The Clouds Caught on Fire is a sumptuous, self-published art book by Rich Jacobs and Billy Sprague, two visual arsonists who currently claim the San Francisco Bay Area as their accelerant. Spanning the years 2006-2008, this feral work is a tour de force of wild abstraction, offering up a seemingly endless procession of vivid color and layers of intricate line work that rejoices in a collision of influences ranging from ’60s psychedelia, avant garde LP covers, and folk art. Occasionally, Rich’s well-known distorted and disembodied heads are thrown in the mix, as well. As stated in the forward, the artists’ modus operandi was simply to hang out, listen to obscure music, throw caution to the wind, and push each others’ work into new places it wouldn’t have gone in a solo setting. Indeed, Rich and Billy’s efforts intertwine in such a natural manner that it’s sometimes hard to tell exactly who drew what. In other words, it’s pleasantly clear that an entirely new beast is afoot.

The Clouds Caught on Fire easily accomplishes the artists’ stated goal of inspiring a renewed excitement in the viewer to make his or her own art. In fact, I want to bust out a box of crayons right now! This visually infernal book, which can be doused by no known fire department, wraps up with a four-page interview between Rich and Billy regarding their methods and influences. Although the deluxe edition–including a page of hand-drawn, one-of-a-kind artwork, loose prints and stickers–is sold out, the regular edition is still available.

Publisher: Pretty Buff Press Catalog Number: 514628 Format: Book Packaging: Hardcover Pages: 120 Country: United States Released: 2008 More: Art Books With Rowan Morrison, Official

Text ©2009 Arcane Candy

There is Xerox on the Insides of Your Eyelids is number 15 in a series of art shows called Move curated by Rich Jacobs. It explores the original wave of 1980s skate zines and Xerox art, featuring Garry Davis (Skate Fate), Tod Swank (Swank Zine), Thomas Campbell (Joke), Chris Johanson (Karmaboarder), Andy Jenkins (Bend), Bernie McGinn (Tiki), Kevin Wilkins (7 Zine), John Dettman aka John Lytle (Naughty Nomads), Mark Waters (408), Rich Jacobs (Skate Edge), Jocko Weyland (Elk, Revenge Against Boredom, author of The Answer is Never), Dennis Remsing (REM), Dan Esabrook (Contort), Tim Kerr (Big Boys), Chris Shary (Burly Obsession), Ron Cameron (Dope, Skate Slate), Mofo (Thrasher), Rodger Bridges (Grim Ripper, Powerhouse, Dancing Skeleton) and more.

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A good-sized crowd from the skate and art worlds and even some random passersby converged upon Needles and Pens–a small zine, book and clothing boutique–for the opening reception. A good buzz floated in the air and everyone seemed super stoked on all of the handmade rawness from a bygone, pre-computer era. The show has since traveled throughout 2008 to the Nog Gallery in London, England on May 22; the Andenken Gallery in Denver, Colorado on September 5; PNCA in Portland, Oregon on September 30; and Printed Matter in New York, New York on November 5. It’s scheduled to visit Los Angeles, California and other cities soon, so keep an eye out.

Text and photos ©2008 Arcane Candy.

Think That Thought a Lot was a three-man art show featuring the work of Rich Jacobs, Rick Froberg and Rob Leecock. Rich’s work was the main focus, as it filled all of the main gallery in the new, larger space that New Image Art had recently moved into on Santa Monica Boulevard. Rick and Rob, on the other hand, were represented by just a few works each in a small side room. Since Rick’s were displayed in glass frames, glare prevented me from taking any usable photos. But, you can view a few pics of his ink drawings, featuring people and animals in surreal situations–plus some of Rob’s, too–on the New Image Art site.

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Although Rich offered up many new examples of his well-known distorted faces and abstract patterns, he surprised some with a whole wall full of more realistic-looking portraits of various and sundry real-life people–many of them musicians. This caused more than a few folks to gasp, clutch their chests, totter backward and fall to the floor in a state of cardiac arrest. Luckily, Mr. Jacobs is well-versed in the administration of CPR. (It’s not often that most artists break out of their typical style, but Rich did so in a most stellar way in this show.) Once the crisis was over, a new musical duo called No Age (whose members were formerly part of the Wives) bashed out a short set of noisy rock before everyone said their goodbyes.

Text and photos ©2006 Arcane Candy.

Read Listen With Your Eyes first. In 2005, Rich Jacobs belched out a flurry of art shows. Raw Dogs, a group effort, was the second one. As its title suggests, the theme of this show featured rough-hewn skateboard-related art penned, penciled, photographed and sculpted by the likes of Bruce Bickyard, Ben Clark, Larry Clark, Garry Davis, Leo Fitzpatrick, Pat Graham, Rich Jacobs, Chris Johanson, Tim Kerr, Matt Leines, Mofo, Neck Face, Rambo, Rot Gut, Allison Snackenberg, Melanie Standage, Ed + Deanna Templeton, Josh Wildman, Tobin Yelland and, as they always say, “more.”

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The works in this show covered a wide span of time, from the late 1970s up to the decade we presently call home. I was a little bit too lame to shoot photos of everyone’s artwork, so please enjoy these whopping six big pics. During the opening reception, a swell-sized crowd packed the tiny New Image Art space on N. Fairfax like a can of Vienna sausages with one extra hot dog crammed in. When all was said and done, the dust settled. Also read Rich Jacobs Interview.

Text and photos ©2005 Arcane Candy.

The friendliest person you’ll ever meet, Rich Jacobs (born 1972) is an internationally acclaimed artist who has exhibited throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. He is also the curator of Move, an ongoing series of group art exhibitions that originally started as a homemade art / music ‘zine and record label in the early 1990s.

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Inspired by graffiti, psychedelic and folk art, Rich’s raw, colorful work frequently appears on a broad range of materials such as magazines, books, CD and LP covers, footwear, apparel (including parkas, skirts and dresses), skateboards, buildings, pillows and much more. When he’s not drawing or painting, Rich enjoys spicy food, minimalism and making / listening to experimental music. A frequent flyer, he currently lives and works in San Francisco, California.

“Listen with your eyes,” says Rich, as a possible approach to life in general. This suggestion is also the title of an art show that he assembled and put on display at the Four x Four gallery in Los Angeles in early 2005. “As the title implies, this new work begins by exploring a correlation between music and drawing or painting, but generally, I hope it will spark a dialogue regarding the interconnectedness of all forms of personal expression and how we perceive this.”–Rich Jacobs

Also read Rich Jacobs Interview.

Text and photos ©2005 Arcane Candy.

What do you lust for?
Wow. Maybe nothing or something simple and mundane, like looking at interesting photographs, older printing processes, design and different approaches to designing things, layouts, funny or strange fonts, good cropping jobs. Bad choices are fun sometimes, too. I go to record and bookstores to try to see as much as I can, on purpose. I guess, really, the answer is I have to see new things constantly, or I have to at least look at things, so I would probably say anything visual that looks earnest, amazing, interesting, dull, extra-boring, accidental, handmade things that have imperfections or traces left of humans having had contact with them.

At Plasticratic in San Diego, California, 2000.

Record covers, bookbinding, magazine articles, newspapers–especially Indian, Asian, Moroccan, Greek, or places with very different text–signs, hand-painted signage, digital pixel-damaged type on computer printouts, receipts, scraps, words that have been scratched out, crossed out or painted over, ghost letters, traces of old writing, layers, tags, graffiti, vandalism, and evidence of someone having an emotional experience visually. It’s fun seeing the ways people try to communicate, express themselves, or just get pissed–frustrated and angry. I like dialogues that are open and spontaneous, on and off the street. Words waiting to come out of people’s mouths–I even like those.

“Yes, I’d like a large order of puffy hair with a side of flower power.” 1994.

Then there are shapes and forms abstracted. They may mean nothing or maybe they mean everything, or more than words, even. You can see these everywhere, even if you just look to any side. Go on walks. It’s easy to become addicted to looking at things. Really, it is. There are millions of more opportunities for looking and seeing. You can’t help but take them in. I look at people. I look at their shapes and forms, their expressions, their eyes staring back at me or into space. I look at their choices. Somedays, it helps me remember that we’re all human. I look at what people do, how they do it, why, when and where. I like seeing things people have done, like drawings, sketches, noodlings, ideas, fully finished works of their art or expressions, their pictures, how they look at things.

At the first Beautiful Losers art show in Cincinnati, Ohio, 2004.

All of this is very intriguing and interesting to me. I like to see people do things, makes things and play things. Occasionally, I like watching people make sounds, play instruments or noise devices. People can do a lot of amazing and crazy things, don’t you think? I guess if I lust for anything, it’s visuals or being able to look and see things. Maybe this makes me lonely, shy or even depressed at times, but it can also bring me extreme happiness, as well. I’m glad I have eyes. I’m grateful I was given the chance to use them. Maybe I can learn to use the rest of my body in a similar manner eventually.

Rich Jacobs wields the axe for Keep in Mind, 1989.

Locations: I’ve lived in Long Beach, Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City, Venice, Los Angeles and San Diego. Next is New York City, then hopefully Spain. I am 28 years old.

Record cover artwork: Iceburn, Gentry Densley, Three Mile Pilot, Bluebird, Tristeza, Ganger, Back Off Cupids, J Majesty, The Wad Squad and Beth Capper.

Magazine artwork: Ray Gun, TransWorld Skateboarding, Warp, Skateboarder, Powder, Juxtapoz, Double Negative, Grand Royal and Move Zine, among others.

Selected fine art shows: George’s, New Image Art, No Life Records, Burgamot Station, La Luz de Jesus, Pageant Rico, The Smell (all in Los Angeles), The Luggage Store (San Francisco), Milky World (Seattle), Space 1026 (Philadelphia), P.S. 122 (New York), The Phoenix (Boston).

Draw More, Talk Less art show at 68 and Brothers in Tokyo, Japan, 2005.

Selected favorite musicians: Charles Ives, Edgard Varese, Iannis Xenakis, Harry Partch, Harry Bertoia, the four minimalists and Tony Conrad, Charlie Patton, Skip James, John Fahey, Derek Bailey, Hans Reichel, AMM, early raw bluegrass, a lot of stuff on the Folkways Anthology box set, Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Charles Mingus, Marion Brown, Albert Ayler, Charles Gayle, Peter Brotzmann, Ennio Morricone, Voice Crack, Silver Apples, Breadwinner, This Heat, Faust, Can, Neu!, Metabolist, Liquid Liquid, Agitation Free, Slint, Tortoise, Jim O’Rourke, Fugazi, PJ Harvey, Happy Go Licky, Autechre, Aphex Twin, Photek, Squarepusher, Ed Rush and Nico, Sonic Youth, Big Black, My Bloody Valentine, Pita, Fennesz, Radian, Labradford, Monolake, Dumb Type, Various Artists, Matmos, Lesser, Pluramon, Latin Playboys, Tom Waits, Captain Beefheart, C Schulz, Three Mile Pilot, Public Enemy, early LL Cool J, Run DMC, On-U-Sound Dub, Powerdresser, JFA, the Faction, early DC hardcore, The Ex, SSD, Void, percussion-oriented stuff like Indian, Morrocan, African, Balinese gamelan.

Note: This article originally appeared with different photos and art in Arcane Candy Issue 1 in the year 2000.