Making Dust The Other Way With Russian Bill And Sandy King And Hannah Waddingham

 October 11, 2021

   I've been contacted by a British documentary outfit who want to use my painting of Russian Bill for a show called "Mysteries of the Abandoned," which looks at amazing loations and the stories behind them. The show they want my artwork for will feature Shakespeare, New Mexico as the abandoned place and the mysterious Russian Bill and his sidekick Sandy King as the story behind the ghost town.

Daily Whip Out: "Russian Bill"

   They asked me if I had anything on Sandy King and, just for grins, Robert Ray suggested this image of mine might work in a pinch:

Daily Whip Out:

"Prescott Sheriff George Rufner With Prisoner"

   Very clever on Robert's part since the original was done to illustrate Sheriff Ruffner with an anonymous prisoner. Well, not anymore! Ha.

   Meanwhile, reworked—and renamed—a whip out from yesterday you might recognize.

Daily Whip Out:

"Making Dust In The Opposite Direction"

   And, I couldn't resist and tweaked this one as well.

Daily Whip Out: "Long Shadows Final"

   You know who I had a crush on when I was 14?

Gina Lollobridgida

   You know who I had a crush on when I was 20?

Angie Dickinson

   You know who I have a crush on now?

Hannah Waddingham

"Don't cry for me Argentina."

—Madonna

Long Shadows at The O.K. Corral

 October 10, 2021

   I attended the 100th Anniversary of the O.K. Corral fight on October 26, 1981. Well, here we are forty years later and so many people I met that day are responsible for my current well being and circumstance, it's not even funny.

   Well, maybe a little funny. 

Daily Whip Out: "Long Shadows"

   Meanwhile, on the Dust Front:

Daily Whip Out:

"Making Tracks The Other Way"

A bunch of other artwork in progress. Later. Don't want to become too famous. Why?

"There's a reason why famous people are often screwed up. It's not that wankers become famous, it's because fame makes you a wanker."

—Tim Minchin, in a wonderful essay on why he gave up stand-up fame to stay home for six years.

Resting Hound Face, Red Snapper & Jim Gaffigan

 October 9, 2021

   Photographer Bryan Black sent a reworked, light-balance take on Uno in the studio. You can see so much more detail.

Now THAT is a "resting hound face."

   Meanwhile, for a Friday night delight, Kathy asked me where I wanted to go for dinner in downtown Phoenix and I picked this place.

The Red Snapper at Mariscos Playa Hermosa

Laugh Again With Jim Gaffigan

   After a great dinner, Kathy Sue treated me to a show at the Celebrity Theater (she claims this is an early birthday present, and that would be a fact since my birthday is in December). Anyway, Jim Gaffigan was as stellar as you might expect. Did a whole routine on how we—the Phoenix audience—were all "white trash," which I loved. And, he opened on the pandemic and did 10 minutes on that with brilliant commentary on how absurd life has been and how we thought it was over, but NO! He is especially good at ribbing his beautiful wife and five kids and how they mock him and think he's a joke. He made a couple glancing references to John Mulaney,  then closed the show with a joke about one of his sons wanting to dress as a comedian for Halloween, and when Jim proudly questioned if the kid was going as his dad, the boy said, "No, I'm going as John Mulaney." I took it as a sign of support because of Mulaney's recent drug-rehab problems? Or, maybe he really thinks Kid Gorgeous is truly the Bomb? Anyway, it was sweet and we laughed our asses off the whole time. Really therapeutic on some level. Good for the soul and I highly recommend it—and Jim.

"Raising kids may be a thankless job with ridiculous hours, but at least the pay sucks."

—Jim Gaffigan

One More Bonus Laugh:

"Isn't it strange—when you're single, all you see is couples, and when you're part of a couple, all you see are hookers."

—Jim Gaffigan

More Bryan Black Studio Shots With Uno Front And Center

 October 7, 2021

   Here are a couple more of the Bryan Black photos from our session last Sunday in my studio.

Uno, Front And (Left) Center

   Bryan wanted to do one emphasizing my massive library, which is, of course, impossible because it goes on for rooms and rooms, but still, this is a worthy effort.

BBB Library, Partial Front And Center

         And, he also shot a few close-ups.

Coy Boy

   So these are my fave shots from the main overview (Bryan sent 40 choices). I have to give a shout-out to Randie Lee O'neal, who scored me the cool shirt, above, as a thankyou for the original Honkytonk Sue original art page of "racy" artwork I gifted him. Randie is an intel contractor who works overseas and he had Akram Khan, a tailer in Rihadh, Saudi Arabia, make me five custom-made Western shirts and this is one of them. Thanks Randie!

   The irony is, the shirt is damn close to this one:

Old Man In Rocker

   Which, ironically, is the photograph that set off the entire gag portrait project to begin with.

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."

—Mark Twain

Bryan Black Nails The Ironic "Brave-Courageous-and-Bold" Assignment

 October 6, 2021

Last night Bryan Black Dropboxed me 40 shots from our Sunday photo session. This is my favorite.

I meant for this portrait to be ironic, since I have been chasing a certain guy in the background of this photo for my entire life and now, here I am, where he was in the 1920s. Hint: we're the same age, 74. Anyway, Bryan nailed it and, yes, that is Uno peeking over my knee. One subtle, and sweet reference, is the Little League photo over my left shoulder. That was taken in 1958 when I first became aware of the guy in the framed photo. Also, there are a couple random, hidden references to the dude in the photo sprinkled around me. Can you find them?

Willing The Future Into Being?

   Sometimes I worry that my actions, or intentions, can portend the future. Or, even worse, create it. For example, I faked like I was having a heart attack at my 40th high school reunion (we took a group photo in front of the train at Metcalf Railroad Park in Kingman and as the cameraman fiddled with his rig I feigned a heart attack because he was taking so long). It got a laugh, which is why I did it, but two years later I had a real heart attack, three blocks from there, while playing "Wipeout" at a band reuinon. Troubling, to say the least.

Landscapes From Hell, Part II

Mickey Free Opening Sequence:

"He Couldn't Outrun The Dust Storm"

   More scenes of an apocalyptic world where dust storms and fires rage out of control. These were created for the Mickey Free story The Top Secret Writer and I worked on two decades ago. Seemed ridiculous and absurd at the time.

Mickey Free Opening Sequence:

"He Skirted The Fires As Best He Could"

Mickey Free Opening Sequence: 

"Mick Rides In To El Muerte"

Daily Whip Out: "Red Lake Rider"

Mickey Free Opening Sequence: 

"The Peons of Divisidero Struggled

Through The Choking Dust"

   If we create visions of an apocalyptic world, does the universe take note? Or, is it just an inevitable cycle that we are witness to regardless of our intentions?

“I sat in the dark and thought: There’s no big apocalypse. Just an endless procession of little ones.”
― Neil Gaiman

Landscapes From Hell

 October 5, 2021

   For the past couple decades, I have been doing fire and brimstone landscapes, inspired by an apocalyptic world, I saw, at the time, as fictional. It started with a make believe, end-of-world environment for the Mickey Free story. A raging metaphor for the Apache Wars. Recently, current events have caught up to the fantasy.

Daily Whip Out: "Dusto Humongo!"

Check.

Daily Whip Out:

"Hillside Dust Devil Apparition"

Check.

Daily Whip Out: "Dust On The Sun"

Check.

Daily Whip Out: "Death In The Dust"

Check.

Daily Whip Out: "Creepy Kid Confession"

Check.

Daily Whip Out: "Caught In A Dust Devil"

Check.

Daily Whip Out: "Dust Storm Rolling"

Check.

Daily Whip Out: "Duster de Chelly"

Check.

Daily Whip Out:
"Visibility Dropped to Zero"

Check.

   Authenticity is the goal. In my tribe, "getting it right" is the code. The enemy of authenticity in our world is this retort: "Nobody cares what year or model the saddle or the rifle is, they just want to experience a good story." And so we get 1950s roping saddles in movies depicting the 1880s and 1895 model Winchesters being used in movies depicting the 1870s. 

   And so it goes until the very end.

"He walked out in the gray light and stood and he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground-foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it.”

― Cormac McCarthy, "The Road"

Blessed Be The Definition And Nina Adelita Suprema

 October 4, 2021

   As you may have noticed, I have a thing for motion and blurred lines. 

Daily Scratchboard Whip Out:

"Last Fandango at The Heatwave Cafe"

   But there is also something to be said for solid definition. Here is one of my graphic heroes at his best.

A Classic Hohlwein Horse

 That would be Ludwig Hohlwein, a German graphic designer and commercial artist of the 1920-40 era. Note the specific highlights (no blended highlights) and sharply-etched-edges. So damn cool. Everything gets deliniated down to simple shapes amid a strong design. So damn German!

The Bold And The Beautiful

   Soldaderas, also called adelitas, were female soldiers of the Mexican Revolution and they continue to fascinate me.

Daily Whip Out: "Nina Adelita Suprema"

   Seems like there should be a good legendary character in there somewhere, and, perhaps Nina Suprema is the ticket to that dance.

"A job is never truly finished. It just reaches a stage where it can be left alone for awhile."

—Neil Young

Old Man With A Huge Head Has Photo Taken Next to Another Old Man!

 October 3, 2021

   In the past five decades, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with some very talented photographers. And out of that long list I would call special attention to Gary Ghoring, John Beckett, Ralph Rippe, Dan Harshberger and Bryan Black.

   About two months ago, I was looking at an old photo of an old man I have long been chasing and I had a rather shocking realization: I am the same age as he is in this photo.

Old Man In Rocking Chair

   I thought to myself, wouldn't it be kind of zany to do a BBB portrait with this photo, framed, and in the background? Well, actually, it would be kind of zany, but only if it doesn't come off like I am trying to ape him, or trying to be like him. That would be very stupid looking and that's a risky assignment and I knew only one guy who could walk that tightrope and make it work.

My worst fear is it just might make it look like

I have a huge ego, or a humungous head,

like this William Penn statue head.

The Long & Arduous Road to An Expensive and Ridiculous Sight Gag.

   First, I had to blow up the photo (thanks Robert Ray), then I had to have it printed (thanks JC Printing), then I had to have it framed (thanks Guzal at Custom Art & Framing) and then I had to have it mounted somewhere in my studio where it looked natural (thanks Cal Nelson) and then I needed to dress the studio for the best shot angle (thanks Kathy Sue and Cal) and then I had to line up other artwork to go around it (thanks Kristi Jacobs) and then I had to call the photographer I chose for this assignment to see if he would even want to come shoot it.

Old man framed and on the inside

of my studio door (nobody liked it there).

   The photographer arrived this morning at nine and he set up his lights and we finished in an hour flat. Finished proofs when I have them.

"Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were."

—Neil Young, "Old Man"

All Around The Instagram Town

 October 2, 2021

   Went up town and all around today. Lots of people out and about, in spite of the fact that 35 a day are dying of Covid in Arizona. Crazy. Speaking of crazy, check this out.

Crazy Dames Times Two?

   Or, this creepy, walking cadaver.

Black Shadows Girl

   I'm always on the lookout for these kinds of images and thanks to Instagram there are thousands to choose from and be inspired by. Not to mention the stuff I really need.

Excellent Buscadero Rig Reference.

   And let's say, I need a very specific scene, like, say, an old, arthritic, African-American man on crutches? Oh, yes, they got that.

Sweet Photo Reference!

   Everyone bitches about social media and how awful it is, but I've got to say, when it comes to photo reference, it is a dream come true.

Children at War

   Got it. There's more where this all came from but we'll save them for later. Meanwhile. . .

   "You can have anything you want at Alice's Restaurant."

—Arlo Guthrie, "Alice's Restaurant"

   

Historical Amnesia

 October 1, 2021

   Here is our promo for the next BBB history talk:

   And, here is the first response.

"How can you print such crap!!! Trade places with him and ask the question, 'What would you do, how far would you go to defend your family and your country?' Ask that question and print the answer!!!!"

—Mike Kana

   Okay. 

   Late in life, Geronimo was asked if he had any regrets and he replied, "I wish I had killed more Mexicans." By his own admission he killed between 500 and 600. It's not known how many of these were slain in battle, but we do know that for many years, Geronimo would lead raids into Mexico and kill every Mexican he could. True, some were soldiers or combatants, but many were farmers or civilians and not threatening his "homeland," and they were not attacking his country. He hated Mexicans because, as he claimed, Mexican troops killed his mother, his wife and his three kids and that sent him on his revenge raids. Granted this is beyond awful, but even the source of this motive is more complicated. The truth is, the village of Janos, Mexico made a pact with Geronimo's tribe and basically paid the Apaches a stipend to NOT raid the surrounding area, and this worked for a while, but since Geronimo and his crew were raiders at heart they began using Janos as a base and started raiding into the neighboring state of Sonora, until the Sonorans got tired of the killing and rampaging and sent a military force to annihilate, what they saw as a nest of vipers threatening their lives and their homeland. Geronimo was away at the time of the attack, most likely raiding in Sonora. The citizens of Sonora saw the members of the force that wiped out the Apaches at Janos as patriots and heroes, defending THEIR homeland. And, so, there is plenty of blame to go around in this sordid tale and, to me, it doesn't take anything away from Geronimo's legacy, it merely puts him in perspective as to the truthful history of his life. He was born into a storm of violence and he not only survived, he thrived in spectacular fashion. So, enough of the historical amnesia (see Hutton quote below). Let's be honest. He was a cold-blooded killer AND a freedom fighter.

"From a renegade warrior, hated by settlers on both sides of the international border and finally tracked down by his own people, Geronimo has morphed into a patriot leader who led the final resistance to preserve his land and culture. Forgotten now is the misery, death and deportation he brought on the Chiricahuas, as well as the innocent American and Mexican victims of his raids. The story of that transition is a fascinating tale of historical amnesia and the shifting popular concepts of our shared national history."

—Paul Andrew Hutton, in his brilliant essay, "Was Geronimo A Terrorist?" True West magazine, July, 2011

Van Gogh In Arles Flashback

 September 29, 2021

   Just ran across this historic photo and it took me back.

BBB and Kathy Sue in Arles, France

photo by Dan Harshberger, September, 2015

   See that yellow-awning-space over my right shoulder? That is the actual spot where this scene was painted.

Van Gogh Whip Out:

"The Terrace Cafe, Arles at Night"

September, 1888

   I seriously doubt the original cafe was painted yellow (in the painting it seems to be more a function of Vincent's attempt to paint the effects of a gas-lit canopy at night), but the cafe is solid yellow today to retrofit it to the painting!

   And, here is my take on the lad after the ear incident, which also took place in Arles, from my September 2015 sketchbook.

"Van Gogh's Severed Ear"

   More notes from that sketchbook. 

Vincent by The Numbers

• His career lasted a mere 10 years. He died at age 37.

This letter excerpt, above, is the basis

for the movie, "Lust For Life."

• His brother Theo saved 850 paintings, 1,300 drawings and 800 letters 

• He only sold one painting during his lifetime for 400 francs

• He lived in 23 places, including 3 places in England, 10 places in Holland, 6 places in Belgium and 4 in France.

   Thanks to Kathy, who booked the entire trip, we went to all four places in France, including the asylum near San Remy. This is at the front gate.

Tall, Dark and van Gogh Handsome

(and all the drawings are from this sketchbook)

And, the saddest and most haunting testament of all deserves to be repeated.

"Oh, the pictures I might have made."

—Vincent van Gogh

The Big Kidbowski

 September 28, 2021

   My favorite little bastard from Down Under has been busy. Not only is his forthcoming Billy the Kid tome getting set for publication, but James B. Mills has been collaborating with a couple of his crazy friends on a parody comic strip about one of their favorite movies. You might recognize the model for The Stranger. Check it out:

Hang on. There's more.

 

     When I gave the boys my professional cartoonist opinion of their efforts, I got this in reply.

"Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like your opinion, man."

—James B. Mills