All artists are influenced by other artists – we became inspired to create by what we had seen created! How can that not affect our work?

I am heavily influenced by Warhol’s quad style pop art, Walt Disney and Salvador Dali as well as the cartoon style rock art of the sixties (think Blue Meanies). You betcha I’m going to create art that looks like a combination of these styles – it’s what I like!

Of course, you probably will never see me draw Mickey Mouse with his ears melting down his head while he rides a yellow submarine. . . .

My RG book was over half way completed text wise. Am picking up my life where I left it off when the crumbling bone on bone joints caused the electricity levels in my brain to go down inducing seizures.

I do not claim to be an expert on all aspects of Rick’s life, no one could ever hope to accomplish that for some time to come yet, as the stories about him are still being written, a collation of all that data needs to be accomplished down the road. by some one.

A listing of all the artists he has influenced would be interesting in itself to look at. Thousands. Many came thru the gallery when it was open.

But when he moved into the Haight a couple blocks from my comics & poster store back in 1988, our friendship grew into confiding hopes, dreams, aspirations. He hit rock bottom late 1990, I was privy to some intense scenes between Rick and Ms Hafter. He ended up in jail a couple times before I tracked him down on Pat and David Ferger’s couch in Petaluma.

He shook that off and we made a plan and then focused on creating new art for a gallery which grew in scope. We became partners, me having a contract for exclusive art agent. We fronted Rick $25K to get his life back to even for the privilege. I bought that old green truck Flavin was driving in after that day. Rick had a lot of fines to pay with the state of California before he got his driver’s license back.

which culminated in a push to climb out of the previous year’s pit beginning Feb 1991 with a Rick Griffin art gallery in The Cannery, San Fran. Ten thousand people came thru for the grand opening June 1.

Most ALL the other poster artists of the period wanted in on Rick’s action. The late SF Chronicle columnist every one vied to get into, Herb Caen, was a huge fan only happy to keep plugging us quite a few times as a happening destination point for those into it. San Francisco is a huge tourist town, and once upon a time every one read his column.

Rick put a crown on the eyeball logo he developed for the gallery as can be seen here
http://cgi.ebay.com/RICK-GRIFFIN-1991-EYE-BALL-ROCK-ART-GALLERY-LOGO-SPLASH-/230480374597?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a9b36b45

Here is the presentation piece Rick did for the gallery to show Chris Martin, owner of The Cannery for signage approval. Took Chris 30 seconds to say yes. By the time the sign went above the door, he had altered it with a crown for King Rick. His confidence was restored and saw himself as #1 in his field.
http://cgi.ebay.com/RICK-GRIFFIN-1991-BEST-COMICS-FINISHED-PAINTING-/310224539096?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483ad2cdd8

Rick had earlier painted at George Mead’s Wet Paint Studio an 8 foot Bill Graham #105 Jimi Hendrix Flaming Eyeball recreation which hung right when you entered the front door.

This near-demonic Flaming Eyeball either drew you in, or the phenom of scaring some souls away. Though that is no longer in my life every day like it used to be, Here is a NM example of one of the very rarest Rick Griffin items ever created.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-HENDRIX-GRIFFIN-EYEBALL-PSYCHEDELIC-MIRROR-POSTER-/310218491291?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483a76859b

Am seeking web site to place some of my Rick Griffin lore already written. His life is important enough to be documented properly for future generations.

Perception if Reality.

It hurt not to have the unpublished RG art I have here, including the huge air brushed sign above the gallery double wide door entrance, which would have looked cool in Laguna Beach. Must be 14 feet across. At least the gallery was mentioned in some foot note in the back of the book.

Cut through some of the legend and tell the simple truth of his path along the quest for truth in life. he read his bible, he also threw the I Ching and the Hopi Indian motifs were there for a reason as well. From Michelangelo to Harvey Kurtzman. Rick took it all in.

I have no bones to pick, no axes to grind, nothing to justify, merely a simple documentation of the facts with the hind sight of 20 years to formulate the proper vision. And I am going into a lot of depth that such a tale needs. Mostly from early 1988 thru Aug 1991 and beyond. Have any suggestions?

Please let us know when it comes out!

Rick smiled, and proceeded to pay homage to the “original” eye ball artist. Both of us were surprised Pop could talk von Dutch with us that day.

Rick was quick to point out where his inspirations came from on each piece hanging in the gallery, both original art and the near complete collection of Rick’s poster work. He art expressed how he was feeling at any given moment in time.

Rick was fascinated that my father knew Von Dutch.

In fact, some where around here there is an old black and white photo of me all of a couple years old circa 1954 when we lived along Bellflower Blvd in Lakewood in the saddle of my father’s motorcycle with a signature Von Dutch eye ball motif blazing all over the gas tank

Rick insisted I maintain a comics and art book section in the front of the gallery where people initially walked in as he wanted to be able show people the stuff which turned him on to inspire his own work

His favorite artist during the last couple years of his oh too short life was Simon Bisely.

I know this because he came thru many a time in my Haight Ashbury comics & poster store I opened up Nov 1976 at 1707 Haight across the street from Straight Theater .

Several times a week, starting early 1989 when he moved onto Page Street some two blocks away, he was a regular coming to check out the constant flow of recent acquisitions of vintage and new comics and posters which served to charge up his creative juices.

He had come up for the 20th anniversary Zap Comics party Ron Turner threw in San Francisco, the latter having picked up the mantle of keeping the Zaps in print after Print Mint published their last book circa 1978 titled Lemme Outta Here!, their last book also having work by Crumb and many others. Zap #1 had come full circle, it seems

Rick was joyed every month when the new Doom Patrol with Simon Bisely’s newest insane cover creation made its way onto my racks. He bought those issues of 2000 AD with Simon’s work as well.

My point being, Rick took it ALL in and out it came as only Rick could interpret what he was trying to say.

I have a million Rick Griffin stories absorbed since he first walked into my Berkeley Comics & Comix store at 2512 Telegraph Ave in Berkeley California in 1973.

He had come up from SoCal to visit Print Mint to pick up art for his then brand new comic book and I traded him vintage comic books and Marget Brundage cover Weird Tales he was salivating over for the original art to his Tales From the Tube cover. Yow!!

That was the first of many deals over the years we both enjoyed doing.

Am working on a book centering on the last couple years of the life of this master artist which I am calling it “Rick Griffin (Was) Without A Net.” It also will include a section covering the year and a half or so chaos following his tragic untimely passing.