David Mann LA/Southbay Style

I've been thinking I'd like to post some more stuff that relates to this month's header but, have also known, I'm way overdue for posting some David Mann art. Then, as I was clearing out some files, I ran across this:
Was Dave purposely portraying a South Bay Chopper?

You might remember this from one of the Chopper Fest flyers. There's quite a few things of interest going on here. 1. Off hand, I can't think of any other of Dave's work featuring American 12 spoke mags. 2. The springer's front legs has a round perch like Dick Allen's did. 3. He's sort of revisiting the Hollywood Run with the sign and search lights. 4. It's signed Roach 1975, meaning it was done for Roach Studios, an old (t-shirt and decal), competitor of Ed Roth. Dave wasn't the only one that jumped ship. After Roth folded up shop, Ed Newton went over to Roach as it's art director. BTW Roach Studios has been rekindled and is now once again selling Newt's old designs.

All this, and the fact that my Google stats consistently show that the largest number of keyword searches are related to Dave's art, means there's a huge audience out there hungry for it.

Tintin & Motorcycles

I watched the Adventures of Tintin the other night. For all the work involved, it was just OK.

At least he rides a Motorcycle.


This might have been better... is this for real?
Via: Go Away Garage

R.I.P. Ralph McQuarrie

Last night I heard the sad news that Ralph passed on Saturday. It was probably just as sad to learn that he had been suffering from Parkinson's disease, meaning he probably wasn't been able to paint for some time. It may have been the reason he retired in the 90's. After all, most artist, don't usually completely retire unless they are unable to produce work.

The Force was strong with this one. Most Star Wars fans know who Ralph McQuarrie is, as for the others, Ralph was the talent who created the pre-production paintings that helped George Lucas sell Star Wars as an idea for a film.

Being both a science fiction fan and a fledgling artist in the 70's, I was a huge fan of Ralph McQuarrie's work. When asked of my artistic influences, his name is always one of the tops on my list. I may not be quite the sci- fi fan I once was but, I still have all three of his portfolios from the original trio of Star Wars films.


There are so many good examples of Ralph's work to choose from. Not only does this one show his talent well, it features Darth Vader in what appears to be an old Harley sidecar. How cool is that? I believe it was originally used to announce Industrial Light and Magic's move from North Hollywood to Marin County.

In Memory Of Dick Allen T-Shirts

Chuck Vogel and Bruce Parrish teamed up to recreate the shirt Bruce designed for Dick Allen back in the early 70's.

The back of the shirt features Bruce's original art of Dick on his Loco-Motion Knucklehead chopper.

The front of shirt has the motor company logo as did the original.

The shirts are Navy Blue and available in the following sizes: Large, XL, and XXL.

To buy, contact: Chuck Vogel at: vogelelectric@verizon.net

Tell him Chris from MC Art sent ya!

Wheels Keep on Turning / The Dance of the Spokes

Back around 1979 in an Illustration class in Art School , we were given an assignment after being exposed to the art of Marcel Duchamp. I don't remember the perimeters of the assignment other than this being one of the things I came up with.


My generation grew up building models. Marcel poked fun at the art world. This was my way at poking fun at him,"conceptual art", and the model kits of the sixties.

Marcel Duchamp is considered by some as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Before you laugh, you have to consider that he was poking fun at the art establishment but, also the first (for better or worst), to experiment with "conceptual art", decades before the term was ever coined.

Marcel's words from a website I found: "In 1913 I had the happy idea to fasten a bicycle wheel to a kitchen stool and watch it turn."


The two sides of the box I made. Having fun with how those old AMT and Revell model kits were sold as Three in One.

He continues, "The Bicycle Wheel is my first Readymade, so much so that at first it wasn't even called a Readymade. It still had little to do with the idea of the Readymade. Rather it had more to do with the idea of chance. In a way, it was simply letting things go by themselves and having a sort of created atmosphere in a studio, an apartment where you live. Probably, to help your ideas come out of your head. To set the wheel turning was very soothing, very comforting, a sort of opening of avenues on other things than material life of every day. I liked the idea of having a bicycle wheel in my studio. I enjoyed looking at it, just as I enjoyed looking at the flames dancing in a fireplace. It was like having a fireplace in my studio, the movement of the wheel reminded me of the movement of flames".


My miniature was based on the one above he made in 1951 for MOMA New York. In many ways it's the the most significant one, since it was the first to be exhibited to the art world. I'm guessing it was the one I saw in my class and art history book.

Duchamp said that the Bicycle Wheel was a "personal experiment", which was never intended to be shown to the public and wasn't formally shown in a gallery space until 1951.


The original Bicycle Wheel (l1913 France), was lost. The one to the left (also lost), was the first recreation made after Duchamp came to the USA in 1916. Many mistakingly refer to the 1916 version as the original since it's the first photographed. No, that's not me (on the right), in my studio. It's Marcel wearing a lampshade with a later recreation of the 1916 version in the sixties.

Since 1951 a few more Bicycle Wheel replicas were made. In Milan 1964, 8 were made based on the 1916 version under Duchamp's supervision and were signed. I came across one that was auctioned off for $1.7 million!


For my wheel, I used the front wheel off a Revell Chopped Hog Harley model. The fork is a cut down top fork tree from the Highway Patrol Harley model with model trees bent as legs. The stool was scratch built from balsa wood, wood dowels, and toothpicks.

Too me, there is something about the juxtaposition of the two objects. I also wonder if I'm the only one that can appreciate this strange combination of models from the sixties and art.

Now, before you shrug his concept off as stupid, think about it. 1. It wasn't Duchamp, rather the art community that made big deal of his Readymades. 2. It was a thinking machine for him to get ideas turning in his head. 3. Who can resist touching and turning a wheel? Who hasn't played with spinning a wheel, or been mesmerized by the criss cross visual flicker of the dance of the spokes?

Have a

This Month's Very Late Header

I was busy during the beginning of the month then left town for 2 1/2 weeks, so I couldn't post or put up a new header. While away, I started the header on my wife's laptop and thought I might post from a remote location but, it was too difficult to do good Photoshop work on her laptop.

The art for This Month's Header is borrowed from the tank of Doc Holiday's Panhead. The Witch was painted twice by none other than Randy Smith. The photo on the left is from the January 1969 Choppers Magazine (posted here last Nov.) and the right is from the May 1970 Street Chopper. I like the first version and the metal flake paint better. I'll try to post the Street Chopper Feature soon.

Remember When...

..you were different, a rebel, or thought it was cool to wear a Harley shirt?



From the Pre-Evo era. I bought this one at the Orange County M/C swap meet around 1979-80.





A friend of mine (not pictured) had this one. This design was being sold around the same time as the one above. In case you can't make it out, it's a big Harley tattooed arm squeezing three little cartoon (and not very flattering), Japanese dudes. Their hats read, Honda, Suzuki, and the other either said Yamaha or Kawasaki ? (from the Harley Porn photo page)





I thought this one was funny and wore it until it was a tattered rag. I believe it's dated 1988. Acid wash and graphics certainly date it.



I'm sad to say, I pretty much stopped wearing factory shirts about 10 or so years ago. It felt like it went from cool to bandwagon way before that. I just don't dig to be lumped in with the stereotype image of today's Harley rider or how corporate or marketed it's all feels. Most of the new shirt's designs aren't my style to boot.



Now don't go thinking I'm ALL anti the Factory or new bikes. Sometimes I cut them slack and sometimes I don't. Maybe it's just because "Nothing's Cool Anymore"!!

Don't Chrome It, Collage It!

For a totally different custom look, recycle those old magazines.


You could do a whole bike like this ....or, not.

Mike Likes It

Howdy, I was just checking out your blog and was in there for a long time checking out all your stuff. I also draw bike cartoons and used to paint bikes for Denver's Choppers on E. St. in old Berdoo. I have been drawing cartoons for some of the local motor cycle clubs in the area and wanted to share a couple with you. Keep up the good work and I hope you dig my art.

Respect, Mike Mafufa of Berdoo

We dig it. You've probably seen and admired Mike's art and old photos on the Church of Choppers blog. Not only is he (like most of us), a Roth fan, turns out he's also a fan of Pete Millar. Mike's artwork has a style of it's own, but kind of reminds me of Stanley Mouse.

A photo of Mike from the COC blog. I really dig this type of classic chop.

Last Saturday

I went over to the Gasoline Gallery for their annual art and street show (California Screaming 6). Maybe it was because I got there around 3 p.m. and the show started at noon, but compared to other years, there wasn't much left in the way of cool cars or bikes.

Is it a Harley, an Indian?... nope, a Rikuo! I've been meaning to do a post on them for a long time. Other than the Rikuo and the Shovel (way back in the distance), there weren't any other cool bikes to be seen.


I figured since there wasn't much happening outside, inside would be the same, and that would make it easy to photograph and look at art.... wrong. It was crowded and LOUD! so I only took a quick look around and split.


Overall I didn't see as much as usual that I liked.


This one stood out on that wall. The red dot signifies it's sold.


Ink on scratch board. There's a lot of work involved here.


Interesting but, not quite sure I get it?


This one was fun.


There's aways a lot of wacky monster stuff.

The art generally seemed very reasonably priced. It made me wonder how some of the artist could justify the time doing them and letting them go so cheap. Especially considering galleries sometimes get 50%.

I probably didn't hang for more than 15-20 minutes. Since I wasn't 'feeling' the hot rod beatnick crowd, it was time to blast over to The Garage Co. for Born-Free Night. I knew I'd be much more comfortable around bikes and bike people.


Small groups of bikers came and went for another night of Knucklehead gawking and barbecue munching.


Grant proving it runs....


.... and Kiyo proving it rides.


The evening ended with a raffle. Some lucky Son of a Gun won the Bear Co. seats. Claimed he never wins anything.

Lucky 13?

Have a nice day!

Was it Bad Luck? Google messed up last night. You notice how all the blogs (including mine), lost their most recent post? art: modified Roth decal

Finally!

I like to keep it just about MotorCycles, but...

B.P. Chopper Sculpture

After seeing the post on Greg Parigian's chopper sculpture, Bruce Parrish sent me some pics of the one he did for his father. It was based on and done when he finished his first build back in 1971. Bruce says, "It's 9.5" long and about 4" high at the sissy bar tip... and, yes, those are nails as well as washers, nuts and bolts, plus a few welding rods".


Bruce added, "Maybe I should go back to this form of art. Things happen way quicker".

Kool Knievel Art

Kolorized art from the H-D museum.

WTDWA 79 XL II

Garage Co. Evel Knievel Replica

Evel never had one this pretty. It's making me take a second look at my '72 XLCH. Maybe one day...?

G.P. Chopper Sculptures

Greg Parigian and I were friends in junior high. Until about 6 years ago, I hadn't seen or talked to him since 1969. If you scroll down in the right column, you'll find a picture of us on our chopped stingrays that was once used for this blog's header. Greg sent a couple of emails with photos the other day. The text below is combination of them explaining the chopper sculptures he made in the 70's.

"Back in the early 70's I made some Harley chopper sculptures. I was selling and trading them for Harley parts to Hells Angels and Satan's Slaves. I would sketch their bike and then make a sculpture of it.

I think I made about 50 of them, but only saved one. I would sign them by putting a "P" on the rear wheel. The sculptures where all about 18" long and 12" tall. They had no bolts or nuts in them, they were all just metal I bought in the metal yard. They were welded together with gas torch and do not remember if I ever brazed any of them.

I was living in Canoga Park at the time and one of my neighbors was a guy they called big Louie. He was then the president of the Satan's Slaves. He rode a really cool bike, a chopped Knucklehead with a extended springer. I made one of his bike that was really nice. Some of them were clear coated. I also made them for other club members. Some of these guys were really scary. But they always paid me or gave me what I wanted in trade. I almost collected enough parts to build a flathead 80". - Greg

Two degrees of separation. Here's a photo of Satan's Slave Louie. I think I grabbed it from the Satan's Crate blog and believe it's from a Easyriders in the 80's. -CK

Anybody out there seen or have or seen one of Greg's sculptures? If you have something like it, look for a "P" or "GP" on the rear wheel.

A Rare-it-"T" and the "Z" Man

When Bruce Parrish told me he still had a Dick Allen T-shirt, I told him he had to send some photos.

This may be the Holy Grail of vintage chopper T-shirts. I find it interesting that it says California. Perhaps, so Dick could use the same design no matter what city his shop might move to.

I'm not sure if this is a dark photo of the same shirt or a black one. Bruce designed Dick's lettering and drew the art. Joe Hurst said Dick looked like the Zig-Zag man and says he suggested using his head on the art, but Bruce said it was from a cigarette (I never heard of and can't recall the name), that Dick like to smoke. I have to admit, it looks like the Zig-Zag Man to me. Bruce, send me the name if you get a chance.

I don't know about the T-shirt art, but....

Update: Joe called and said the cigarettes that Dick smoked were (sounds like), Shebeedees or Zabedees). That's what Bruce had mentioned. When Bruce told me I did a search, but came up empty. I now found Azadbidi, a brand of bidi cigarettes. That's likely it. Bidis (pronounced bee-dees) are small hand-rolled cigarettes manufactured in India and other southeast Asian countries.

These are not Azadbibi, but show the type. Azad's usually have an elephant on the pack. Bidis are tobacco wrapped in tendu or temburni leaf . Traditionally they are tied with string and come in flavors, like chocolate, mango, vanilla, lemon-lime, mint, pineapple and cherry.

Happy New Year

Be careful today too. Hung over drivers are almost as bad as drunks.

Hardly David 3

Also from Choppers Magazine Nov. '69 issue. These cartoons are always signed Luke? As mentioned before, they look like they could be Ed Newtons work.