irk Sillsbee in the "Design 2007" issue of Los Angeles City Beat:
"Where the Peanuts gang was congenitally static, Flora’s graphics positively exploded with energy, color, and behavioral abandon. His was often giddy imagery that bordered on visual mayhem. A mopey depressive like Charlie Brown would have no place in Flora’s oeuvre, which was populated with clowns, ecstatics, intoxicants, psychopaths, and exultant maniacs. Flora was the rare graphic artist whose work looked like a two-dimensional party on each page."
P.S. Gotta hand it to whoever designs City Beat's web pages—took an 11" x 22.5" meticulously detailed Flora montage and reduced it to the size of a commemorative stamp. And you can't click to enlarge it. Reminds us of what Eric von Stroheim said about the editor who butchered his film Greed: "He had nothing on his mind but his hat."
UPDATE: Sillsbee infos that the print version of LACB used the same art-unfriendly layout. In the "Design" issue, no less.
3 comments:
We have the last printout you sent hanging in the school studio, and Jim's name on our list of artists we've looked at this year.
At some point I'd like to do a lesson in stylization of objects using only shape and line based on J.F.s work. There's only so much Rembrandt these kids can swallow.
I can't thank you enough for introducing me to Flora!
The comparison to Charlie Brown here seems pointless, but the description of Flora's universe, taken on its own, is quite apt.
I agree, Jim Flora is about the art he produced, not the adjective laced reviews every two dollar expert makes. I'd be happier with just the artwork, and formulate my own opinions. Thanks!
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