Elizabeth McGrath, the beautiful and unique artist and singer based in California, has put out some Easter goodies to feast your eyes on. Her work is strange and delicate … pretty and scary at the same time. I love the mix of sculpture, painting, photography, sewing, shadow boxes and taxidermy-like treatment. Pretty, pastel colored girly things with ribbons and bows met uncomfortable and ferocious dead things with blood and guts. She has been nicknamed “Bloodbath McGrath.” 

Check out the online store to see all the Easter goods. Here are a few…  

If you want to put McGrath’s style into a category or art movement, she would fall into “lowbrow” or “pop-surrealism,” which I believe has been quietly spreading from its origins in Los Angeles into the mainstream for sometime. This type of artwork always has a sense of humor or sharp wit about it, which is what I love.  

Although it may take awhile for art critics to accept this type of art as “fine art,” some collectors are already showing support. Many of the artists are self-taught and are influenced by tattooing, comics, punk rock, surf culture, horror movies and hot-rods. One of the first artists to be considered “lowbrow” may be Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, who created the hot-rod character called Rat Fink in the 1950’s out of his hatred for Mickey Mouse. 

The most interesting part of this art movement is the attitude of the artists themselves. They don’t seem to care too much about explaining the concepts for their work and view it more as entertainment and satire. Most recently, the lowbrow movement has been called “nobrow” or “newbrow” suggesting more acceptance and/or giving the artists more credit for their intellect.

There are dedicated Lowbrow galleries in Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, some parts of Ohio and internationally in Rome, Italy and Melbourne, Australia. If you love any of the work in this movement, I suggest buying it. However, I never suggest buying art that you do not love.

And they’ve been known to pick a song or two

Lord they get me off so much

They pick me up when I’m feeling blue

Now how about you?

(Chorus)

Sweet Home Alabama

Where the skies are so blue

Sweet Home Alabama

Lord, I’m coming home to you 

If you are from Alabama, you know this Lynyrd Skynyrd song by heart and if the time is right (we do have manners), you sing it to the top of your lungs. You know what I am talking about … don’t pretend. If you happen to be from the Muscle Shoals area (like myself), you may be particularly interested in the slice of the song listed above. The Swampers, also known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, were a group of studio musicians who worked at Muscle Shoals Sound. Lynyrd Skynyrd is from Jacksonville, Florida and wrote this song as a tribute to the studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where they recorded their demo album in 1971. Sweet Home Alabama became their first hit song from their second album. 

The song also mentions Neil Young - “I hope Neil Young will remember a southern man don’t need him around anyhow”. Neil Young had written Southern Man and Alabama, which may have made people think that all Southern people were racist and stuck in the past. Lynyrd Skynyrd responded with Sweet Home Alabama which highlighted all things good about Alabama. This was a lighthearted feud between the bands and Neil Young performed the song at a memorial when three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were killed in a plane crash in 1977. 

Muscle Shoals Sound  

Muscle Shoals and the Shoals area is one of the most unaffected “music capitals” in the world. The music that is recorded there is distinctive because of the mixture of soul, gospel, country and rock. The city is situated between Nashville (known for country) and Memphis (known for blues). In the 1960’s, during the Civil Rights Movement, the Shoals was full of creativity and black and white artists worked side-by-side. A lot of people praise the area for its innovative thought, but it was nothing new for North Alabama, where you could find black and white musicians working together since the 1930s regardless of racial tension in other Southern regions.

There are thousands of songs that were recorded in Muscle Shoals. Some people say that the song I’ll Take You There by The Staple Singers is the perfect example of the Muscle Shoals Sound. Pretty impressive!

Here are a few artist that you may recognize that recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama:

Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, Boz Scaggs, Carlos Santana, Cher, Eric Clapton, Etta James, Helen Reddy, Jason Isbell (Drive-by Truckers), Jimmy Buffet, Joe Cocker, Linda Ronstadt, Melissa Etheridge, Otis Redding, Paul Simon, Percy Sledge, Rod Stewart, Simon and Garfunkel, The Allman Brothers Band, The Osmonds, The Rolling Stones, Travis Wammack, Widespread Panic, Faith Hill, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, etc., etc……     

I am continuing with the “Alabama Week” theme (as promised). Today, I have another creative resource, Standard Deluxe, located in a small town called Waverly, Alabama. It is about 12 miles Northwest of Auburn, Alabama. Most of the designers at Standard Deluxe are from the Auburn University Design Program, which also happens to be my alma mater. 

Standard Deluxe provides in-house design and silkscreen printing for t-shirts, posters, etc. If you are a designer in need of a screen printer, look no further. A lot of their work focuses on music promotion, but I bet you can think of lots of other ideas!

There is an online store to purchase posters and t-shirts. Also, you can check out the Standard Deluxe Etsy Store for more items to increase your “cool” factor. Who knew that so many interesting and creative people are from Alabama? I did …. and now, you will too!

    

I think I am going to officially name this week “Alabama Week” on my blog. DONE…..and it shall be named henceforth without future reference….maybe.

Today, I want to make you aware of the dynamic duo that goes my the name TINDELMICHI  (tag line : Two Fat Southern Boys that Paint), which is comprised of John Tindel and Michi. Both were born in Alabama and raised in the South. Michi is from my home town and we have run in the same circles for years. He is a true creative talent grounded in his Southern roots.  

Also enjoy the solo work of John Tindel and the official TINDELMICHI blog. It is good stuff. Get you some!