Jim Evans (artist)
Encyclopedia
Jim Evans born sometime in the 1950s, sometimes known as T.A.Z., is an American painter
, printmaker, and Creative Director
who was a contributing figure in the visual art movement
known as underground comics. After a successful career as a comic illustrator, Jim Evans became known for his work as a painter, poster maker, and owner of the digital design group, Division 13.
and other Underground papers while working for Eric Matlen's Sawyer Press. Evans' then began to take commissions doing work in several comic books. These included Yellow Dog, and a solo effort titled The Dying Dolphin, released by the San Francisco based Print Mint
, it included collaborations with Rick Griffin
and Ron Cobb
. Evans also drew for Slow Death Funnies, and Tales from the Tube, which was published by Surfer Magazine, and included contributions by ZAP comix artists Robert Crumb
, Spain Rodriguez
, Robert Williams
, and Rick Griffin
.
, The Robby Kreiger Band, The Allman Brothers, Neil Young
, The Marshall Tucker Band
, Jimmy Rabbit, Waylon Jennings
, and other bands like Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids.
In addition to the record sleeves and ongoing work with the surfing magazines, Evans became a contributor to the newly formed Skateboarder Magazine, handling all of the illustration work for the first four issues. Jim did a series of ads for Cadillac Wheels, the first polyurethane skateboard wheel. Other skate commissions included one for Stacy Peralta, for an early skate film titled Freestylin’.
An interest in film led to work as an Art Director, set decorator, and storyboard artist for films. Evans worked on Killer’s Kiss and Growing Pains. He also helped to prepare an American release for a series of Japanese films called The Baby Cart Series. Jim’s son Gibran did the film’s voiceover, it was released in 1980, and titled Shogun Assassin
, with a poster done by Evans.
led to a series of silkscreen portraits of celebrities, the magazine commissioned Evans to do portraits of Sean Connery, David Letterman, Joe Montana, and Marilyn Monroe. These portraits led to art shows in Chicago and New York, in addition to a large scale show at the Hansen Gallery Rodeo Drive location, where he did portraits of Sly Stallone, Madonna, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Billy Idol, Steve Vai, Bob Dylan, and Robert Mitchum. Later a show of feminist icons, done in collaboration with pop artist Richard Duardo, had a successful run at the Zero One gallery in Los Angeles. Evans' surf art has been shown at The Nyehaus gallery, Metro Pictures and Friedrich Petzel Gallery in New York for a bi-coastal tour called "Swell". Other artists in the show included Billy Al Bengston
, Ed Ruscha, Laddie John Dill, and Dennis Hopper
. Most Recently, Evans' work can be seen in The Lords and the New Creatures art show at the NYE+BROWN gallery.
, Jane’s Addiction, Oasis, Pearl Jam
, Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica
, and Beastie Boys
. As a group, T.A.Z. has completed commissions for numerous CD covers. These include the groups the Beastie Boys, Beck, Aerosmith, Face to Face, House of Pain, The Voodoo Glow Skulls, Slayer, Luscious Jackson, and Orange 9mm. The creation of T.A.Z. led to Jim’s association with the Lollapalooza
festival. In 1994, he was commissioned by Marc Geiger and Perry Farrell to decorate the festival.
In the late 1990s Evans worked as the Executive Creative Director for Al Teller’s online label Atomic Pop. He was in charge of interface design, content creation, web site development for artists signed to the label, and interactive game design. While at Atomic Pop he created sites for Public Enemy, Ice-T, The Black Eyed Peas, and Smashing Pumpkins.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, printmaker, and Creative Director
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
who was a contributing figure in the visual art movement
Art movement
An art movement is a tendency or style in art with a specific common philosophy or goal, followed by a group of artists during a restricted period of time, or, at least, with the heyday of the movement defined within a number of years...
known as underground comics. After a successful career as a comic illustrator, Jim Evans became known for his work as a painter, poster maker, and owner of the digital design group, Division 13.
The Underground
Evans was born in San Diego amidst the surfing culture of southern California. After attending high school, he played in several local bands and then created comic strips for the LA Free PressLos Angeles Free Press
The Los Angeles Free Press , also called “the Freep”, was among the most widely distributed underground newspapers of the 1960s. It is often cited as the first such newspaper...
and other Underground papers while working for Eric Matlen's Sawyer Press. Evans' then began to take commissions doing work in several comic books. These included Yellow Dog, and a solo effort titled The Dying Dolphin, released by the San Francisco based Print Mint
Print Mint
The Print Mint was a major publisher of underground comics during the genre's heydey. Starting as retailer of psychedelic posters, it soon evolved into a publisher, printer, and distributor. It was "ground zero" for the psychedelic poster...
, it included collaborations with Rick Griffin
Rick Griffin
Richard Alden Griffin was an American artist and one of the leading designers of psychedelic posters in the 1960s. As a contributor to the underground comix movement, his work appeared regularly in Zap Comix. Griffin was closely identified with the Grateful Dead, designing some of their best known...
and Ron Cobb
Ron Cobb
Ron Cobb is an American cartoonist, artist, writer, film designer, and film director.By the age of 18, with no formal training in graphic illustration, Cobb was working as an animation "inbetweener" artist for Disney Studios in Burbank, California. He progressed to becoming a breakdown artist on...
. Evans also drew for Slow Death Funnies, and Tales from the Tube, which was published by Surfer Magazine, and included contributions by ZAP comix artists Robert Crumb
Robert Crumb
Robert Dennis Crumb —known as Robert Crumb and R. Crumb—is an American artist, illustrator, and musician recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream.Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded...
, Spain Rodriguez
Spain Rodriguez
Manuel Rodriguez , better known as Spain or Spain Rodriguez, is an American underground cartoonist who created the character Trashman. His experiences on the road with the biker gang, the Road Vultures, provided inspiration for his work, as did his left-wing politics.-Biography:Born in Buffalo, New...
, Robert Williams
Robert Williams (artist)
Robert Williams is an American painter, cartoonist, and founder of Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine.Williams was part of the Zap Collective, along with other underground cartoonists such as Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton...
, and Rick Griffin
Rick Griffin
Richard Alden Griffin was an American artist and one of the leading designers of psychedelic posters in the 1960s. As a contributor to the underground comix movement, his work appeared regularly in Zap Comix. Griffin was closely identified with the Grateful Dead, designing some of their best known...
.
Hawaii
The Underground period was followed by a move to the North Shore of Oahu, and contributions to both Surfer and Surfing magazine, as well as illustrating a succession of Surfing posters, such as Hal Jepson’s A Sea For Yourself, and the posters for Bud Browne’s successful Going Surfin’ series. He did posters for many Australian surf films like On Any Morning, and A Winters Tale. During this period, he also did posters for Oahu’s infamous Crater Celebration, featuring bands like Santana and Little Feat. Some of the time in Hawaii was spent doing commercial and advertising art for ad agencies, including ads and record sleeves for Don Ho and the Allihi’s, and The Society of Seven.Album art
Returning to the mainland, Evans began to do record sleeves and continued his relationship with Surfer and Surfing magazines, doing numerous illustrations for both, including a collaboration with surfer Mike Doyle on a series of ads for Wax Research. Evans also contributed regularly to Skateboarder and Powder magazines. Working with Dean Torrance of Jan & Dean fame, he did the art for their revival album, Dead Man’s Curve, and a compilation of Jan & Dean and Beach Boys hits called Golden Summer. In collaboration with Dean, Evans also did the art for the Beach Boys albums 15 Big Ones, and Live in London. At the same time, he created a logo for The Beach Boys that is still used. This, in turn, led to the commission to create a logo for the band Chicago. His list of album jackets includes; Alice ColtraneAlice Coltrane
Alice Coltrane, née McLeod was an American jazz pianist, organist, harpist, and composer.-Biography:...
, The Robby Kreiger Band, The Allman Brothers, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, The Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band's blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s...
, Jimmy Rabbit, Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, and other bands like Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids.
In addition to the record sleeves and ongoing work with the surfing magazines, Evans became a contributor to the newly formed Skateboarder Magazine, handling all of the illustration work for the first four issues. Jim did a series of ads for Cadillac Wheels, the first polyurethane skateboard wheel. Other skate commissions included one for Stacy Peralta, for an early skate film titled Freestylin’.
Film posters
The period of record sleeves and skate posters ran parallel to commissions for a number of film posters. Working for most of the major studios, Jim completed art for the Lumiere, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, Kentucky Fried Movie, Big Wednesday, Neil Young’s Rust Never Sleeps (for which Jim also animated the opening title sequence), and John Carpenter’s first film Dark Star. Numerous books began to appear at this time and his work is included in the History of Rock Art, Phonographics, Roger Dean’s Album Art Book, and The History of Underground Comics.An interest in film led to work as an Art Director, set decorator, and storyboard artist for films. Evans worked on Killer’s Kiss and Growing Pains. He also helped to prepare an American release for a series of Japanese films called The Baby Cart Series. Jim’s son Gibran did the film’s voiceover, it was released in 1980, and titled Shogun Assassin
Shogun Assassin
Shogun Assassin, known in Japan as , is a jidaigeki film made for the British and American markets and released in 1980. In 2006 it was restored and re-released on DVD in North America by AnimEigo....
, with a poster done by Evans.
Fine art
An association with PlayboyPlayboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
led to a series of silkscreen portraits of celebrities, the magazine commissioned Evans to do portraits of Sean Connery, David Letterman, Joe Montana, and Marilyn Monroe. These portraits led to art shows in Chicago and New York, in addition to a large scale show at the Hansen Gallery Rodeo Drive location, where he did portraits of Sly Stallone, Madonna, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Billy Idol, Steve Vai, Bob Dylan, and Robert Mitchum. Later a show of feminist icons, done in collaboration with pop artist Richard Duardo, had a successful run at the Zero One gallery in Los Angeles. Evans' surf art has been shown at The Nyehaus gallery, Metro Pictures and Friedrich Petzel Gallery in New York for a bi-coastal tour called "Swell". Other artists in the show included Billy Al Bengston
Billy Al Bengston
Billy Al Bengston is an American artist and sculptor who lives and works in Venice, California. He was educated at Los Angeles City College Los Angeles, CA , California College of Arts & Crafts Oakland, CA , and the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, CA .After seeing the work of Jasper Johns at the...
, Ed Ruscha, Laddie John Dill, and Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
. Most Recently, Evans' work can be seen in The Lords and the New Creatures art show at the NYE+BROWN gallery.
T.A.Z. rock posters
In the late 1980s led Evans turned his attention back to rock music. Agreeing to do a poster for Nirvana and L7 for a Rock for Choice benefit, he created a new moniker, T.A.Z. The name was inspired by Hakim Bey’s anarchist handbook titled The Temporary Autonomous Zone, This began collaboration with Jim, Gibran Evans and silkscreen artist Rolo Castillo. To date they have created 190 silkscreen limited edition rock posters for bands such as U2U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Jane’s Addiction, Oasis, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, and Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
. As a group, T.A.Z. has completed commissions for numerous CD covers. These include the groups the Beastie Boys, Beck, Aerosmith, Face to Face, House of Pain, The Voodoo Glow Skulls, Slayer, Luscious Jackson, and Orange 9mm. The creation of T.A.Z. led to Jim’s association with the Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
festival. In 1994, he was commissioned by Marc Geiger and Perry Farrell to decorate the festival.
Digital media
The move into electronic media led to the founding of The Big Gun Project. The Big Gun Project was conceived as a loosely organized artistic electronic commune made up of artists, designers, writers, and computer programmers. The Big Gun Project was responsible for creating early websites as The Crash Site, FilmZone, and Salvo. The Big Gun Project work for hire initiatives led to the completion of several web sites for major motion pictures. Among them, Men in Black, Tomorrow Never Dies, Seven, Jackie Chan’s Rumble in the Bronx, The Mummy, The Big Lebowski, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which was done in collaboration with the film director Terry Gilliam. On the music side, the Big Gun Project built web sites for The Beastie Boys, The Ozzfest, Grand Royal Records, and The Tibetan Freedom Concert.In the late 1990s Evans worked as the Executive Creative Director for Al Teller’s online label Atomic Pop. He was in charge of interface design, content creation, web site development for artists signed to the label, and interactive game design. While at Atomic Pop he created sites for Public Enemy, Ice-T, The Black Eyed Peas, and Smashing Pumpkins.
Current
Evans is currently residing in Malibu with his wife and business partner Nancy. He is the Executive Creative Director and owner of Division 13 Design Group, a web-based design firm specializing in the collaboration of art and technology with recent clients like Sony Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, Lionsgate, Fox, Universal, and Paramount, he does web sites and viral campaigns for films such as Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Hellboy, Shrek, Dreamgirls, Flags of Our Fathers, the SAW series, and recently, Ice Age 3 and Monsters vs Aliens.Websites
- Shrek Forever After
- Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
- Monsters Vs. Aliens
- Kung Fu Panda
- Saw, Saw III, Saw V, Saw 3D
- Hellboy I, II
- Mirrors
- The Bank Job
- DreamWorks Animation
- Shrek The Third
- Dreamgirls
- Madagascar
- The U.S. Vs John Lennon
- Lord of War
- Over The Hedge
- Flags Of Our Fathers
- The Terminal
- Catch Me If You Can
- Shark Tale
- The Devil's Rejects
- XXX: State of the Union
- The Ring 1, 2
- League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
- Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
- The Big Lebowski
- Men In Black
- Smashing Pumpkins
- The Beastie Boys
- Psycho
- Seven
Film posters
- Lumiere
- I Never Promised You A Rose Garden
- Kentucky Fried Movie
- 20th Century Oz
- Acapulco Gold
- Dark Star
- Rust Never Sleeps
- Shogun Assassin
- Big Wednesday
- Mustang Ranch
- Tank Girl
Music posters
- Nirvana
- Beck
- The Melvins
- Rage Against The Machine
- Smashing Pumpkins
- Green Day
- Lollapalooza
- Foo Fighters
- U2
- Tibetan Freedom Concert
- Nine Inch Nails
- Pearl Jam
- Metallica
- The Ramones
- Sonic Youth
- Jane's Addiction
- Beastie Boys
- Wu-Tang Clan
- L7
- Bad Religion
- Oasis
- Bob Dylan
Album art
- Live RustLive RustLive Rust is a live album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, recorded during his fall 1978 Rust Never Sleeps tour. The show at the Cow Palace, San Francisco was filmed and was the performance used in the concert film, Rust Never Sleeps; however, the album Live Rust was composed of performances...
, Neil YoungNeil YoungNeil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, - Ill Communication, Beastie BoysBeastie BoysBeastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
- 15 Big Ones15 Big Ones-Singles:* "Rock And Roll Music" b/w "T M Song" , 24 May 1976 US #5; UK #36* "It's O.K." b/w "Had to Phone Ya" , 9 August 1976 US #29* "Everyone's In Love With You" b/w "Susie Cincinnati" , 1 November 1976...
, The Beach BoysThe Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962... - Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas - The Allman Bros.
- Live In London, The Beach Boys
- Robby Krieger & Friends - Robby Kreiger
- Big Choice - Face To Face
- Truth Crushed To Earth Shall Rise Again - House of Pain
- Who Is, This Is - Voodoo Glow Skulls
- Driver Not Included - Orange 9mm
- Falling In Between - Toto
- Stereopathetic Soulmanure - Beck
External links
- Swell - Art in America
- The Ephemeral Art of Jim Evans
- Malibu Times - Iconic Malibu rock artist opens Vegas gallery
- Vegas Seven - Low to High Brow
- ART SABOTAGE - T.A.Z.
- D+CONtrol Online Art Gallery: Taz
- Beastiemania.com - Interviews T.A.Z.
- Lambiek.net - Jim Evans
- Liquid Salt Surfing Magazine - Jim Evans Interview