WILLIE: LIFE & SONGS OF AN AMERICAN OUTLAW (Willie Nelson: American Outlaw)
I was humbled and honored to be asked by Blackbird to create the art and branding for this once in a lifetime concert event for one of my personal musical heroes, the legend, Willie Nelson. As a lifelong fan, I’ve drawn Willie many times over the years and was beyond stoked to dig in on this project. I really wanted to highlight the iconic nature of Willie’s braids, bandanna and hat in these pieces and use the negative space between the braids for concert info and art. Additionally I wanted to include Willie’s 50 year old guitar “Trigger” as a personification of Willie himself. The outer border was also hand drawn based on Willie’s actual guitar strap. The final art was created by a multi-step process, mixing traditional pencil and ink drawings and washes and then digitized and colored to create separations suitable for print. Type design and layout is then done digitally using Illustrator and Photoshop.
Art Direction, Custom Art, Illustration, Graphic Design, Type Setting and layout for Key Art, Advertising, web and social media, motion, on-stage graphics, and merch (Including 2 Sold out posters, Bandana and T-shirts).
Client: Blackbird Presents
Additional Art Direction and thanks to: Rob Rauffer
Gig Posters beautifully printed by the amazing Half and Half
More from the Blackbird site and about the show here :
This once-in-a-lifetime concert event took place Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 7PM CT at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. This historic event honored living legend Willie Nelson and featured his greatest hits performed by today’s biggest superstars. Willie: Life & Songs Of An American Outlaw featured star-studded performances by Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, The Avett Brothers, Bobby Bare, Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, Eric Church, George Strait, Jack Johnson, Jamey Johnson, Jimmy Buffett, John Mellencamp, Kris Kristofferson, Lee Ann Womack, Lukas Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Margo Price, Micah Nelson, Nathaniel Rateliff, Norah Jones and The Little Willies, Ray Benson, Sheryl Crow, Steve Earle, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, and Vince Gill. This major event will was filmed and recorded for a major broadcast special slated to air on A&E Network in 2019.
Bottom Photo Credit: (Photo: Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com)
Tribute to the late Anthony Bourdain. American celebrity chef, author, travel documentarian, and television personality who starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition.
RIP
Branding and Key Art created for this one-night-only concert event that brought together fans, friends and music icons to celebrate Kenny Rogers’ final farewell to Nashville. All In For The Gambler will feature performances by Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, Chris Stapleton, Elle King, Idina Menzel, Jamey Johnson, Lady Antebellum, Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire, The Flaming Lips, Don Henley, The Judds, Wynonna and Kenny Rogers and other special guests.
This caricature/portrait was created for and donated to my son’s Elementary School auction to raise money for the school. I chose Jimi as subject since he is universally loved and a Seattle native.
Medium: Pencil
Winner in the The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles 56th Annual Illustration Competition.
Verve Records (Universal Music Group) commissioned me to create a one of a kind promotional poster for David Crosby's latest album Lighthouse. Inspired by 60's psychedelic rock posters, this 6 color with silver ink silk-screened poster was displayed in record stores and at events around the launch of the album.
Hand drawn and inked, digitally colored.
Lemmy
Pencil drawing of the late, great Motörhead founder Lemmy Kilmister for a tribute article featured on vice.com. 9" × 12"
Garrett Morlan, illustrator
Nick Gazin, art director
Vice, client
Featured in the Communication Arts Illustration Annual 58
Of the 3,995 entries submitted to the 58th annual illustration competition, only 178 were selected by a jury of respected creative professionals, representing the work of illustrators, animators, design firms, agencies, publishers and in-house creative departments.
Also featured in the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles Illustration West 55
Tribute piece in honor of the late Chris Cornell who tragically passed this year.
Pencil on Bristol, Digital Color.
Tribute Drawing of the great Stan Lee! Thanks for the tales and inspiration Stan, Excelsior!
A tribute to the incomparable stars of silent film; Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton.
Ink.
11”x14”
100lb. Strathmore Bristol
A series of ink drawings of some of the main characters in AMC's The Terror (Executive Producer Ridley Scott). Dr. Henry Goodsir played by Paul Ready, Captain James Fitzjames played by Tobias Menzies, Francis Crozier played by Jared Harris, John Franklin played by Ciarán Hinds, and Lady Silence played by Nive Nielsen.
Art Direction, Branding, Merch and Poster design for this once in a lifetime tribute to the late great Jerry Garcia.
On Thursday, May 14, an extraordinary collection of music stars came together at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, for the concert event of a lifetime, DEAR JERRY: CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF JERRY GARCIA, to honor one of the most influential musicians and cultural icons of our time. The concert event featured performances by: Phil Lesh & Communion, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann’s Billy & the Kids, Buddy Miller, David Grisman, Eric Church, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Frampton, Jorma Kaukonen, Los Lobos, moe., O.A.R., Grace Potter, The Disco Biscuits, Trampled By Turtles, Widespread Panic, and Yonder Mountain String Band
More info here
Roald. A privately commissioned illustration of the beloved children's book author Roald Dahl. 8 1/4 x 9 3/4, pencil on 100-lb. Strathmore Bristol.
Featured in the Communication Arts Illustration Annual 57
Also featured in the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles Illustration West 54
Commissioned piece of Joe Strummer, Bill Hicks and Christopher Hitchens playing poker.
Medium: Pencil
16”x11”
Pencil Drawing in Tribute of the late great Stephen Hawking
The loss of David Bowie hit me especially hard of the artists we lost in 2016. This is my tribute to the great artist, RIP Starman.
Featured in the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles Illustration West 55 - The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles 55th Annual Illustration Competition
See it Here>
Art Direction, branding, design for this once in a lifetime concert event from Blackbird Productions and AMC.
In honor of what would have been John Lennon’s 75th birthday, Blackbird Presents and AMC brings you Imagine: John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert, an all-star concert event celebrating the music and message of the legendary music icon. The one-night-only concert event taping was held at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, December 5th, and aired exclusively on AMC on Saturday, December 19th at 9:00pm ET/PT.
Along with a stellar lineup, the show included very special video appearances by the remaining members of The Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Golden Globe® and Screen Actors Guild® Award-winner Kevin Bacon was the special guest host of this star-filled event.
“It’s beautiful to see so many wonderful and talented musicians come together for this special show to celebrate John’s birthday,” said Yoko Ono. “John’s art continues to give hope, light and happiness to generations of people everywhere. His belief that each of us can change the world continues to inspire the human race to believe in themselves, and his influence is everlasting in everyone’s hearts as we all share in the possibilities and power of music.”
More info here>
Pencil and watercolor on Bristol
Art Direction, Branding, Merch and Poster design for this once in a lifetime tribute to the late great Jerry Garcia.
Dear Jerry: Let’s Play 2, two epic concert events that honored the diverse musical talents of Jerry Garcia which took place on Friday, October 14, 2016 and Saturday, October 15, 2016 in the MD/DC/VA metropolitan area. The milestone events paid tribute to the iconic musician with two-nights of unprecedented performances by an extraordinary lineup of musicians. Dear Jerry: Let’s Play 2 follows Blackbird Presents’ and the Jerry Garcia family’s acclaimed 2015 concert, Dear Jerry: Celebrating the Music of Jerry Garcia, which was released on Friday, October 14, 2016.
More info here>
Art Direction, branding, design and Illustration for this all star celebration of the late great Merle Haggard.
Silver Award Winner in The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles 56th Annual Illustration Competition.
Sing Me Back Home: The Music Of Merle Haggard, an all-star concert event taping at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee took place on Thursday, April 6, 2017 in honor of what would have been Merle’s 80th birthday and the one-year anniversary of his passing.
This one-night-only concert event taping brought together fans, friends, and music icons to honor the life and songs of music legend Merle Haggard. Sing Me Back Home: The Music Of Merle Haggard featured performances by Willie Nelson, Keith Richards, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, John Mellencamp, Dierks Bentley, Sheryl Crow, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams Jr., Toby Keith, The Avett Brothers, Alison Krauss, Ronnie Dunn, Alabama, Billy Gibbons, Warren Haynes, Jamey Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Rodney Crowell, Lucinda Williams, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Buddy Miller, Jake Owen, Chris Janson, Aaron Lewis, John Anderson, Bobby Bare, Tanya Tucker, Connie Smith, Ben Haggard.
More info here>
A fun T-shirt design I did for my friends over at Blackbird Presents.
Buy one here!
Design, Art Direction, and Illustration for Blackbird Productions all star Tribute to EmmyLou Harris.
From Blackbird's site:
On January 10, 2015, a remarkable and diverse assemblage of artists, including Mary Chapin Carpenter, Chris Coleman, Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Vince Gill, Patty Griffin, Chris Hillman, Iron & Wine, Alison Krauss, Kris Kristofferson, Daniel Lanois, Martina McBride, the Milk Carton Kids, Buddy Miller, Conor Oberst, Herb Pedersen, Shovels & Rope, Mavis Staples, John Starling, Trampled by Turtles, Sara Watkins, Holly Williams, Lucinda Williams, Lee Ann Womack, and Emmylou Harris herself gathered together at Washington, DC’s DAR Constitution Hall to honor one of the most distinctive and deeply-admired musicians of our time. The house band, led by co-musical directors Buddy Miller (guitars) and Don Was (bass), featured Sam Bush (mandolin, banjo, fiddle), Audley Freed (guitars), Fred Eltringham (drums), Matt Rollings (keyboards), Greg Leisz (pedal steel, lap steel), and Sara Watkins (fiddle, harmony vocals).
More info here>
Ron Perlman as “One" in one of my all time favorite movies, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s visionary tale, The City of the Lost Children.
Tribute drawing of the late Phife Dawg from A Tribe Call Quest.
Pencil on Bristol
Gig Poster for UK Punk band, Shame. Live at The Crocodile in Seattle, WA. Oct 1oth 2018
5 color silkscreen on Heavy Cougar Natural White Stock.
13”x19”
Limited Edition of 50. For Sale here>
Pencil on Strathmore Bristol
Gig Poster and Album art for the Seattle based band Super Sonic Soul Pimps. CD release gig poster for Seattle veteran space rock/funk band Super Sonic Soul Pimps. Posters were hung up and distributed throughout Seattle as well as featured on the venue's and band's official websites and social media. This piece was featured in The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles 51st Annual Illustration Exhibition.
See it here>
Pencil, Digital Color
Commissioned piece. Gouache, pencil, white colored pencil on Strathmore 4 ply Bristol
As part of a series of the most famous rockers of all time, I was asked to do a Nirvana piece for the Mexico City based art and culture magazine Algarabia.
Also featured in the The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles 52nd Annual Illustration Exhibition.
See it Here>
Mixed Media: Pencil, Ink, Digital Coloring
Yet another Gig Poster for my friends in the 3SP. This one was hand drawn and inked then digitally colored.
Private Commission.
Pencil on Strathmore 4 ply Bristol
Seattle veteran funk/rock/rap band Super Sonic Soul Pimps (3SP) approached me to create the album art for their fourth studio album. The typography was custom designed, hand drawn and digitally painted to resemble an elegant and ornate Rococo-style 3SP emblem that captures the regal yet ridiculous nature of the Pimps.
Featured in the Communication Arts Magazine Typgraphy Annual 3
See it here>
Mark Hamill as Master Skywalker in The Last Jedi.
Client: Blackbird Presents
Text from Blackbird Presents website:
More info
On October 3, 2012, music stars and friends joined together to celebrate the life and music of Levon Helm at “Love for Levon: Benefit To Save The Barn”. The star-studded benefit concert took place at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey and featured once-in-a-lifetime collaborations by friends and admirers gathered together to celebrate and honor Levon Helm. Performances included GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, Americana and Dove Award-winning musicians. An all-star band was led by GRAMMY Award-winners Don Was and Larry Campbell who served as co-musical directors. Larry was Levon’s musical director for the last several years of his life.
