In the full image, he’s actually perched on a piano. This cover kitty appears on the 1955 RCA Victor LP Collaboration, by Shorty Rogers and Andre Previn. Felines slink, scurry, and snooze in countless Flora works—he gave them frequent supporting roles in drawings, paintings, and commercial illustrations. Flora was a friend of the furries. Doggies too.

Jim Flora’s 1954 cosmopolitan woodcut, Manhattan, has been adapted for the cover of a new music folio. Broadway Celebrates The Big Apple: Over 100 Years of Show Tunes About New York City, was launched January 5 by Alfred Publishing Co. Cary Ginell, Associate Editor for Popular Music at Alfred, is a Flora fan who discussed image licensing with us last year. After reviewing samples, Ginell deemed the Manhattan cityscape ideally suited for this developing project….

Jason Bradshaw: “My girlfriend Lisa and I decided to take up bookbinding. We’re starting off doing passport sized blank notebooks. We’ve been using printer paper for the insides and card stock for the cover. I took some Jim Flora album cover prints and made a small pile of mini sketchbooks which I intend to give out to a couple of friends.”

Pen & ink drawing, mid-1990s. This work was later adapted for a large colorful acrylic canvas. Both undated works reflect Flora’s mid-1990s techniques and media. The painting was recently photographed and is being considered for reproduction in our next anthology.

photo by Don Brockway, May 15, 2006, Norwalk CT

business card, Davis Delaney Printing (ca. 1950s) adapted pencil and tempera figures from sketchbook

Detail, Peter and the Wolf album promotion,Columbia Coda, January 1953. Wolf on lunch break.

Every December 31 these guys paint their noses to match their chins and get royally toasted. Must be something to celebrate. But careful—apparently it can turn your teeth grey, or cause you to lose them altogether! Have a HAPPEE!

“Jim Flora’s vacation is over & he could use some new money. Why not buy a drawing now! And make him feel better fast! Telephone Jim Flora at PLaza 5-9832.” Text and images: undated business card, probably shortly after Flora’s 1951 return to the US from Mexico. Technically he wasn’t on “vacation”—Flora and wife (and two young kids) lived in Taxco for 15 months as artmaking ex-pats. Upon returning, Flora had to hustle for freelance…

Detail, Railroad Town, 1951 woodcut. The work in its entirety will be featured with commentary and photos of the original block in our forthcoming book, The Sweetly Diabolic Art of Jim Flora, scheduled for September 2009 publication. Limited edition oil prints struck from the artist’s block are available. The above twosome (with maracas accompaniment—so it’s a trio?) will adorn the cover of my 2009 WFMU fundraiser CD, NJX@NY$!#2 (New Jersey Excitement at New York Prices,…