Ron Campbell
Ruh-Roh!
Scooby-Doo, Beatles animator Ron Campbell's cartoonish skills come to Santa Fe
You'd wake up early on Saturday mornings when you were a kid. Bleary-eyed but oddly alert, you'd wander into the kitchen, find the biggest bowl of sugary cereal you could and plop down in front of the television. It was time for cartoons.
Those days have gone, but Australian artist Ron Campbell remembers them well—after all, he had a hand in some of the most beloved animated shows of all time. Shows like George of the Jungle and The Jetsons feature work from Campbell, and he had a direct hand in developing the ever-popular Scooby-Doo. Campbell even worked on iconic '90s properties such as Rugrats and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but his most popular and enduring efforts probably come from his Beatles projects, such as their short-lived Saturday morning show, for which he was the animation director, or the legendary 1968 full-length Yellow Submarine, for which he worked as an animator.
"We knew when we were working on Yellow Submarine, for example, that the film was very unusual, and that was for two reasons," Campbell tells SFR. "One, because the psychedelic art style, which had been used for commercials, had never been used making a feature film; and two, the Beatles' music, which was well-established at that time, and of very high quality. But if you told me that 50 years later I would be talking to you, in Santa Fe, about that experience? I would have said, 'Are you nuts?'"
Campbell comes to Santa Fe this week to showcase paintings based on his years in animation. He uses watercolors to create those psyched-out versions of the Fab Four or Hanna-Barbera characters like Yogi Bear, Fred Flintstone and others. And though Campbell says he will provide original remarques on the certificates of authenticity for those who purchase pieces, he's happy to talk cartoons with just about anyone who comes by, especially the kiddos. Still, those of us who grew up with a steady diet of cartoons might be the most excited.
"When people become adults, they look back on their childhoods, good or bad, and remember those happy moments, and they get a wave of nostalgia about it," Campbell says. "They buy my paintings because of the nostalgia. They like to hang those pictures on their walls, and when they walk into the room and see that picture, they smile." (Alex De Vore)
Ron Campbell: Cartoon Pop Art Show:
4-8 pm Friday March 1; noon-6 pm Saturday March 2; noon-4 pm Sunday March 3. Free.
JFD Gallery,
1221 Flagman Way, Ste. A2,
955-1911
Franny Walks Alone (For Now)
J Carr Photography
Free Range Buddhas frontwoman Francesca Jozette isn't letting her search for a guitarist slow down her songwriting or performance—she's hitting the stage alone or as a stripped-down duo with bassist Matt McClinton. And it's worth it. Jozette's powerful voice belies a certain understated simplicity to her backing music, but rather than it being about complexity, it's about feeling. Like countless songwriters, Jozette plumbs the depths of her own experience for lyrical content and Americana-driven indie tunes. By meaning it a hell of a lot more than almost anyone else around, we feel it, too, and it feels good, even if it hurts sometimes.(ADV)
Francesca Jozette and Friends:
8 pm Thursday Feb. 28. Free.
Cowgirl,
319 S Guadalupe St.,
982-2565.
Psychedelic Garage Rock Extravaganza!
Chris Grassi
The floor of Zephyr is about to shake from garage rock riffs and potent vocals. Still Looking for Cosmo weaves rich, smooth melodies with echoes of garage rock—not to mention the striking but soothing vocal overtones. Lead singer Chris Grassi explains the band's unusual sound, calling it "psychedelic, experimental, at times atonal." WEEP WAVE, a touring band from Seattle, specializes in punk-paced indie rock with a hint of psychedelia. They are known for their DIY hustle and raw, energetic shows. All Gods also joins in, serenading the audience with broody but uplifting tunes. (Layne Radlauer)
Still Looking for Cosmo, WEEP WAVE, All Gods:
8 pm Friday March 1. $5.
Zephyr Community Art Studio,
1520 Center Drive, Ste. 2.
The Sights, Scents and Mole Printing Contest of New Mexico
Anson Stevens-Bollen
If New Mexico can claim one thing in particular, it's a rich cultural heritage (OK, and chile). Encapsulating those hundreds of years is a celebration of the people of New Mexico, rightly hosted at the Roundhouse. "Culture Day is important because there's such a diverse landscape in New Mexico," says the Department of Cultural Affairs' Kat Andersen. "There's a plethora of cultures that we'd like to highlight." It's not only educational, it's chock-full of stuff to do. "I'm really excited about the mole printing competition," Andersen continues. "It's going to be on tortillas, which is very neat." There's also a poetry contest, local craft demonstrations and plenty of other family-friendly activities. (LR)
Culture Day at the Roundhouse:
8 am-2:30 pm Monday March 4. Free.
State Capital Building,
490 Old Santa Fe Trail,
986-4589.
