San Pablo Serenade silkscreen art print by John Seabury, 1998

Goldo Sync Report recently published a fantastic interview with artist John Seabury that is not to be missed! John is a Grammy nominated illustrator, and designer currently with 32 posters in the Moonalice series! His visually addicting works of art have been featured in the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame, internationally acclaimed publications, and in a broad constellation of promotional material for iconic musicians, such as Radiohead, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Devo, George Clinton Parliament Funk, Willie Nelson, and many more.

Here’s a Sample:

Did you make a conscious decision to be an artist? Can you describe any defining moments that led to the recognition of your artistic talent?

I did not. I have always been attracted to visual art, especially drawing and illustration. I don’t know why. I did have a memorable experience in kindergarten, so I guess that I was five years old. We were given an art assignment, I forget what, but I drew a picture of Willie Mays making a flying catch in center field. I decided to draw it from the point of view from the outfield wall, rather than from home plate or the stands. The figure was shown from behind, no face, but it did show his jersey number 24. He was air born, leaning to the left. The ball had “motion lines” like in the comic books I had seen. I drew the stands in the background, more or less in correct perspective. The teacher liked it so much that she made me take it to the principal to show it off. The only time I ever went to the principal’s office for doing something good.

Bad Luck by John Seabury, 2014 ? Original Art and Moonalice Poster M715 ©

I’d have to say that my tastes haven’t changed much since I was a boy. I’m not proud of that. It’s pretty much assumed that artists should constantly be “pushing the envelope”, seeking new horizons etc. But I find myself often looking inwardly and into the past. Maybe trying to perfect something that I started when I was very young.

I’m also not proud that I don’t often branch out and experiment with other techniques. Like painting and sculpture. But being a drawer, it’s just so much easier and faster when drawing. Low overhead, no physical stress, no toxins, no preparation, no clean up. After spending years working in sketch pads on my knee, I hardly even use my drawing table. Just lap tables. So I’m not distracted by materials and such. Just the pen and paper. That’s partly why I can devote so much time to the drawing itself. My freehand sketch pad drawings were also a way unlock my mind. Scotch and beer also helped with that.

One of my techniques that has always been popular is called scratchboard, or scraper board. I discovered the Sci-Fi illustrations of Virgil Finlay very inspiring. Scratchboard is usually a stiff backing coated with white clay. Then coated with black ink. You use a stylus or knife or whatever to scrape away the ink, basically drawing white on black instead of the usual opposite.

? Read the whole interview at www.goldosyncreport.com.

? Buy Art from John at www.johnseaburyart.com.

John Seabury is also a founding member of Psycotic Pineapple, historic Berkeley punk band.