The Towering Inferno: An Architect's Dream

 

The record above was formerly the Warner Brothers soundtrack to The Towering Inferno.

Whoever owned it previously circled the side number and the track entitled, "An Architect's Dream."

We may never know why...



Magic Sounds of the Islands

The record above is base-coated with a super-glittery red, and painted with a "5 point plumeria" motif.

It was inspired by the pink Hawaiian label, full of the magic sounds of the islands.





The Led was gotten out.

This was formerly a Led Zeppelin album.  It was lovingly painted with some wild blues and purples, with copper metallic accents.  And now it belongs to the Teach Like a Rock Star folks!

I'm blue (but not in the Ike Turner, doo bee doo, Gong Gong Gong way)

 

This record has a shimmery, silver undercoat with light blue and black detailing.

It has gone to live in a blue and white room in the Seattle area.

Mile High

 

The record above is crazy, crazy vibrant.  The background has fluorescent red and orange edges (which unfortunately don't show up well on a screen), blending into a yellow center.  The painted design is a kind of indigo-ey purplish blue, with metallic gold accents.

It has gone to live in Colorado.

So happy together

 

The rainbow record above lives with me in Seattle.  Not ready to part with it just yet.

Long time, no see

This incredibly detailed record went to a very nice lady, somewhere in The Republic of Etsyland.

Sketches of Spain

This record is different from my usual style.  The person wanted something asymmetrical, and they wanted the colors to exactly match the album cover.  They wanted it to really convey the feeling of the album.  So, I put the album on in my car, and took a nice long summer drive out into Port Orchard, Washington to really let the whole thing sink in at once.  No breaks.  This is the result, and I think it came out pretty great.  I also had to switch to a different type of paint to get the exact color match that was requested, so the texture of the design is quite painterly and the blocks of color took several coats to achieve the desired opacity.  It lives in Texas now, with its brothers and sisters.

 

The record cover that I was requested to riff off of was this:

Buongiorno, Mona Lisa

This record was painted for a delightful person who loves Italy and wanted a record with a little bit of purple.  It has gone to live in Federal Way, WA.  Ciao, pretty donna misteriosa.

Coast to Coast fun with Scorpions

Oh hai, Scorpions.  I had some Coast to Coast fun with you.  Enjoy your new home!

Some say love, it is a.........record.

I love how this record came out, and I adore the people that it went to.  And did Bette Midler just completely nail that performance in The Rose or what?  She is one of my all-time heroes.  Netflix that sucker, if you haven't already.

Seen enough fences to last a lifetime.

For a fun change, I reverted to painting in my spontaneous, freewheeling style from a few years ago. I love the glossy black against the colors.  It gives me flashbacks of growing up in our Texas house, whose contents and appliances were lovingly painted with psychedelic designs by my beloved late Aunt Betty with her abstract designs in the 60s. What?  Didn't everyone have a refrigerator in their dining room painted with fluorescent pink and turquoise seaweed and anenome?

My aunt was a pioneer of innovative coloring books for children, and believed that people needed to keep their creativity alive in their leisure time, by avoiding the conventional and expected.  The usual coloring books of the day that kids spent time using were stifling to young minds (you know, before everything was electronic and made of plastic, and back when people used their HANDS + BRAINS to do and make things).  And she was totally right.

***BONUS FREEBIE: Here, have some of my Aunt Betty's printable coloring sheets for FREE!

Please remember that they are copyright protected and strictly for non-profit and non-commercial use.  Click the link to be taken to the Pinterest link to the DropBox folder. 

Betty Schaffner's Designs to Color.

This far-out record went to live in an incredible house in California.  It is comforting to know that it is surrounded by beautiful works of art and lovely people, so it will never be alone.

And then the whole world will seem brighter.

This record was painted for my beloved friends, Karen and Gretchen, who got married recently.

This record lives in Seattle.

Modern Medicine Fall Short of Your Complaints

Here is the other record that now lives in Canada with the beautiful Siobhan.  Super colorful and perky, like the lovely person that owns it now.  It happens to hang on a violet-colored wall and it looks f-ing great.  Godspeed, Kajagoogoo. And hush, hush.

I Took Myself a Blue Canoe and I Floated Like a Leaf

This is one of 2 fun records that I painted for a super-cool lady in Canada.  She loves 80's pop, and also loves Sir Elton John.  Presenting: Tumbleweed Connection in blue.

All Star Spectacular for Dad

My dad is truly an all-star, and also - he loves the color blue. So I painted this for him, because he's my dad.

Success hasn't spoiled me yet.

The pure awesomeness of Rick Springfield is within these fine, fine grooves.  This commission was painted for a person who, like me, loves the color orange, and who has a crush on Mr. Springfield.  Have you seen how incredible he still looks and sounds (please watch Sound City).  I have turned scratched up audio love into visual love, here.  

Under the Tin Umbrella skies...

This perky album now permanently resides at the Tin Umbrella coffee shop in Hillman City, Seattle, WA.  I adore Tin Umbrella and their delicious coffee, and other fun goodies. And did I mention that their story WON AN EMMY??  The owner, Joya, is a truly inspirational person.  Make this place part of your visit to south Seattle, for sure.

Steve Lawrence, featuring Tango of Roses and Tender Moments

Plenty of pink and plum on this one.  It looks like yummy candy, with flowers.

Open your eyes. Look up to the skies and see.

Queen.  News of the World.  Luckily, this record came to me with a huge scratch - or I would not have painted it.  Because Queen is kind of.......shall we say.....sacred and awesome.  Some records you just don't mess with. But this one was already a car ride away from the garbage, due to its unplayability.  And now it's art.  And it lives in San Francisco, with a handsome genius who I'm very proud to call my cousin.