Saying GoodBye to Paul Conrad, He Made His Mark

I was very saddened to hear of Paul's death on September 4th - happily his art will live on in our hearts and political minds. Paul was a master cartoonist as well as a deft quick sketch artist, something that many artists today lack. He was a grumpy old gruff, ornery and cantankerous, friendly and engaging, the champion of the little guy, an opinionated loudmouth, a quick thinking editorialist and a genuine sweetheart. He was all of this, a liberal artist, respected and loved. His strength was the gestation of a single image that would say it all. Watching him at work was always fun - the precision pencil roughing out the gesture of a victim, with angular and tentative jagged graphite; then the sometime frustration when it didn't meet his vision, the cuss words as he cast it in the trash to begin another. Finally, after getting his painstaking sketch down, the pen applied with masterful ink strokes, thick and thin, was a wonder to behold. In a world full of oatmeal personalities (those without the cojones to take a stance, any stance) Conrad was a refreshing and dedicated strong thinker, his wonderful pen pulled no uncertain punches.

"I'VE NEVER WORN MAKEUP"

From the Los Angeles Times-
(Conrad's long time home) -

With an unyielding liberal stance rendered in savage black and white, Conrad both thrilled and infuriated readers for more than 50 years. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, a feat matched by only two other cartoonists in the post- World War II era. Mayors, governors and presidents cringed at the prospect of being on the business end of Conrad's searing pen, while many Southern Californians made him their first stop as they sifted through The Times, the newspaper that was his principal home for nearly 30 years. Just before his death in 2007, the onetime editor of The Times' editorial pages, Anthony Day, worried that the skittish and contracting newspaper industry would no longer support a "genius" like Conrad. "It's easier to not make trouble," Day said, "than to make trouble."

From Tim Rutten-

He was always and everywhere on the side of decency and ordinary men and women. His targets were the self-satisfied powerful, those indifferent to or antagonistic to our common good, and they included presidents -- as in these cartoons -- as well as governors, mayors, popes and corporate executives. 

From Patt Morrison-

What impressed me, too, was that someone as impassioned as Conrad, a devoted Catholic, came to change his mind about abortion rights issues; he was persuaded – no, he persuaded himself, he once said – that he had "forgot[ten] about the women in this thing." 

My favorite all-time Conrad, one of the best images on this subject. Pretty much says it all...
 Thanks, Paul!

Paul at work, Los Angeles Times

The Tattoon Show: Tattoo and Cartoon Inspired Art

Eclectix Gallery presents a fantastic exhibition of tattoo & cartoon inspired art by 30 artists. Sugar, spice, and everything nice and un-nice. Satire, fun, politics, elegant beauty and soooo cute; this show has it all!

If you haven't been to see the show, come on by, it's up until October 4th.

Artists Exhibiting: Adam Lunoe, Angelique Houtkamp, Alexis Lopez, Anna Todaro, Annie Owens, Arabella Proffer, Barry Focha, Ben Jelter, Calamity Cole, Catherine Lagman, Chris Buzelli, Chris Kanyusik, Christine Benjamin, Eric October, Garrett Bossio, James Ivey, John Seabury, Kurtis Rykovich, Lady Reni, Larimie Garcia, Les Toil, Louis Balestier, Lucianne Walkowicz, Matt Wuerker, Marco Mejia, Nicolas Caesar, Polly Mania, Phillip Hall, Sandi Calistro, Stephanie Mufson, Sheri DeBow, Sherwin Viray, Tim Sharman, Vince Packard

Notes on Just a Few of the Great Artists:

Angelique Houtkamp - inspirational Dutch tattoo mademoiselle of the modern art world. Ms. Houtkamp's work makes it's Northern California debut at Eclectix Gallery with this exhibit!

Chris Buzelli - distinguished, surreal dreamscape artist whose work has been featured in Rolling Stone, NY Times, and Playboy, to name a few.

Matt Wuerker - 2009 Pulitzer Prize finalist, Washinton DC based, esteemed editorial and political cartoonist. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, LA Times, and NY Times.

Annie Owens - the Bay Area's own established artist and quiet mastermind behind Hi-Fructose Magazine. Ms. Owens' work elegantly walks the fine line between whimsy and dark, daintiness and strength.

Ben Jelter - awarded illustrator, artist, graphic novelist and Academy of Art University instructor.

Voted “Best Gallery” in the Bay Area by SF Chronicle’s ‘Best of the BayList’

Eclectix Gallery, 10082 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, CA 94530 For Hours and More - Please go to: http://www.eclectix.com