some jewelry/odd bits and pieces

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 02:40 PM

Gordon Bok is a woodcarver. Kendall has one of his pieces - a portrait of Kendall and Gordon sharing their music. There are a few "jokes",if you look carefully.

The carvings are raw and simple and catch their stories brilliantly.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 02:52 PM

Yeah, I've seen photos of Gordon Bok's wordcarving. Excellent stuff!

At one time, in my early teens, I decided I was going to draw comic strips for a living. I had been drawing, copying comic strips (notably Buck Rogers), since I was about six, but soon started inventing my own characters and writing my own stories. In the early 1940s, I had drawn about ten weeks worth of strips (both dailies and Sundays) about a pilot (who bore a strange resemblance to Steve Canyon) who was winning World War II practically single handed. My dad got me a subscription to "Flying" magazine, and with the aid of its monthly centerfold—a detailed cut-away drawing—I learned to draw several planes, like a P-51 Mustang or B-25 Mitchell, right down to the last rivet.

I learned the hard way that I really needed to work the story out ahead of time or I could waste a lot of time, paper, and ink by drawing my hero into a corner I couldn't get him out of. So I started writing up the story-line ahead of time. What I wrote looked a lot like a movie script, describing the drawing (close-up, distance shot from above, etc.) and the dialog in the speech-balloons. Somewhere I wound up with a lot of story, and going back to draw it all was just too monumental a task. I didn't give up drawing, but since I was reading voraciously (particularly science-fiction and the historical novels of Rafael Sabatini), I changed my focus to writing, which I have pursued ever since. Articles, short stories, a couple of abortive whacks at novels, working on a non-fiction book right now. Almost finished, Hoo-Hah!!

When I worked at Boeing in the late 60s-early 70s (as a production illustrator), I was pressed into service to draw some cartoons and, soon, a comic strip, for the departmental newspaper. The main character was "Secret Agent 00707," who wore a hat pulled low over his forehead, dark glasses, and a trench coat. His on-going assignment was to investigate and counteract manifestations of Murphy's Law within The Company. He was a sort of cross between James Bond and Dilbert. After about a year, some upper management mucky-muck who'd had his sense of humor ritually amputated, insisted that the strip be pulled because it was making fun of the company. Well. . . .   The other folks in the department, including the supervisors, thought it was an absolute hoot, though. They'd feed my ideas, real things they had encountered, that were far more bizarre and hilarious than anything I could have come up with on my own!

I got pretty good, I guess. I greatly admired the work of Hal Foster (Prince Valiant) and Alex Raymond (Flash Gordon). Both gone now and their strips have either been discontinued or taken over by other people, but these two weren't just cartoonists, they were genuine illustrators.

I concentrate on music and writing these days, but I still sketch a bit and do the occasional irreverent cartoon.

John Hardly is a pretty talented potter. Bloody brilliant, in fact!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 02:55 PM

. . . woodcarving. . . .   (Sheesh!)

Don Firth

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Betsy
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 03:53 PM

Are we also listing piss-artists ? If so this thread is going to fill rather quickly

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 04:05 PM

Uh . . . like writing your name in the snow? That sort of thing?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: DebC
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 04:26 PM

Grit Laskin

Deb Cowan
www.DebraCowan.com

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: CupOfTea
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 05:00 PM

Louie and Peter Berryman, both - he does all their graphics, she does a fair bit in textile arts and for years has tried a variety of beadwork. Sally Rogers also used to do beadwork.

Margaret Nelson of Chicago makes (and teaches) incredible puppets, hand held and the large scales ones you see at carnivals and peace parades. She's also my favorite female vocalist in the world.

In Cleveland, multi-talented Tim Wallace is a dab hand at amazing cartoons, caricatures and design, good at almost any art endeavour he tries. He's a fabulous musicain who writes some of the most hilarious songs (had Mark Graham in tears laughing...) who helps front a great band, the Smokin' Fez Monkeys.

In the multi-talented category stick the astonishing R.P.Hale. He builds and plays dulcimers, harpsicords (and their near companions) does historicaly accurate period paper marbling, wood cut printing, calligraphy, celtic knotwork, is a superb dance musician, church musician, amateur astronomer, period costumer, cooking teacher... some people got the talents of a whole tribe, I think.

In my own circle of local folks, we've got a professional level potter, a paper maker/book artist, a printmaker, a couple jewlers and moi, a trained artist (MFA) and art teacher (BS).

If you extend the the term 'artist' to include professional craftspeople, including instrument builders, there seems to be a fairly large overlap.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 05:40 PM

Robin garside stunning painter

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Anglo
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 05:45 PM

No longer with us, but Peter Bellamy must be mentioned in this thread.

And from the southern US, Art Rosenbaum.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 05:55 PM

Please see the thread I started, Paintings of folk musicians and dancers or the thread started a few days later by black walnut, Paintings by folk musicians and dancers.

I'm especially interested if you can find images online and post links to them.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Capo da Monty
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 08:03 PM

Eric Bottomley (GRA)is an excellent singer/guitarist originally from Lancashire but now lives in Herefordshire after a spell in Dorset.
His Railway and Transport paintings are superb.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Betsy
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 08:05 PM

Sorry Don - the phrase I used is a British phrase to describe someone who is over-fond of alcoholic beverage.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 08:18 PM

I see. Well, it occurs to me that, from time to time, the one leads to the other. . . .

Don Firth

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: open mike
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 10:24 PM

folk music IS an art, therfore folk musicians ARE artists..
I presume you mean to ask about musicians who also work (play, excell)
in OTHER medium...

I remember that Rick Fielding did carving in leather,
and many of us are right-brained creative types whose
expression takes many forms...

word crafting(writing), fiber arts, silver smith--
and other jewelry, pottery, and many other medium
are among the ways that singers and others express
themselves.

Greg Brown has designed "album" covers of his music,
and Joni Mitchell also paints.

the list goes on, and the beat goes on...

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: GUEST,Mike B.
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 10:48 PM

Joan Baez did line drawings for her "Any Day Now" album.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: bobad
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 11:00 PM

Eric Von Schmidt (May 28, 1931 - February 2, 2007) painted some incredibly beautiful album covers and illustrated song books, many of which can be seen at Stefan Wirz's site CLICK stroll down and feast you eyes.

He also did historical paintings which can be seen at his site CLICK

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 02:58 AM

As 'folk' is an art-form - all folk singers are artists
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: mandotim
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 03:27 AM

Nicole Murray of Cloudstreet; a stunning visual artist in lots of different media.
Tim

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: eddie1
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 03:36 AM

The late Rory McEwan was a world-renowned painter of flowers!

Eddie

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: GUEST,David Ingerson
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 03:46 AM

Catherine Crowe from Toronto (I believe) sings old style traditional Irish-Canadian songs beautifully and makes her living crafting Celtic knotwork and enamel jewelry.

David

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 04:03 AM

He wasn't a folksinger, but Django Reinhardt was a painter - and played the guitar a bit!

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Connacht Rambler
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 06:15 AM

The late Joe Dolan of Galway

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 06:42 AM

I was going to mention Peter Bellamy - I was just looking at some of his stuff yesterday. Incredibly talented man, in numerous respects.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 06:58 AM

I second the Robin Garside posting!
Brilliant singer/musician, yes...
but just look here ....

Cheers - Duncan (McFarlane)

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: GUEST,burl
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 10:10 AM

Chris Foster is an excellent painter.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: bubblyrat
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 04:50 PM

My former partner Bev Miller, aka Bev Johnston & Bev Burrows ( mudcatter "Lilly" ) ,is a highly skilled,college trained graphic designer of the old ( ie before computers !) school, and is well known in her native Dorset, where she specialises in beautiful acrylics of the Dorset ( "Jurassic" ) Coast.She is also an accomplished song and tune writer, and player of guitar,mandola,and mandolin.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: frogprince
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 09:40 PM

If you're willing to bend the rules a little for someone who just writes a few songs...

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Acorn4
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 06:06 AM

I seem to remember that Roger Wilson has or had a career as a graphic designer.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 06:24 AM

I recall being backstage after a Joni Mitchell concert in the early 70s. Me and some friends were getting some album covers signed. One of my mates asked Joni if she had time to finish off her painting on the cover of "Ladies of the Canyon"!

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: PoppaGator
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:27 AM

I was going to mention Joni Mitchell, but Tunesmith beat me to the punch earlier this morning.

My pal Spencer Bohren, probably better known in Europe than in his native US and even his adopted hometown of New Orleans (and currently on tour in the UK), started creating and selling shadowboxes ~ 3D framed compositions ~ a couple of years ago.

His friend Tony Green, a very accomplished "Gypsy jazz" guitarist who is even more successful as a visual artist (oils) than as a musician, gave Spencer a lot of encouragement (i.e., nagging) until he finally began producing some kind, any kind, of non-musical art.

Working in different art forms can be seen as a sort of creative/intellectual "cross-training" that should result in better performance and/or new appraoches and ideas in all of one's crative endeavors.

Tunesmith's earlier mention of Django Reinhardt prompted me to mention this. Tony Green is a serious disciple, almost a "soundalike," of the great Mr. Reinhardt, and Spencer and Marilyn named their firstborn son "Django."

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: reggie miles
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 04:45 PM

About three decades ago, I did some caricatures in a journal I was keeping. They were light hearted sketches of some characters I ran into playing music on the street. Last fall, I used some of these to work up a poster and tee shirt design for Seattle's Buskers' Festival poster contest. My design won the contest for best festival poster.   

I recently completed a how-to booklet for my annual musical saw workshop attendees. For the cover art I used one of my caricature sketches of musical saw player, Tom Scribner. My abilities are only marginal with computer programs for image manipulation. Even so, if it weren't for the skills I've developed using computer software I'm not certain that I would have been able to successfully use my images in either of the two projects.

As a result of my reworking my images for use in the poster design, I am also considering another project that I'll be working up using these same images. One project seems to lead to another and another.

I've also created found object art. My most recent work includes my own junk art guitars. No, I don't consider myself a luthier. The guitars I made were created from actual junk that I've culled from garage sales and swap meets. The stuff that I used, door kick plate, piano sound board, table leg, record player parts, baseball bat, vegetable steamer etc. was never created to play a role in the highly skilled craftsmanship involved in guitar making. It takes a particularly twisted mindset to dream such nightmares into existence. As such my Frankenstein projects, though they look, sound and function well as musical instruments, are actually closer to functional art sculptural constructions.

Besides drawing, found object constructions, and illustrations, I've done some carvings, and graphic design work. Idle hands are the devil's playthings.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Kara
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 04:53 PM

and me.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 07:01 PM

To Betsy and Don Firth:

I sincerely hope this doesn't refer to the hoary old joke about the handwriting of (someone famous)? Truly an art form of another dimension...

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Fidjit
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 12:54 PM

me water colours etc. here

Chas

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Splott Man
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 03:49 AM

Dave Paskett, (who sadly for us doesn't perform any more) is a very fine water-colourist.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 07:22 AM

Is my memory correct in thinking that Tony Hall the melodian player is also Fieldmouse the cartoonist.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: moongoddess
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 08:16 AM

I'd consider them folk singers of a sort ....Jerry Garcia and John Lennon.

A folk singer songwriter from the RI area - Jon Campbell, who is a wonderful sculptor and jewelry maker.

Subject: RE: folksingers who are also artists
From: SqueezeMe
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 11:30 AM

Rolf Harris????