Heart and Torch: Rick Griffin's Transcendence
by Brian Nixon
June 28, 2007
LONG BEACH, CA (ANS) -- What do Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Murph the Surf, and Jesus Christ all have in common? Well on the night of June 23, 2007- the one commonality was the famed artist, Rick Griffin. Griffin's (b. 1944- d. 1991) retrospective exhibit, entitled, Heart and Torch: Rick Griffin's Transcendence, debuted at the Laguna Museum of Art.
Richard Alden Griffin was born on June 18, 1944 in Los Angeles. Over the course of his life he influenced and led in several cultural fields of art: surf, psychedelic, popular music, and Christian.
His earliest known art (early 60's) was comic-based, akin to Mad magazine artist Don Martin; creating characters for Surf magazine that now have 'cult' status- Murphy, being the most popular. Incidentally, the surfing company, Hurley, now has a line of Griffin shirts with Murphy images.
As Griffin expanded as an artist, so did his experiences with the culture of the 1960's. Griffin attended Ken Kesey's Acid Tests in Watts in 1966, and shortly after headed north to the blossoming Haight-Ashbury hippy scene.
In San Francisco, Griffin became one of the leading poster artists of the era, creating posters and art for the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, The Who, and Janis Joplin. In 1969, Griffin created some of his most popular images for album covers: Grateful Dead's, Aoxomoxoa, and The Beatle's, Why Don't We Do It in the Road (Beatles Illustrated Song Book).
Towards the end of 1969, Griffin takes a surfing trip to Santa Barbara, ending up in at Hollister Ranch, and documented in Joe Severson's movie, Pacific Vibrations (soon to be re-released).
After a short trip to New Mexico, Rick is inspired to create a "cosmic comic book," Man From Utopia.
In 1971, Griffin opens his first one-man show at Long Beach State College. But more importantly, in late 1970, Griffin had a personal experience with Jesus Christ, becoming a Christian and infusing his work with Christian themes and symbolism.
In the early 70's Griffin continues to paint surf-based work, create album covers (Mustard Seed Faith and Grateful Dead), and create characters for his art.
In 1977, Rick moves to Santa Ana, California and begins a project for Maranatha Music (commissioned by Chuck Fromm and written by Pastor Chuck Smith). The work is an illustration of the Gospel of John. For this work, Griffin paints scenes from the Gospel in acrylic and ink. The magazine was a success and is still in print to this day. Additionally, Rick created posters for Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa and Harvest Christian Fellowship.
Throughout the 1980's, Griffin creates album covers for Maranatha Music and Surf albums (Pray for Surf). Additionally, Griffin continues his poster artwork with R.E.M, Jefferson Airplane, and Bob Dylan.
In 1989, Griffin moves to Santa Cruz, California, and creates the artwork for the famed, Dylan and the Dead, album cover.
In 1991, Griffin is involved in a fatal collision on his motorcycle, and goes home to be with the Lord on August 18, 1991.
The last picture Griffin created was for The City magazine. "It is a self-portrait of Rick with a pen in hand, kneeling in front of an open Bible at Heaven's gate (McClelland, page 153).
Heart and Torch will continue at the Laguna Museum of Art through September 2007.
© 2007 ASSIST News Service, used with permission.
