Author: Christopher Conway

Ravi Shankar (1920-2012) [14 x 17, charcoal]

I drew and painted these as offerings to leave behind at the graves of Julio Cortázar, Carlos Fuentes, and César Vallejo, all of which are located in Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris. I don’t know what happened to these 4 x 6 cards. It rained for a few days after I left them there. I assume they were wrecked and eventually trashed by some groundskeeper.

 

Billie Holiday (1915-1959)

 

Max Roach (1924-2007)

 

Gerry Mulligan (1927-1996)

 

 

Amelia Earhart was one of my father’s favorite historical mysteries. I miss talking to him about her and what might have happened to her and to her plane in 1939. I intend to draw Amelia much more. This was my first, loose attempt.

I’m a big fan of Clifford Brown, a jazz musician who died in a car accident in 1956. His recordings of “Laura,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” and “Delilah” are wonderful.

Above, left to right: Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, and R. Crumb.In March of 2019 I started sketching free hand on 4 x 6 postcards. I often draw them in bed. Playing with postcards helps me to draw fast and loose and hopefully achieve some cartoony likenesses. I generally draw in series, such as American Literary History, Jazz performers, or The Mexican Revolution. Below, left to right: Venustiano Carranza, Woman with a rifle (after a Casasola photograph), and Emiliano Zapata.