Travis Simpkins' Drawing Board: May 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

CLOSE UP: Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright III, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Loudon Wainwright III- "The Picture"

The Wainwright Family

For more info, visit: http://www.lw3.com/home.php

CLOSE UP: Johnny Irion

Johnny Irion, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion- "Speed of Light"

For more info, visit: http://www.sarahleeandjohnny.com/

Thursday, June 28, 2012

CLOSE UP: Katie Melua

Katie Melua, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Katie Melua- "Nine Million Bicycles"

For more info, visit: http://katiemelua.com/

All the Quiet Desperation Illustration Profiles in One Place

Quiet Desperation #3, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

Some have been asking whether or not I wrote a profile for one Quiet-D character or another. To answer that question, and for purposes of organization and convenience, I decided to put links to all the Quiet Desperation illustration profiles I have written to date here...

Aaron the King Wizard: Profiles from the Quiet-D Illustrations

Quiet Desperation #6, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Quiet Desperation #4, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

Quiet Desperation #8, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Quiet Desperation #5, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

Quiet Desperation #7, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

For more info, visit: http://www.quietd.com/

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

CLOSE UP: Richie Havens

Richie Havens, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Richie Havens- "Here Comes the Sun"

For more info, visit: http://www.richiehavens.com/official_site/home.html

CLOSE UP: Dan Burke

Dan Burke, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

The Orange Ocean- "The Rocks Below"

For more info, visit: http://www.gambleandburke.com/

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

CLOSE UP: Golden Bloom (Shawn Fogel)

Golden Bloom (Shawn Fogel), 2011. By Travis Simpkins

Golden Bloom- "Doomsday Devices"

For more info, visit: http://goldenbloom.net/

Joe Buck: Art and Music (Songs that Inspired the Illustrations)

Joe Buck, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Evil Motherf*%#er from Tennessee

Demon in My Head

Devil is On His Way

Music City's Dead

Muddy Waters

Hillbilly Pride

Hank Williams III and Joe Buck, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Monday, June 25, 2012

CLOSE UP: John McCauley (Deer Tick)

John McCauley, 2010. By Travis Simpkins

Deer Tick- "Baltimore Blues No. 1" on David Letterman

For more info, visit: http://deertickmusic.com/

Ryan Starble: Profiles from the Quiet-D Illustrations

Ryan Starble, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

On Quiet Desperation, Ryan plays a reporter from The Danvers Gazaette, a High School newspaper, who comes to interview Rob Potylo. Because Rob is an alumnus of the school, Ryan is eager to know what Rob's life as an artist is like, and the realities of pursuing a career in the arts. Rob is willing to take Ryan under his wing and to let him see for himself what his life will be like should he decide to continue with his artistic dreams...

Quiet Desperation- Act One- Episode 13

Quiet-D Episode 14

Episode 23

Episode 24

Quiet Desperation #8, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Sunday, June 24, 2012

CLOSE UP: Ron Hansen

Ron Hansen, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Ron Hansen talks about his novels and the writing process

Desperadoes. By Ron Hansen

Purchase "Desperadoes" here on amazon.com

Stagecoach (1939): The First John Ford/John Wayne Collaboration

Director John Ford took a chance and cast a young, obscure B-movie actor in the pivotal role of his important film, Stagecoach (1939). The young actor went by the name John Wayne, and every scene he was in throughout the film worked together to make him an instant Star upon it's release. Filmed in Northern Arizona's Monument Valley, many local Native Americans were hired as extras and to perform the amazing horseback stunts in the chase sequence. Everything works together to form a masterpiece of the Western genre.

Eight people are on board a stagecoach bound for a semi-distant outpost, despite warnings of Apaches on the war path in their vicinity.

A plethora of characters are present... a grumpy banker, a gentleman gambler, a drunk doctor, a meek salesman, a proper lady, a lady of ill repute, the sheriff and the bumbling driver.

The natural tensions exist... More discomfort arrives with the Ringo Kid (John Wayne), an outlaw whose horse went lame and needs a ride, but is arrested by the sheriff and placed in back with the other passengers...

When the Indians attack, this mismatched group must work together to fend them off...

Along the way, they find respect for one another. And Ringo finds love...

Stagecoach- movie trailer

Saturday, June 23, 2012

CLOSE UP: Tony Norris

Tony Norris, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Tony Norris- "Rock Salt and Nails"

For more info, visit: http://tonynorris.com/

City Slickers (1991): A Modern Western Comedy

Released in 1991, City Slickers did a lot to help the careers of Billy Crystal and Jack Palance. Crystal had come to be typecast in a series of boring romantic comedies that didn't really showcase his talents, and this was a departure. For Palance, it was, perhaps, the best role he had since the 1950s and earned him a well-deserved Academy Award (which he accepted doing one-arm push ups on stage).

Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal) and his two friends, Ed and Phil (Bruno Kirby and Daniel Stern) are all approaching 40, and all are experiencing trouble and discontent in what their lives have become. It is agreed that an old fashioned cattle drive, which trains tourists in the trade, will be the much needed break and respite they need...

Irresponsible cow hands and ill-prepared city participants prove to be the least of their worries when they meet their trail boss, Curly (Jack Palance)...

Grizzled and hard-edged, Curly doesn't care for Mitch's smart-ass ways and even less for the groups inability to adjust to the cowboy lifestyle. Left alone with Curly, Mitch is terrified, but manages to find some common ground and finds that Curly is a bit philosophical and has important life lessons to impart...

A tragedy occurs, and the three friends must decide if they have the wherewithal and fortitude to proceed in accomplishing the task of bringing in the cattle alone...

In the process, each man learns a lot about himself and what can be accomplished...

City Slickers- movie trailer

Friday, June 22, 2012

CLOSE UP: Tom Lewis (1940-2008)

Tom Lewis (1940-2008), 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Tom Lewis talks about his Art and the Catonsville Nine

EZEKIEL, 1996. By Tom Lewis

Tom Lewis and others burning draft records- Catonsville, Maryland- 1968

For more info, visit: http://www.commondreams.org/tomlewis

CLOSE UP: Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies)

Brad Roberts, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Crash Test Dummies- Mmm, Mmm, Mmm, Mmm

For more info, visit: http://www.crashtestdummies.com/#/home

Thursday, June 21, 2012

CLOSE UP: Justin Townes Earle

Justin Townes Earle, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

Justin Townes Earle- "Harlem River Blues" on The Late Show with David Letterman

For more info, visit: http://www.justintownesearle.com/

Rear Window (1954): Classic Alfred Hitchcock

Often cited as Hitchcock's best film (it's certainly in the top five), Rear Window (1954) is a masterpiece of suspense. A testament to Hitch's perfectionist attitude and his ability to plan everything out, the sound stage had to be dug out and lowered in order to accommodate the inner-city set of buildings and adjacent courtyards. Each shot meticulously thought out, the final sequence is one of the most tense and memorable conflicts ever captured on film.

L.B. Jeffries (James Stewart) is a magazine photographer who has to spend the summer holed up in his apartment as a result of a broken leg. His only regular visitors are his nurse (Thelma Ritter) and his fancy, socialite girlfriend (the lovely Grace Kelly).

With little else to do, Jeffries spends most of his time looking out his back window and watching the goings on in his neighbors' apartments via a courtyard that makes all the windows visible to one another...

Things start out innocent enough, there is a lovelorn lady, a songwriter, a newlywed couple and a sexy ballet dancer that practices in her living room...

A morbid turn happens... With constant vigilance, Jeffries sees suspicious things in his Salesman neighbor's apartment that lead him to believe that he has murdered his invalid wife and disposed of her body...

He enlists the help of his nurse and girlfriend, who share the suspicions, to try to figure out if the neighbor is in fact a murderer...

Tension grows and an unforgettable climax is the result...

Rear Window- movie trailer

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

CLOSE UP: Aaron the King Wizard

Aaron the King Wizard, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

The Legend of Zelda

For more info, visit: Aaron the King Wizard on youtube

Jenny Zigrino: Profiles from the Quiet-D Illustrations

Jenny Zigrino, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

On Quiet Desperation, Jenny Zigrino plays a reporter working for the Improper Bostonian. Because it was a slow season at the magazine, she was sent to interview Rob Potylo, but the pronunciation of his last name proves troublesome for her. She is forced to listen to Rob's resulting diatribe, lambasting the Boston media's coverage, or lack thereof, of local music.

Quiet Desperation- Act One- Episode 15

In real life, Jenny Zigrino is a talented comedian and actress, performing nation-wide. Her website, http://www.jennyzisnice.jimrage.com/ , states, "Some would say the comedic stylings of Jenny Zigrino is Sassy, Brassy, and Classy. Her keen obersvations, adorable wit and explosive stage presence will capture your attention and make laughter shoot from your nose like a mucousy water cannon."

Jenny Zigrino- stand-up comedy