| Rick Griffin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Richard Alden Griffin (1944-06-18)June 18, 1944[1] Palos Verdes, California, U.S. |
| Died | August 18, 1991(1991-08-18) (aged 47) Petaluma, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Underground Comix,Psychedelic Posters,Album Covers,Paintings |
Notable works | Flying Eyeball,Aoxomoxoa,Pow Wow: A Gathering of the Tribes,Tales From The Tube,Man From Utopia,Zap Comix |
| Awards | Inkpot Award (1976)[2] |
Richard Alden Griffin (June 18, 1944 – August 18, 1991) was an Americanartist and one of the leading designers ofpsychedelic posters in the 1960s. He was a key figure in theunderground comix movement as a founding member of theZap Comix collective. Griffin was closely identified with theGrateful Dead, designing some of their best-known posters and album covers includingAoxomoxoa. His work within the surfing subculture included both film posters and his comic strip,Murphy.[3]
Griffin was born nearPalos Verdes amidst thesurfing culture of southern California. Griffin biographer Tim Stephenson notes:
While attendingNathaniel Narbonne High School in theHarbor City area ofLos Angeles, he produced numerous surfer drawings, which led to his surfing comic strip, "Murphy" forSurfer magazine in 1961, with Griffin's character featured on the front cover the following year. In 1964, he leftSurfer and briefly attendedChouinard Art Institute (nowCalArts), where he met his future wife, artist Ida Pfefferle as well as the Jook Savages, a group of artist-musicians with whom he took part inKen Kesey's WattsAcid Tests on February 12, 1966.[4] Griffin was intrigued by the psychedelic rock posters being designed byStanley Mouse andAlton Kelley so after taking time out for a Mexican surfing trip, Rick and Ida headed to San Francisco to check out the scene.[3]
Griffin and the Jook Savages arranged an art show, celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Psychedelic Shop onHaight Street for which Griffin designed his first psychedelic poster.[4] Organizers for theHuman Be-In saw his work and asked him to design a poster for their January 1967 event.Chet Helms was also impressed by Griffin's work and asked him to design posters for theFamily Dog dance concerts at theAvalon Ballroom, and later forThe Family Dog Denver ballroom in Denver, CO.. In 1967, Griffin, Kelley, Mouse,Victor Moscoso andWes Wilson teamed with photographerBob Seidemann as the founders of Berkeley Bonaparte, a company that created and marketed psychedelic posters. In February 1968 Griffin began to design posters forBill Graham shows, first atThe Fillmore Auditorium and later at theFillmore West. The first of these posters was to become one of his best known works,[5] the "Flying Eyeball" poster forJimi Hendrix.
Griffin was a key figure and founding member of theZap Comix collective.Man from Utopia (1972),Tales from the Tube (1972), and his Zap pages are considered to be his most notable comic works.[6]
Source:[7]
Griffin became aborn again Christian in November 1970,[8] which led to fundamental changes in his lifestyle and in the style and content of his art. His 1973 paintingSail on Sailor for the bandMustard Seed Faith is an example of his fine art painting from this period. His most significant 1970s project was the creation of hundreds of paintings and drawings forThe Gospel of John, published by the Christian record labelMaranatha! Music. He also produced much album art for Maranatha! during the 1970s and 1980s.[9]
Rick Griffin died shortly after a motorcycle accident[10] on August 15, 1991, inPetaluma, California. He was thrown from his Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he collided with a van that suddenly turned left as he attempted to pass it. He was not wearing a helmet and sustained major head injuries. He died three days later, on August 18, in nearby Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, at the age of 47.[11][12]
His work has been cited as an inspiration by well-known artistRoger Dean, known for his designs for bands such asYes andAsia, and byMark Wilkinson, known for his designs for bands such asMarillion,Judas Priest andIron Maiden.[13]
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