BEETHOVEN'S FIFTH

    

Here's one of a few illustrations I'm doing for the Nashville Symphony's 2012-2013 season. I approached making an image for this titanic piece as I would in creating an album cover, and the fine art directors of the Symphony encouraged me to have fun with it and explore whatever direction the music inspired me to explore. I was inspired by a legendary quote of Beethoven's that supposedly said the piece might recall "fate knocking at your door," as well as the idea that his fifth Symphony remains an intimidating and iconic composition for the ages. 

THE STONE FOX PRESENTS

Children's Bookshelf: YOSHIKAZU TAKAI

While in Japan last year I couldn't resist picking up a book by Yoshikazu Takai. He's a children's illustrator who, if the little information I've found online is correct, was a part of the 2006 Bologna International Children's Book Fair, and has released a series of books of Kuro ("Black Bear") seen below. Here are some of his other illustrations. I'd love to know some more about this artist, if anyone knows anything. 

VERTIGO ARTIST PROOFS

I'm putting my artist copies of my VERTIGO print in my shop for sale, beginning now. The initial run of 100, commissioned by Spoke Art for the Castro Theatre, is sold out and these are the last 10 prints that will be available. Click here to purchase.

QATSI ON CRITERION

Here are my designs for The Criterion's Collection upcoming release of Godfrey Reggio's QATSI TRILOGY, out on Blu-ray and DVD December 11th. Beginning with 1983's well-known KOYAANISQATSI, Reggio's films-- all scored by Philip Glass-- are a portrait of humanity and our relationships with Earth and technology. They are truly films of and for our time. I could go on and on about how much these movies mean to me, but I'll save it for another post where I might share some of the process behind these designs. Below are larger versions of each cover, and the cover of the boxed set.

2X JENNIFER CONNELLY

After her first film role in Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, a young Jennifer Connelly was cast in the leading role of PHENOMENA (aka CREEPERS), a classic of 80's Italian horror that remains somewhat underappreciated despite being a personal favorite of its own director, Dario Argento. The next year, she starred in Jim Henson's LABYRINTH. When Spoke Art and the Castro Theatre asked me to pick a new poster subject from their fantastic September slate, I went right to Friday the 14th, where the Castro would present a late-night Jennifer Connelly double feature of these two 80's Connelly classics. If only I could be there to see them back-to-back in 35mm.

For the occasion, I am so proud to present these two screenprints which are now available at Spoke Art and which will also be for sale at the Castro this weekend, where early patrons will also get a commemorative lobby card. We printed these at Kangaroo Press, each an 18x24" two-color print in which the 2nd layer reveals these glow-in-the-dark hidden images:

Thanks for the movies Jennifer, and thanks to Spoke Art and the Castro Theatre!

COSMOPOLIS

Woke up and made this for fun, in lieu of being able to screen print something for tonight's double feature of COSMOPOLIS and VIDEODROME at Nashville's beloved Belcourt Theatre.

NEW POSTERS

I just finished these theatrical posters for two great new documentaries making their way to theaters and on-demand: HECHO EN MEXICO, a vibrant portrait of contemporary Mexican culture featuring a wealth of fantastic music of all styles, and HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE, David France's moving chronicle of the ACT-UP HIV awareness movement. Happy to be a part of the release of both these films. Learn more about HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE at surviveaplague.com and HECHO EN MEXICO here. Click the posters above to see them larger at samsmyth.net.

VERTIGO

Fresh off its landing atop the new Sight and Sound poll of the greatest films of all time, VERTIGO screened this weekend in 70mm at San Francisco's historic Castro Theatre and for the occasion SpokeArt asked me to design this commemorative screenprint. It's one of my favorite prints I've had the pleasure of designing, and you can pick one up at SpokeArt's online shop now. Printed at Nashville's Kangaroo Press, it's a three-color 18x24" signed and numbered edition of 100. Also available at SpokeArt: my Castro Theatre prints for Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

YOUNG VOLCANOES

One of my favorite singer-songwriters I've had the pleasure of meeting, knowing and playing with over the past several years is my good friend Zac Clark. His long-awaited debut Young Volcanoes LP is finally being released via a Pledge Music crowd-funded drive that doubles as a benefit for Burlington's Cancer Patient Support Program. As of now the project is 98% funded with 11 days left. Head to Pledge Music to watch a video about the album and, if you make a pledge, start listening to Young Volcanoes now. Above is the album cover I designed for Zac, which just went over to United Record Pressing here in Nashville along its way into listeners' hands. Please enjoy.

BACK TO NORMAL

When Way to Normal was released I made this drawing based on the album cover, with the fantasy of turning it into a tour print. It never saw the light of the day so, after finding it on an old hard drive tonight, I'm posting it now.

NEW CASTRO THEATRE PRINTS

After just being bumped from its mantle atop the Sight & Sound film poll, CITIZEN KANE comes to the Castro Theatre tomorrow, August 5th, in a double feature with GONE WITH THE WIND celebrating the Castro's 90th anniversary. Spoke Art commissioned me to design these two new screenprints, each signed and numbered, in a limited edition of 100 prints each, on French electric red and steel blue 100lb Construction paper. Printed in Nashville at Kangaroo Press.

Pick them up individually or as a matching set here at Spoke Art's shop, or in person at the Castro as you wish them a happy birthday and enjoy these two beloved classics. Lobby cards featuring both print designs will be given to Castro attendees.

As a bonus peek, speaking of Sight & Sound, here's an unused cover design I imagined for their 2012 poll: