BRUCE BICKFORD, MASTER ANIMATOR

Bruce Bickford works with the visionary madness of a desert mystic, and gazing into his work is like encountering the Aleph in Borges' story, a spot in which one can see everything in the universe from every angle simultaneously, without distortion, overlapping or confusion. Worlds collide, vistas spring to life, hamburgers morph into faces, battlefields explode into flowers. It's absolutely stunning. Working mostly in clay animation, Bickford is probably best known for his work with Frank Zappa, with whom he collaborated from 1974 to 1980. Zappa added music to Bickford's clay animations in Baby Snakes, Dub Room Special, and The Amazing Mr. Bickford.

And he is amazing. When Bruce brings his latest jaw-dropping artwork to our weekly gatherings of The Friends of the Nib, he blows the minds of even the most jaded artists. In this photo, taken at our recent live art jam at the Seattle Art Museum, Bruce Bickford (left) is pictured with fellow artists "Calamity" Jon Morris (in the fez) and Jim Woodring. The evening was a huge success and we hope the Seattle Art Museum invites us back soon. We all had a great time.

A trailer from "Monster Road," an award-winning documentary about Bruce and his work, directed by Brett Ingram in 2004. Rent it or buy it! Currently Bruce is working on a variety of epic tales and mutations that are touched by magic. Be sure to check out Bruce Bickfords 's official website here.

Currently, The Friends of the Nib are busy working on a couple upcoming shows, including our annual Halloween art party, details coming soon. (Shown above is the poster I did for last year's show--click to enlarge). We meet regularly and informally at our "clubhouse," the Cafe Racer, a bar with personality and a particular eclat. Drop by any Wednesday night and bring a sketchbook and your best game. We'd love to meet you.

LA SEMAINE de la BANDE DESSINEE

Don't miss the culminating event of a weeklong celebration of Franco-Belgian graphic novels and comics, La Semaine de la Bande Dessinée, Sunday, at 4pm, at the Henry Art Gallery.

Parisian graphic novelist Pierre-François Beauchard (professionally known as David B.), the co-founder of the artist-run publishing group L’Association, and author of the brilliant graphic novel "Epileptic," will be joined by cartoonists Peter Bagge and Jim Woodring in a discussion of comics and graphic novels. Expect these artists to discuss their work and how they employ image, space, and text to create narratives, capture visions, and change our views of the world.

The conversation will be moderated by Kim Thompson, the co-owner of Fantagraphics Books and English translator of "Epileptic." After the event, works by the artists will be available for purchase and signing.

Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, Sunday August 17th, at 4PM
FREE to Henry members or with museum admission
Tickets available at the Henry Admission Desk beginning August 10; seating is limited.

BANKSY

Banksy is a street artist. Banksy is a gallery artist. Banksy is a vandal and undesirable who scoffs at the law. Banksy is an astute social critic who uses grafitti writing and stencils to make his statements. Banksy is absolutely brilliant. Banksy sucks.




Banksy is a British street artist, and that's about all we know. Banksy is policeman's nightmare, and a wall-text addict's wet dream. Banksy believes art should be out of the galleries and into the streets. Banksy believes art should be off the streets and into the galleries. No one knows the true identity of Banksy. Everyone knows who Banksy is. The films above were taken from Banksy's website. The films show Banksy's knack for sneaking art into artless places.

Grafitti can be art. Grafitti doesn't have to be stupid. Go Banksy.

VANDALIZED ARTWORK

In case you missed the KOMO news broadcast on TV about the Friends of the Nib mural on Broadway, click on this link:

The TV broadcast:
http://www.komonews.com/news/23965359.html

The mural was vandalized further since the initial story here.

Public art has been debated since the time of the Greeks. The debate is alive and well in Seattle, with these latest acts of vandalism. Can the public handle "art" that is not under lock and key? Should all art be locked in museums and galleries, under the watchful eyes of gallery attendants and security guards?

With the mural in shreds, we're left with an ugly, boarded-up, abandoned building. Thieves have robbed us of a chance -- a chance, not a guarantee -- of seeing something beautiful...or at least original, or challenging, or creative.

We're left with a gray strip of blight on the sad end of Broadway.

BROADWAY MURAL VANDALIZED

You won't be seeing this picture on Broadway!

Mark Campos told me the Broadway mural has been vandalized, and the segment I illustrated -- the jazz trio shown above -- was razored from the wall and stolen. The piece was an illustration of the Nat King Cole Trio, blown up to 6 x 6 feet, on a vinyl banner.

To quote Campos in the LiveJournal: "Art thieves have vandalized the Friends of the Nib mural at the old Jack In The Box location on Broadway. A segment of the mural, which is printed on vinyl banner material, was razored out of its place on the wall and removed. Below is a picture of the missing segment, which was created by renowned local painter and illustrator Robert Rini."

The missing link

"Renowned" might be going too far, Mark, but thanks for putting the word out. I participated in the mural project with my fellow Friends of the Nib (including Mark), and the project was sponsored by the city, Sound Transit, to beautify a boarded-up Jack in the Box. The artwork would have been up eight months on a highly traveled block of Broadway, in Seattle, if the vandals hadn't ruined it. Write if you know anything.

More pictures of the mural HERE.

ANIMAL ART BENEFIT FRIDAY

Come to the animal benefit -- and help us raise some dough for a good cause. Click on poster to enlarge.

WORDS & PICTURES

Jim Woodring at the KBOO studio

When we were in Portland last month for a Friends of the Nib art show at Floating World, artist Jim Woodring and I were interviewed by radio station KBOO. SW Conser and Bill Dodge have a regular show about comics and art called "Words and Pictures." Anyway, our interview airs Tuesday, March 11th at 9:30.

LISTEN to the interview here it on the home page, http://www.kboo.fm/node/6276











Bob Rini, a face for radio

Check out more of Jim Woodring's visionary artwork here. To see more of my artwork, look here. For more archives from the "Words and Pictures" radio show, click here.

WE LOVE YOU!

Do you still believe in LOVE in this tired, cynical, ironic, post-modern age? I hope so. Come down to the Cafe Racer, famed clubhouse of the notorious art gang Friends of the Nib, for a Valentine's Day Party and Art Show! No white-wall gallery pretensions here, just good food, booze, and pure love. Art for sale, and artists in attendance. Leave the TV behind for some actual human interaction -- you won't be sorry!

Thursday, February 14th, from 7 till 10PM. Cafe Racer, 5828 Roosevelt Way NE.

HALLOWEEN WEEK: great nib party

The mighty Friends of the Nib had a great Halloween Party/Art Show last night at the Cafe Racer (where the elite meet to eat and drink) and your loyal reporter had a wonderful time (off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush.) What a turnout! All the squares stayed home and the joint was jammed with artists and art fans, hobos, pirates, vampires -- and lots of great artwork. Like reality, the party played out on more than one level. Downstairs, the crowd was lively by the bar, and upstairs, under the black lights, folks were chilled-out and tripping, smiling and dabbling in Day-glo paint provided by the FOTN. Some had their fortunes read by the mysterious prodigy Ruby. Fortune came to friend Tom DeGraff, who became a grandfather that very hour and celebrated his brand new grandbaby Mia Marie with a tumbler of Knob Creek. Knob or Nib, a good time was had by all, and the age of cynical irony is now officially over. Hooray!
What now? Get out there and make some art!















Sincere apologies to the Friends of the Nib who missed the group photo, but getting you folks together is like herding cats.

HALLOWEEN ART SHOW/PARTY!

Turn out the lights! The Friends of the Nib, a creative gang of cartoonists and wiseacres (of which I'm a proud card-carrying member), is having a Halloween Art Show/Party Saturday, October 27th. Come to the Cafe Racer, our cool clubhouse and bar, for art, music, and thrills! And pick up the latest copy of the Monocle today! Or stay home and mope, loser.