Rich Jacobs + Billy Sprague – The Clouds Caught on Fire
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: Official
Text ©2009 Arcane Candy
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