Klibanarama

So I’m finally jumping onto the blog scene! Here’s a nice little Gravel & Gold story for ya.

Last Thursday the lovely Jeff Bowers, here at Wholphin for the summer, stopped by the shop for a visit. We were having a bit of a brainstorm about his wonderful new project, “Somethings” a hand made magazine, full of great folks’ artwork, songs and writings.

I politely inquired if he had heard of the amazing cartoons of B. Kliban.

Jeff got excited.

There were two reasons for that:

Reason #1. B. “Hap” Kliban’s work is expertly drawn, hilarious, weird and astounding political. He took no prisoners and was ruthlessly silly about all peoples. Correctness be dammed! He was also a psychedelically mined loon, which mostly explains this drawing he did for Playboy:

More Kliban would be good for us all. The kind of crazed, leg slapping laughter it provokes always improves things.

Sadly, 18 years ago, Hap moved onto the next dimension. I, though, am lucky enough to have his right hand lady, Judy Kamman Kliban, as my most fantastic special Auntie. Judy “La Duchess DuBois” was also drawing the famous Kliban Cat, which leads me to…

Reason #2. Jeff Bowers happens to have a Kliban tattoo on his forearm. Yup. What a guy.

Through the magic of Skype we got Judois herself into the mix. Turns out she drew the so called “How They Do It” cat which now is indelibly inked into Jeff’s skin.

Tonight I’m thinking of Hap and hoping there’s a load of really brilliant coo-coos hanging out with him in the great beyond.

?

At the moment you can get Kliban Cat shirts at Crazy Shirts, but hold your breath long enough and we’ll have our own special edition here at G & G.

Ciao for now!

Lisa

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