Eons ago in a distant teenage world I bought The Studio.
The Studio was a softback coffee table book about four artists.
Its cover is imprinted on my brain.
The four artists were Bernie Wrightson, Mike Kaluta, Barry Windsor-Smith and one Jeff Jones, all working together in an art commune in Chelsea, New York.
I adored all four tremendously but the gentle strokes of Jeff Jones made a real impression.
Jeff often blended veils of roses and petals with startlingly beautiful ladies. Jeff's work recalled the Pre-Raphealites like Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who I adored.
I loved The Studio so much that I committed the ultimate sacrilege and cut out some Jeff Jones' pictures for my cork pin board in my flat.
I still have The Studio but I would have to check the inside cover to see if its my original book.
Its funny how time telescopes what you know. I thought my Studio thoughts were neatly packaged but had to add to it this year.
Jeff Jones became Jeffrey Catherine Jones some time after The Studio. It makes sense to me now that those gentle washed-out maidens in his paintings where created by a feminine sensibility. They certainly were a adorable homage to womanhood.
Jeffrey Catherine Jones sadly died in 2011.
Did you like The Studio, Jones' work or any of the Studio artists?
Bernie wrightson did the art for the Alien graphic novel- Mark J Southcoast Base
ReplyDeleteReally MJ. I didn't know that. Did that come out in the late Seventies? The Bernie Wrightson strip I remember the most was the Muck Monster. A beautiful swirling splurge of entrails and colour.
DeleteIt was a book I admired from afar for many years but finally bought about ten years ago – fantastic work from all four artists! I think Berni Wrightson only drew the Batman/Aliens graphic novel. The original (and excellent) adaptation of the first film was by Walt Simonson, published by Heavy Metal.
DeleteDoh! Of course!! I shouldn't comment half asleep!- Mark J Southcoast Base
DeleteWhat a calming reflective tribute, Woodsy. The best art and artists make lasting impressions with us.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tone. It really was a beautiful book and Jeff Catherine Jones created gorgeous scenes that have lingered in my mind. I was saddened to hear of her death. Somehow we think that the angels and heroes of our youth will live forever.
DeleteI hadn't heard of Jones, but her work is interesting.
ReplyDeleteI personally prefer American artists of the inter-war era who also did illustration work, such as N.C. Wyeth and Maxfield Parrish.
I will have to look them up Andy. Thanks for the tip.
DeleteApparently there were suggestions that Jones regretted the 'change', which sometimes makes me wonder if such things are some kind of illness, in the same way that some people believe they're Napoleon or John the Baptist. However, not too familiar with that person's work, but I recently bought the Conan the Barbarian Omnibus, which features mostly Barry (I'm not affectatious Windsor) Smith work. And I loved Bernie Wrightson's art on the Swamp Thing.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of Jeff Jones' gender change until this year when I heard a documentary on the radio Kid. It reminded me of how long it sometimes is between our teenage interests and when we rediscover them. In my case some 40 years! I'll have to get out my copy of Studio and those other cool Dragon's Dream books like Views about Roger Dean the LP cover guru.
DeleteI did not know of this book until now and I am familiar with the comic art work by Wrightson, Kaluta and Windsor-Smith.
ReplyDeleteMy wife would humour me in my 'hobbies' and came with me to a Comic Convention in NYC in the 70's. We met Barry Windsor-Smith at his stand when I purchased one of his Gorblimey Press posters. My wife being more sociable than myself ended up with us having dinner at the Windsor-Smith home where Windsor-Smith and I exchanged memories of British comics that had influenced us growing up in the UK, including the detailed work of Frank Hampson (Dan Dare), and Frank Bellamy.
As a thank you for his work on Conan, which I thought had beautifully captured the feeling of the books I gave him a copy of the Daily Mirror reprint of the early Frank Bellamy Garth Strip. Barry in exchange gave up a copy of his latest poster and a book mark that I still use!
The bookmark is a female figure with a red border as shown on the bottom right of the book cover above, seeing which prompted this response.
It's interesting to read Woodsy's heart felt feelings for the book as it reflects the emotive strength of the artwork within.
Fabulous memories Terran. I can't believe you had dinner with Barry Windsor-Smith! I adored the title Gorblimey Press when I was a teenager. It too was mentioned in the Studio book and again appealed to my budding Pre-Raphealitesque passions. When you get chance this Spring maybe you could take a snap of the poster and the bookmark? I was pleased to read that he won a place in the Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2008.
DeleteThis book is responsible for inspiring our present house and our previous attempt at a fantasy artists' commune. I can't post pics in this comment section, but if Woodsie is interested, I can send some photos of my wife's studio, with it's Godzilla and dinosaur toys, SFX movie miniatures and tin toy animals!
ReplyDeleteSuperb memories and what a fabulous link to the Studio book Lewis! Got the photo's, thanks. Update to follow!
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