Filed Under: "details"

Spot illustration, “College: Whether to Go / Where to Go,” Mademoiselle, 1953

“I’m making a list of things not to do!” Charlie was writing on paper. “It will help me stay out of trouble. Whenever I think of something I want to do, I’ll just look and see if it is on this list. If it is, I won’t do it.” “Things Not To Do,” detail, My Friend Charlie (1964, Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc.)

Just released by Euclid Records, a new 45 rpm single by Terry Adams & the Whole Wheat Horns whose sleeve features a Jim Flora musician montage. The chaotic combo, which incorporates cartoonish players from numerous Flora 1940s and 1950s sources, was created by Barbara Economon and yrs trly for our second book, The Curiously Sinister Art of Jim Flora. The calamitous crew evolved from a trio to include as many as eleven figures, until our…

Flora would have turned 95 today. His centennial is on the horizon. The above tempera and pencil illustration on card stock, found in the archives, dates from the early- to mid-1940s, the original purpose unknown. The re-purposing is known: Happy Birthday, Mr. Flora. From “the editors.”

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.

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,…

Undetermined media (framed, under glass): print with touch-up, or black tempera, ca. 1968, detail. Previous detail posted on August 20.

Guitar in a seductive pose — spot illustration from A-D Gallery invitation to Flora’s first New York City exhibition, June 1943.

Detail: undated, untitled, and unidentified commercial illustrationca. late 1960s/early 1970s

“Next [Amelia and Pepito] went to the puppet show, and then they watched the acrobats. Best of all they liked the toy vendor. Pepito finally decided to buy a jumping jack. Amelia bought a rag doll and named it after her best friend Rosita because both of them had red cheeks.” Draft illustration, The Fabulous Firework Family, Flora’s first published children’s book (1955). Image from the James Flora Papers, Archives & Special Collections at the…