For some time now I’ve been creating these little 5” x 7” art cards. Frequently they are illustrations of some sort in whatever style and medium I’m in the mood to explore that particular day. I usually put them up for sale at a low price on my eBay store or here in my studio shop. This one is one of my favorites. It’s a caricature of 80s/90s-era Elvis Costello, and the style kind of reminds me a little of the caricatures in MAD Magazine around that time. My friend Joe Powell used to have a large Elvis Costello poster in his house, and I remember it having this checkerboard pattern on it. At the time, I didn’t know much about Elvis, but I thought the poster was very cool. My first Elvis album was Trust (on 8-track!), and it’s still my favorite. There’s something about hearing “Watch Your Step” and “New Lace Sleeves” back to back that makes me feel like a youngster again. I remember coming home from college, and my sister was out of town, so I got to crash in her room for a while. She had one of those huge floor-model television sets with built-in turntable, radio, and 8-track player. A lot of bass on that thing. But Elvis sounded sweet and rich, and it was much better than the sound from a portable player bouncing off cold, cinder-block dorm walls. So this is my little tribute to Mr. MacManus. Grab the original from my shop if it’s still available. I hope to put the design on a print and T-shirt at some point if there is enough interest.
Recent Comments