For Robin and Leonard
When someone is such an enormous positive influence in your life, it's natural to want to reach out and let them know. Say "Thank you." When that person is Robin Williams it means that as real as the personal connection feels, you are one person in a world of strangers who feel the same way. I know that he was a huge fan of art and loved animals. So six weeks ago I decided to paint a portrait of Robin Williams' dog, Leonard.
I first met Robin the same way most of America did, on Mork and Mindy. Was anyone else obsessed with finding out what Orson actually looked like? Growing up in the North Bay Area, I would hear that he did stand-up in San Francisco but I was just a kid. I never saw him perform live.
When I was 13 years old I bailed on popular music and focused on listening to stand-up comedy. I would tape every episode of Comedy Tonight and watch them until the colors got all weird. At night I would listen to comedy on cassettes until I fell asleep. My favorite tape was Comic Relief, the benefit for the homeless hosted by Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg. I didn't understand all the humor but that didn't stop me from committing the whole thing to memory.
I could go on about Robin Williams' career and accomplishments but we already know. There is one thing I've been feeling since he passed and I was surprised to hear the same thing from so many friends and through social media. We felt like we had a personal relationship with Robin. It makes me wonder what it was about him that's different from so many other talented comedians and actors. What is it about Robin Williams that makes us feel like we lost a friend or family member. I think it's because on top of all his comedic and acting genius, Robin Williams had a very fatherly quality. Of course he really was a father. But to me, it felt like I had this super-funny, giving, strong (second) father....who I had never met...because he's so busy making movies and stuff.
For me, this feeling points back to his 1980 film, Popeye. My dad had this one in his VHS collection so it brings back a lot of father-son memories for me. And when you put all the cartoon stuff aside, this was a movie about fathers and sons. Williams' Popeye is a father and a son to his father.
This father/ father figure theme runs through so many of Williams' roles from Mrs. Doubtfire to Good Will Hunting to the 2009 film, World's Greatest Dad. The latter, directed by Bobcat Goldthwait basically changed my life. At least, it made me think differently about the way people perceive one another. How someone perceives me has so much to do with what is going on their own mind, their desires and fears, and so little to do with who I actually am. And I do the same thing with my perceptions of them.
But I digress.
In July, I decided I needed to paint Robin Williams' dog. I had recently done something similar for a friend of his, so I sent her this one to give to Robin. I got word back that Robin loved the piece and said I captured "the Essence of Leonard."
The fact that two days of work on my part could make someone smile, someone who has made me laugh a thousand times, it really meant a lot. I only wish he could have enjoyed it longer.
Alright, that's all I had to say. Peace be with you, Robin.
What Drives Doggies in Jalopies?
Less is More opens tonight at 111 Minna Gallery and since my new series, Doggies in Jalopies will be included in the show I thought I'd tell you a bit about my inspirations.
1. The Addams family.
Man, it still holds up! This TV SHOW inspires a lot of my artwork. Not necessarily in the literal, Goth sense. It's more the fact that my fiancee and I really relate to the lifestyle. Morticia, Gomez and their family weren't "outsiders." They're "insiders!" Their passions were not a reaction to anything. They simply were not concerned with how the rest of the world lived. They stayed inside and had fun together, their own way. People tend to see the Addams family as mascots to their own "alternative" macabre lifestyles, (probably because of the re-branding the Addams got for the films) but the original TV series was not so "dark." They weren't cruel. They didn't want cookies made from "real Girl Scouts." Aside from all the cartoon stuff like playing with dynamite, putting their own head in a vice or having a live hand in a box, these characters were loving and empathetic. The comedy came from their ignorance of how out-of-touch they were with the rest of the world.
Every episode pretty much went the same way. People from the outside world came upon the Addams' mansion. They would enter and see that mounted marlin with a leg coming out it's mouth, Lurch would grab someone's hat and they would get all "Whooooaaah! These these people are different. I'm scared!" And there is my point. The gag to this show was that there was ONE weird family and the rest of the world played the "straight man." Without the straight man, the one who is freaked out by the strangeness, there is no point. So what do we do now that everyone has a neck tattoo, peirced toes and the Taco Bell logo shaved into their hair? The whole world wants to be the Addams family, the ones weirding out the "norms." Well, I want to weird out the weirdoes, in part by painting off-puttingly wholesome subject-matter. Like Doggies in Jalopies.
2. Peter Helck
I don't know anything about cars or racing, really. My one attempt to be a classic car guy had me pushing a 1969 Mercury Cougar more than driving it. All of my obsession with turn-of-the-century autos and the 1908 Great Race points to one illustrator's book: Great Auto Races as told and painted by Peter Helck. I was floored when I first discovered this book at the Mill Valley library around 2003. I must have checked it out half a dozen times. The color book is 12"x13" and weighs approximately 160 pounds. Every one of the hundreds of paintings and drawings show an intimidating amount of action, movement and detail, all locked down with an incredibly informed, slightly pushed perspective. After almost a decade of keeping an eye out at used bookstores, I managed to find an affordable copy of Great Auto Races on Powell.com. This book is definitely on my short list of things I will grab in case of fire.
For more on Peter Helck (1893-1988) and his artwork check out this article on Vanderbilt Cup Races.
3. Edward Gorey
If you are familiar with my work, it can't be a huge surprise that I love Edward Gorey. Like the Addams family, his artwork is a bit dark but has all the charm and quiet homeyness of your grandparent's sooty fireplace. As an illustrator, his approach may just be the opposite of Peter Helck's. Gorey put his emphasis into meditatively scratching out marks with ink to tell his darkly deadpan stories. His drawings are fun, simple, and hold no attempts to "wow" anyone with dynamic points of view or his knowledge of rippling, human anatomy. Love it or hate it. His work is unapologetic.
Less is More opens Friday, April 4th at 111 Minna Gallery. 5pm-2am-ish 21& up. I hope to see you there!
-Walker
Hosting Rainy Day Activities at Zerofriends SF
Good news, all you bored, artsy types! Since Bag o' Movies was such a successful event, I will be hosting Live Drawing events every month at the Zerofriends' San Francisco store. Next up: Rainy Day Activities, Saturday, April 5th 12-4pm.
Let's take a quick mental journey back to the 3rd grade. It's four minutes before recess and we are being burdened with the fact that the words "theme" and "scream" may rhyme but this won't help you spell them correctly. Then through the windows you see the skies turn the color of Benicio Del Toro's under-eyes. Rain dumps down, turning our sawdust play area into cold oatmeal. Teacher has to think fast before we begin pulling up the carpets and gnawing on the legs of those pop-top desks the school received only six years previous.
Enter rainy day activities. Indoor fun. Will Mrs. Kirkpatrick direct us in a spirited game of Heads-up 7-up or will she pull out that basket of mostly complete puzzles, Uno decks and pickup Sticks? Nope, this time she hands out sheets of blank paper and tells us to fold them into thirds. Then we break into groups of three and take turns drawing on each section, making sure to not peek until all three parts are done. The big pay-off happens when we unfold the paper to reveal some ridiculous character we all made together. It's sort of like Mad-Libs but with out all the adverbs.
It turns out this drawing game has a name: Exquisite Corpse. Hmmm, sounds kind of fancy and macabre. Anyway, six cool, grown-up artists from the Bay area are getting together to play this game, this Saturday afternoon at Zerofriends SF store in the Lower Haight. Come watch and maybe buy a cheap, collaborative sketch! Here is the line-up.
Lauren YS
Lauren YS is a mind-blowing artist from Denver, Colorado. Lauren now lives in San Francisco so she can "paint the shit out of everything." Lauren is also a contributing writer at Juxtapoz Magazine. Lauren is proof that some people just got "It!"
Michael Slack
Michael Slack, an illustrator and childrens book author from the East Bay. His imagery has been on everything from puzzles to his "gross-out card game, ICK. Check out his latest books, Monkey Truck and Elecopter, through Macmillan publishers.
Iggy Medeiros
Iggy has been a Bay Area artist since 1996. Iggy is inspired by polynesian pop, mid-century Brazilian, American and Latin music, vintage graphic design and toys, cartoons, comics, Poetry, religious imagery, folk art, cultural anthropology and history.
Josh Ellingson
Josh Ellingson is an illustrator living in San Francisco. His art has adorned tequila bottles, Burlesque show posters, a fricking space station, and your BART ride. He has done some epic series of daily sketches too, like The Daily Slimer and Drunk Tweets.
Josh Thurman
Josh Thurman is a young Caricaturist studying illustration at Academy of Art University. We like this lad a lot.
Watch out for this guy! He's already been practicing for the event on Starbucks napkins.
Ben Walker
And ME!!
(For more about me, see the rest of this web site.)
See you there!
Help Me Help Jamie
My good friend Jamie Baker is in a pickle. Help me help him out.
Jamie Baker is one of my best friends. He's the most upbeat, approachable dude you'll ever meet. He's also an amazing cartoonist and animator. If you watched saturday morning cartoons in the 80s you probably saw his work. More recently, he's been storyboarding your favorite movies at Pixar. He was even the voice of a crab in Finding Nemo!
I had already been buddies with Jamie for about 5 years through Comic-con etc. and when I moved to San Francisco a couple years ago, guess who I found living a block up my street? Yep, John Waters. No, it was Jamie! Awesome! Finally I have a neighbor-friend! With both of us working from home, we're itching for a break and some sunlight (or the San Francisco equivalent) so we'd meet up to drink coffee, compare notes on our projects and make dumb jokes.
OK here's the pickle. The day after Christmas 2012, Jamie had a major stroke. Jamie's life partner, Julia has the details on his condition and financial situation -
Jamie Baker had a large hemorrhagic stroke on the left side of his brain in the thalamus region on December 26th, 2012. The damage of the bleed has caused paralysis and loss of sensation on the right side of his body, including his leg, arm and hand, face and mouth. Jamie's prognosis is very good, although the recovery is expected to be slow over the course of the next few years.
Jamie was in intensive care for six days at UCSF, from December 26 to January 1st before being transferred to an acute rehabilitation center. As events unfolded, I learned that he was not covered on our insurance policy until January 1st. The bill for six uninsured days came to $189,000. Fortunately, we were able to get the bill reduced to $137,000 and are working on reducing it further with the help of an advocacy group and a lawyer.
In addition to the massive hospital bill, Jamie was denied state disability due to a form that was filed incorrectly. We have filed for an appeal and are waiting for a hearing date. He has filed for Social Security benefits as well. We have learned that getting approval for Social Security takes about a year, leaving Jamie with virtually no income and only savings to live on, money that he needs for recovery efforts. Jamie has this massive bill and will not be able to work during his recovery, making it necessary to ask for help.
You can also donate directly and read more about Jamie's story here: YouCaring.com
Alamo Fair & Rodeo, acrylic on wood panel
I want to help! So I am putting up for auction a very special piece, Alamo Fair & Rodeo. This is something I originally painted as a tribute to my all time favorite film, Pee Wee's Big Adventure. It was part of of Gallery 1988's Crazy 4 Cult show, 2008. It's been hanging in my home since. Jamie and I love talking movies. I love Pee Wee! He loves Pee Wee! Whether you are close to Jamie or you're a fan of Pee Wee's Big Adventure, I encourage you to bid on this piece. 100% of the sale will go toward Jamie's recovery fundraiser.
See the Ebay auction here- Alamo Fair & Rodeo