That Was the Week That Was

Here's an interesting little column about 'hip ticket buyers'. As was pointed out in a comment by one of our esteemed visitors, Woodstock  became a cultural milestone just scant weeks after the moon landing and the time of this article.

The original slug bug was becoming the flower child's vehicle of choice, though seldom bought new off the lot:

And a new movie hit the road . . . so to speak.

And that's the way it was on Friday, July 25, 1969. For CBS News in Washington, I'm Walter Cronkite. Good night.

Good night Walter, wherever you are . . .

Sunday Comics

The Sunday comics used to be such a treat. Week after week a phantasmagoria of HUGE pages of art delivered right to the door! A wide variety of cartooning styles were a delight to the eyes, colored and printed with care. 

One of the most visually exciting artists of the time was Alex Raymond with his Jungle Jim and Flash Gordon presented in tandem, usually on the front page. 

When I was a kid, I found this page in my grandmother's basement with old newspapers, waiting to be used as dropcloths. Grandma said 'sure, take em', and boy I did, along with some others, and kept them safe all these years. 

This page was so big I had to scan it in 6 sections.

A Beautiful Queen of Libya

Another Herbert Draper painting, called Lamia. In ancient Greek mythology, Lamia (Greek: Λάμια) was a beautiful queen of Libya who became a child-eating daemon. . . and oh yes, that IS a snakeskin she's wearing around her waist.

Oookay then, yeah, well, that's the lesson for today kids.

And below a study for Lamia.

My Kind of Town

Speaking of Chicago, it's my kind of town (cue Frank). I got these posters just off Wabash in '69.

above, Leslie Ragan

Electrified with Excitement

As if you haven't seen enough about the 1st moon landing, these are oversize postcards that I bought 40 years ago today from a street vendor, downtown Chicago. The city was electrified with excitement. 

I can't think of the moon landing anniversary without thinking about my dad, as he passed away 23 years ago today.  Cheers Dad!

Transcendental Portal

I think of this as a Transcendental Portal. If I cross this threshold, my life will never be the same. Until I am prepared to do so, I gaze through it from time to time and wonder. 

I'm sorry to say I don't know who the artist is. For a number of years I would clip scrap from magazines (in this case Omni) and file the images in the morgue without regard as to who when where etc. These days, if I clip (and I don't nearly as much as I used to) I would keep track of such pertinent data.

Prince of Fairy Tale Illustrators

Another handful of illustrations from the prince of fairy tale illustrators, H.J. Ford.

Kelly Sunday is Here Again

Pulled out of the Way-Back Machine, from 45 years ago this morning:

Outstanding Decorative Painter

William P. Welsh was an outstanding decorative painter and illustrator, primarily of the 1930s, who seemingly has not been given his due. He was very prolific, yet it's hard to find many examples of his work, let alone a collected works book or such.  

Welsh did fiction illustration for numerous publications. He painted many magazine covers and posters. He also did several murals, many portraits, exhibited internationally and taught at the Art Institute of Chicago. 

He too is one of my favorites.

Another Castle

Another Philip Castle, another retro favorite:

TechnoRetro

A really nice example of the TechnoRetro illustrator—Philip Castle:

My Favorite Hong Kong

I'm sorry I don't know the photographer of this portrait of Hong Kong, but it is my favorite image of that amazing megopolis.

Fairy Tale Art

Fairy tale art was abundant in 1920s advertising. This Djer-Kiss art by C F Neagle.

Golden Age of Mythology

This is one of my very favorite paintings by Herbert Draper, called Sea Melodies, very evocative of the golden age of mythology. This is a time and place I go to when I'm in a fever dream.

Art Deco Artform

Art Deco manifested itself in many artforms, but none so charming as the many bronze and ivory sculptures of the era. This one is by Pierre Le Faguays. I plan to post a number of others.

Image Treat

Millions of people have already been there, but just in case you haven't, run—do not walk— over to www.SkullADay.com, for an image treat. Buy the book. Below are just 3 samples of many many examples of creative skull. . .I mean skill of Noah Scalin.

The plate of spaghetti is my favorite.

Yow, Ditko!

A cool Steve Ditko piece, from the cool Fantagraphics book: Strange and Stranger—The World of Steve Ditko. This artwork originally for  the cover for All Stars #1, 1965. Some people say Ditko lost the early Kubert influence in the early 1960s, but somehow I always still see it in most of his work. Here especially in the woman, but also here and there. Not a bad thing by any means.

Personified Waves

What fabulous stylization! Personified mermaid waves, subtly evoked. An Edna Cooke cover from 1920.

My Favorite Vermeers

These two paintings are my favorite by Vermeer, and below them is my favorite photo inspired by a Vermeer. OK, OK, they're everybody else's favorite Vermeers too.

Enchantment's Veil

Mid-summer enchantment doth impart its veil upon us. This lovely tableau, entitled Mid-Summer Nights Faeries, was painted by Robert Huskisson in 1847.