Awesome Dudes Who Like To Rock

This is a very belated commissioned painting for my Dad's friend. It was really lots of fun to paint. He asked for a painting of rock musicians in a rehearsal space singing and playing loud and angry music. I had intended to listen to loud music while I was painting this, but there was some cool ambient stuff playing in the studio.

Over the weekend, I witnessed Gregory Benton finish the last scribbles on his incredible book, B + F. Check out this article about it via Bleeding Cool. Can't wait for its release!

Brotherhood of the Jugband Blues Comic

Brotherhood of the Jugband Blues is a really cool jug band from Brooklyn, who make a lot of fun roots music and write catchy, funny songs. I did this twelve page comic for their upcoming record release party at Jalopy on December 22nd. Take a peek, then get over to Jalopy later in the month, if you're in the city and haven't gone out of town for the holidays just yet.

This project was a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to the release party. Thanks Ernesto for the fun assignment!

Rashad at Jalopy

Part of a semi-top-secret drawing project for the Brotherhood of the Jugband Blues. It's been too long since I last updated. I have a huge pile of work to scan and share, but am running off to Washington, D.C. for the Joe Bonham opening reception (are you free and in the area? Please come with friends!)

Drawing on Location at the Jalopy Theater

On Monday I took the day off from my photo job to draw Ernesto Gomez, Arturo Jugman, Walker Shepard, Jackson Lynch, and some others at the Jalopy Theater during the Brotherhood of the Jugband Blues recording session. The idea is to collect good drawings for the album artwork. It was slow going, since people move a considerable amount when they play instruments. They usually oscillate between two poses, and you have pick one and keep looking for the moment when they go back into the pose. It's a really fun and challenging way to draw.

Drew in New Orleans

He looks less like Woody Allen in real life.

 

Something's Wrong - Hurray for the Riff Raff

Brotherhood of the Jugband Blues

Ernesto Gomez asked me to come by the recent recording session for the Brotherhood of the Jugband Blues yesterday at Jalopy. While I was there I got these nice drawings of a few of the guys. I wish I had had the time to draw everyone. My banjo teacher, Eli, was there, and a few other folks. Musical instruments are always a bit of a challenge to draw when they're being played, they never want to sit down on the paper. It was a really fun afternoon and I'm excited to work more on this project later in the summer.

Geoff Wiley

Ernie Vega

"You got me runnin'..."

A fun clip of the guys from the 2011 Brooklyn Folk Fest
She Got a Nice Line - Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues

*UPDATED* Master of Prayer Puppet Show this Wednesday Night at JALOPY

Remember my early December post about that book I made for the puppet show, Master of Prayer? Those good folks are performing as part of the fourth anniversary of Roots N' Ruckus at the Jalopy Theater in Red Hook. The puppets (and fiddle, and band of merry puppeteers) go on at 9pm sharp, with other super awesome musical acts. Best of all the whole thing is free. I will be trotting around taking pictures and drawing and admiring the new additions to Jalopy (if they're open--they've claimed the bar-next-door recently). Here's the line-up for Wednesday evening:

This Wednesday we celebrate 4 years of Roots n Ruckus at Jalopy! The Showstarts a half-hour EARLY this week!
9:00 (SHARP) - The Master of Prayer (an hour-long puppet show about a hilarious and insightful story written by an 18th century rabbi. featuring Craig Judelman)
10:00 - Feral Foster
10:30 - The Whiskey Spitters
11:00 - The Dust Busters 
11:30 - I$TO

The Jalopy Theater is located at 315 Columbia Street in Brooklyn. Directions here. 

Here's some more info about the show from the writer and director:

The Invisible Kitchen presents:

MASTER OF PRAYER

A puppet allegory based on the story by Rebbe Nachman.

Based on a story by by the 19th century rabbi, our show tells of a mythical kingdom, thrown into chaos by a great wind. The Master of Prayer, who lives in the woods with his followers, singing and dancing like hippies, hears of a city of riches where people are valued only according to how much money they have, and is compelled to save these poor fools from their money-lust. To this end, they depart together on a journey that takes them through many kingdoms, each one obsessively valuing one trait to the exclusion of all else. Through the journey we learn that whether they worship money, wisdom, prayer, lust, or death, they are all misguided, because a man must have all the colors on his palette in order to paint life's picture.

Some say the protagonist symbolizes Rebbe Nachman and is thus at the same time a comment on the role of the tzadikim (enlightened teachers) in a corrupted society, and how they provide instruction for social change. This in turn reflects back on the important role of the artist/storyteller in modern society, and ourselves as performers/puppeteers retelling and reintroducing this old story to contemporary audiences.  And so, in our show, the puppeteers themselves play important roles as characters in the piece.

I know this all sounds very serious, but most of the time we are playing for laughs, and most of the story is told in clowning and hand puppets.  It's fast paced, and funny, and features great live traditional and original klezmer music by Craig Judelman (facebook.com/CraigJudelman).

The show makes use of many kinds of puppetry including hand puppets and cranky, as well as giant masks and clowning.  The puppets are designed and built from recycled materials by me, Adam (www.adamende.com).

Photo Source: http://benjaminslure.blogspot.com/2011/03/tune-in.html

 

If I Do Not Lose My Way

Shooka Shook Shook

Clif and A.A. Bondy

'Nother drawing of Clif. I will be doing more, I think. This one came out a little squished but I still like it.

I found a drawing I did a few weeks ago of A.A. Bondy when I was listening to his music at my desk. He sounds kinda sad, I want to give him a bowl of soup or something.

Not related, but I have been drinking chocolate milk like it is going out of style. 

Clifton Hicks

This past weekend I went out to the Brooklyn Folk Fest and saw some really great musical performances by a bunch of talented folks. (I need to get out to Jalopy more. You should check them out, too if you haven't yet). At the folk fest, I had the opportunity to meet and chat with Clifton Hicks, who is an incredibly talented and down to earth guy. I am working on a comic with the lyrics to an old time song he plays called "German War". You can see him play the banjo and sing it here.
The first drawing posted here was done from life... I like it better than the others I did, which were done from photos from the internet.
I'm taking a comics class and it's pretty great; the instructor, Sungyoon Choi, (American Widow) is really smart and subtly funny. Non-fiction comics by ladies, totally awesome.
So, I better go get to work!

Spirit Family Reunion @ the Government St Grocery

and a sketchbook drawing.

Commissioned and Birthday

This really nice dude I've never met before asked for his portrait, as he generously donated to my sister's Paypal account. You should do that too, I will draw you something really great. Here it is. Thanks Michael!

My friend Kumori's birthday is today, and since she is really great I drew her picture too. It has been ages since I've done portraits, hoping to do a bunch more.

Lately I have been practicing banjo and taking a banjo class at Jalopy. It's a really cheerful instrument and seems to help with cold weather restlessness. You should learn an instrument too. I am finding out that that whole neighborhood (Red Hook) is full of idiosyncratic old-time musicians and jam makers. (The jar kind and music kind).

Riffs Again

Doorways

Riffs Poster

Support an Ethnomusicologist With Initiative to Change the World

She is a budding Ethnomusicologist, and my sister. She's departing in two weeks to Salvador de Bahia and I am very excited for her. Please help support her journey by checking out her blog and considering a small donation--every amount helps. I know she will use this trip to change the world!

Jenn Recital Poster

I did this for my sister, she's a great art director!

recital sketch

old embroideries + new musicians

I noticed I never posted the embroideries I did for the Missed Connections show at Lucky Gallery. Here they are:








My Metrocard (glitter does not photograph well):



Honne Wells (see him live-and for free-at the Delancey Nov 2nd):






Some sketches of musicians from the Paper Raincoat show. Diana Ho just posted some work she did for them on her blog.