Arty Farty Friday ~ Jaxon

Jack Edward Jackson
(May 15, 1941 – June 8, 2006), better known by his pen name Jaxon, was an American cartoonist, illustrator, historian, and writer. He co-founded Rip Off Press; many consider him to be the first underground comix artist, due to his best-known comic book God Nose (sample HERE).


Snips from a tribute piece dated June 2006,
by Joe Gross, American Statesman staff writer:

Jackson was born May 15, 1941, in the south-central Texas ranching community of Pandora, the descendant of Texans who settled here during the Republic years after 1836.

To his friends and admirers, Jack "Jaxon" Jackson was an artist's artist, an historian's historian, a Texan's Texan. And to his artistic credit and financial detriment, Jackson was always a little too ahead of his time.

Jackson published the underground comic book "God Nose" in Austin in 1964, three years before alternative funny books sprang forth half a continent away in San Francisco. " 'God Nose' was printed in secret in the basement of the Texas State Capitol building on a state-owned printing press," said Moriaty. "He hawked it on the Drag. Little old ladies claimed he was a godless Communist and others claimed he was a fascist. It was a nice, middle-of-the-road comic book."
Five years later, he founded San Francisco's seminal Rip Off Press, which would become a staple of the burgeoning countercultural economy. His comics moved away from hippie-flavored shock value and into Texas history well before nonfiction cartoonists such as Joe Sacco galvanized the form.

"Jackson was first, but he was stuck in Austin," Fantagraphics co-founder Gary Groth said. "Robert Crumb was better able to tap directly into the zeitgeist in San Francisco." Jackson moved to San Francisco in '66 to join the "Texas Mafia," the transplanted Texans who were juicing up the San Francisco scene. He became the art director and informal accountant for the Family Dog, a music booking concern founded by fellow Texan Chet Helms, for whom Jackson created wild posters.

By the late '70s, Jackson had returned to Austin, where he produced comics about Texas history, including "Los Tejanos," "Lost Cause," "Comanche Moon" and "The Alamo."
"Jackson's histories were studies in misapprehension and out-of-control appetites," comics critic Tom Spurgeon wrote on his "Comics Reporter" Web site. "(They were) authoritative portraits of a region whose future was shaped from the buffeting winds of greed and desire.
Fantagraphics published "Los Tejanos" in 1981. "(Jackson) was doing this stuff long before it was commercially viable," said Groth. "Jack was a genuine historian, and there was an authenticity to the art, that gritty visual aspect. He could really capture that period, re-create it, dramatize it and make it relevant to readers. But it's historical, and how many Americans really want to know about history?"

"These are confrontational histories," lifelong friend and writer Mike Price said Wednesday. "He defied his readers not to wallow in glamorous mythology."

But Jackson's study of history wasn't confined to comics. An independent scholar who published a number of works on Texas history, Jackson's books included "Los Mesteños: Spanish Ranching in Texas, 1721-1821," "Almonte's Texas: Juan N. Almonte's 1834 Inspection, Secret Report & Role in the 1836 Campaign" and "Indian Agent: Peter Ellis Bean in Mexican Texas."

.....the years of laboring on the cutting edge — if not the more lucrative center — of art, comics and history took a toll on Jackson. Tina Jackson, his wife of 22 years, said Jackson was struggling with prostate cancer and diabetes at the time of his death, which is being investigated as a suicide. Jackson also is survived by his son Sam, 19.

ASTROLOGY

Born 15 May 1941 in Pandora, Texas. Chart set for 12 noon as birth time unknown.

What should "show up" in Jaxon's natal chart? An indication of his avant garde attitudes (first underground comix artist); drawing skills; interest in history/tradition....

There's a potent line-up of planets in Taurus, the sign ruled by Venus, planet of the arts, it includes Sun (self) flanked by and conjunct Saturn (tradition), Uranus (avant garde) and Jupiter (publication). Additionally, Jupiter conjoins Mercury (communication) and Venus (art) in communicative Gemini - what better astro-portrait of Jaxon could we wish for? Cherry on top: Neptune (creativity, imagination) harmoniously trines Sun and other Taurus planets from Virgo.

Mars (energy, aggression) in Uranus-ruled Aquarius squares Taurus Sun, and some other Taurus planets - what's going on there? Possibly a reflection of the artist's inner irritability/anger with worldly events: "God Nose...there's vice in high places" and his way of publishing his feelings?

Natal Moon's position can't be established without a time of birth, it could have been in either Capricorn or Aquarius, an argument could be made for either; and they happen to be signs ruled by the two planets flanking natal Sun (Uranus and Saturn).

Arty Farty Friday ~ Honoré Daumier

Daumier was born this day in 1808. A re-airing of my 2010 post about him and his work:

It might seem irrelevant to feature a 19th century caricaturist/satirist. What could satire of 19th century France have to offer to 21st century mortals? In the hands of Honoré Daumier it offers us a chance to see that nothing much has changed - fashions and technology - yes, they have changed, of course. Attitudes, politics - no change there! Daumier's cartoons satirised the corrupt regime, the injustice of the law courts, and the hypocrisy and greed at the heart of things. (Left: His lithograph titled (as translated)"Ungrateful country, you shall not have my work".



Today is the anniversary of Daumier's birthday. Born 26 February 1808 in Marseille, France; at age 8 moved to Paris with his parents. His father was a glazier, and didn't support his son's intense desire to become an artist, so young Daumier had to go to work in a bailiff's office. He later was able to study at the Académie Suisse and worked for a lithographer, which experience set him on the road to success. He quite obviously, as well as inborn artistic ability, had a natural flair for acute observation, a love of ordinary folk, a gift for seeing the comedic side of everyday life, hatred of political injustices - and war. It is considered that Daumier did as much as any artist of his time to raise the political and social awareness of the citizens of France.

"Throughout his forty-year career, Daumier created nearly 4,000 lithographs, first for the political journal La Caricature and later for the daily Parisian periodical Le Charivari. His early political images addressed the inequality and corruption of King Louis-Philippe’s July Monarchy. One drawing landed Daumier in jail for several months, indicative of the government’s repression of political caricature during much of his lifetime. After strict censorship laws were passed in September 1835, the artist shifted from political attack to social satire. His victims were the members of the French middle class, of which he was one. His images poked fun at pompous politicians, pretentious lawyers, picturesque individuals at the community baths, artists and writers in the throes of creativity, as well as urban development and the trials of commuting—all things that vex us to this day!" (Link.) [Link now defunct - sorry - probably was published in relation to an exhibition in 2010]

As well as the lithographs for which he is best-known Daumier painted around 200 canvases in oils, many depicting everyday life in France, as well as watercolors and small sculptures, all of which comprise, it is said, the largest visual legacy of any artist before 1900.

Daumier died blind and in poverty. Though the people of France enjoyed his caricatures, the elite of the artworld didn't recognise his talent until decades after his death.



Daumier had Pisces Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars and Pluto (birth time 3pm according to Astrotheme, but Moon in Pisces whatever time he was born). Jupiter in Aquarius and Venus in Capricorn. Personal planets and ascendant in Fixed signs, Aquarius, Leo and Scorpio, with Venus in common-sense Capricorn provided valuable balance to an overload of dreamy, artsy Pisces.

Saturn in Scorpio trines Mercury in Pisces and sextiles Venus in Capricorn. Venus semi-sextiles Jupiter in Aquarius and Jupiter semi-sextiles Mercury in Pisces - which means that a planetary loop linked an acutely perceptive Scorpio Saturn to communicative and humanitarian Pisces Mercury, arty but practical Capricorn Venus, and expansive, jocular Jupiter in mentally active, socially aware Aquarius.

Some examples of his work from Google Image:


UNTITLED



GARGANTUA - This one, a depiction of King Louis-Philippe, led to a prison sentence for Daumier.



LOUIS-PHILIPPE, again....PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE.




IMAGE OF SAPPHO



"SO YOU WANT TO MEDDLE WITH THE PRESS"



3RD CLASS



THE FIRST CLASS




COMET



COMET (again!)




FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR THE PLANET




DISGRUNTLED LITIGANT



"Tiens peuple, tiens bon peuple, en veux-tu en voilà ! " (I think this means something like "Hang on good people - is this what you want? Here you are!")

Arty Farty Friday ~ Cartoonist Bill Mauldin

Bill Mauldin: "If I see a stuffed shirt, I want to punch it. If it's big, hit it. You can't go far wrong." Too many newspaper artists tended to "regard editorial cartooning as a trade instead of a profession. They try not to be too offensive", he said. "The hell with that." He frequently lamented that editorial cartoonists were too soft and that more of them needed to be "stirrer-uppers." Mr. Mauldin worked full time at being a stirrer-upper, and while he was on duty nobody was safe from his editorial brush.

The above, and following information, comes from a 2003 New York Times obituary by Richard Severo, honoring cartoonist Bill Mauldin. some early biographical detail is there too.

Bill Mauldin's best known cartoons feature Willie and Joe, two care-worn, weary and bedraggled World War II US infantrymen. After the war Mauldin worked as a syndicated cartoonist for more than 50 years, his aim "to caricature bigots, superpatriots, doctrinaire liberals and conservatives and pompous souls in whatever form they appeared". He won the Pulitzer Prize twice, once in 1945 for his World War II work, again in 1959 for his commentary on Soviet treatment of Boris Pasternak."

Besides segregationists, red-baiters and dictators, Mr. Mauldin used his pen to strike at the Ku Klux Klan and veterans' organizations that he thought were too far to the right. He later said he thought he had gone too far in his denunciations and "became a bore." Many newspapers agreed and began to drop his syndicated cartoons. His postwar book "Back Home" received good reviews. He also appeared in two 1951 war movies.

During the war, Mauldin was beloved by his fellow enlisted men, for lambasting their pet irritants: insensitive drill sergeants, palate-dulled mess sergeants, glamour-dripping Air Force pilots in leather jackets, and cafe owners in liberated countries who rewarded the thirsty G.I.'s who had freed them by charging them double for brandy. He was also much admired by his peers, fellow cartoonists.

For a good selection of Mauldin's Willie & Joe cartoons see THIS WEBSITE page and additional pages there.

A few of his cartoons on other topics - and these haven't dated much!

 After the assassination of JFK

ASTROLOGY

Born on 29 October 1921 at 10:15 PM in Mountain Park, New Mexico. (Data from astro.com)

Natal Scorpio Sun and Mercury are linked by harmonious trines to Uranus and Pluto - a circuit in Water signs ensuring there were strong elements of intensity and rebellion in his emotional nature. His rebel nature clearly shows through his cartooning - and in the quote at the top of this post, and this one:

"[Editorial cartooning] is essentially a destructive art. We are not pontificators, or molders of thought—or at least we shouldn't try to be. Ours is more the role of the lowly gadfly: circle and stab, circle and stab. Roughly put, our credo should be, if it's big, hit it."
― Bill Mauldin

Venus (planet of the arts) in one of its own signs, Libra, conjoins Jupiter (wide publication) and sextiles Neptune, planet of creativity and imagination - interpretation of that speaks for itself in his work.

All Mr Mauldin's natal planets lie within the span of just three zodiac signs, Scorpio, Libra and Virgo. Such a tight grouping signifies an individual with intense focus on a chosen path or career, often leading to success.

Arty Farty Friday ~ William Gropper, artist, cartoonist & radical .

 self-portrait

This artist's name was unfamiliar to me, but his subject matter echoes down the years to remain relevant still - only names and fashions change.

William (Bill) Gropper was born on 3 December 1897 in New York City, died, January 6, 1977. The six and a half minute video, below, provides a little biographical detail along with some examples of his work. The second part of the video concentrates on Gropper's drawings of the 1937 Youngstown, Ohio "Little Steel Strike".

From Heritage Gallery

William Gropper, a major painter of Social Realism and illustrator of political cartoons, was born in New York City in 1897. He studied with Robert Henri and George Bellows. He took realistic art and turned it into pungent critique of the ills of modern society. He spoke of the hypocrisy of its leaders, most notably members of the government in Washington. At the same time, his sympathy for the laborer, the displace person, and the underdog gave his art a humanitarian warmth that muffled any propagandistic shrillness. His incisive views are still relevant as we approach the 21st century. His works are in most major collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum.

Gropper’s best-known subject matter is the satiric caricature of America's wealthy and powerful, of politicians, and moguls of business and industry. In this era, his art is so relevant, It is, as though, the cycle has come in its full circle, pointing out the relevant elements that have made our society go wrong for the people. Ironically it was wealthy collectors who sought these images for their collections. Now the paintings, drawings and prints are purchased by collectors who see his meaning in today's world.

A few of his cartoons and one of his paintings

 The Sweatshop

ASTROLOGY

Chart set for 12 noon on 3 December 1897, New York City. Time of birth isn't known.

I suspect that Gropper's background as much as his astrology shaped the orientation of his artistry.
(Click on image for clearer version)

 From book by By Louis Lozowick

That he had Sun plus four planets in Sagittarius gave him unbounded enthusiasm, and with planet of the arts, Venus, conjunct Chiron in Scorpio he made his passion for his subject very clear. Without a time of birth rising sign isn't known - Aquarius would be a good bet!

Moon would have been in impetuous Aries whatever his time of birth, and likely in trine to one or more of his Sagittarius planets.

The pattern astrologers call a "mystic rectangle" showing clearly in the chart does depend on exact position of Moon, but this interpretation, from Cafe Astrology fits well

The Mystic Rectangle, or Rectangle, is comprised of two opposition aspects, connected with two trine and two sextile aspects. The harmonious trines and sextile aspects can be considered release points for the tension of the oppositions. The native can be attracted to important causes. There is a strong chance that the native will put his or her talents to work, or to good use.

Early Degrees Can Be Fun

In yesterday's post there was a mention of the possibility that the middle degrees of a zodiac sign could have some relation to music and musical abilities. That possibility reminded me of something I investigated in my early years of astrology blogging - not relating to middle degrees, but to the early degrees. I had wondered whether the early degrees of zodiac signs had some relevance to humour, in particular to the talent for cartooning. I looked for birthdates of a few favourite cartoonists, then compared charts. I did note a common factor, in looking at 12 noon charts, as birth times are unknown. I noticed, and it's not necessarily astrologically significant - but it might be - most were born with the Sun or Mercury on the edge of, or in early degrees of the zodiac sign, and/or there are other planets in early degrees too. Look.....


From the British press of the 1950s and 60s Wally Fawkes aka Trog ("Flook") 21 June 1924, Vancouver, Canada.

The incomparable Carl Giles ("Giles"). 29 September 1916, Islington, London, England. Giles is the odd one out of this group of 5 because he didn't specialise in cartoon strips, he put everything into one big drawing. You had to study it carefully to see all the fun.This example is too small , but the best I could manage.

From the USA, the legendary Walt Kelly ("Pogo"), 25 Aug 1913, Philadelphia PA

Charles Schulz ("Peanuts") 26 Nov 1922, Minneapolis, Minnesota and

Bill Watterson ("Calvin and Hobbes") 5 July 1958 Washington DC

Berkeley Breathed ("Opus", "Bloom County", "Outland") 21 June 1957, Encino, California.

Summary

Wally Fawkes: SUN 00* Cancer
Walt Kelly: SUN 1* Virgo. Pluto 00*Cancer, Uranus 4*Aquarius
Charles Schulz: SUN 3* Sagittarius. Venus 1*Sagittarius, Jupiter 6* Scorpio.
Carl Giles: SUN 5* Libra, Jupiter 3* Taurus, Pluto 4*Cancer
Bill Watterson: (a bit later) SUN 13*Cancer, but Mercury slipped into 1* Leo, Pluto 00*Virgo, Neptune 2* Scorpio.
Berkeley Breathed: SUN 00*Cancer, Mars 00*Leo, Uranus 5*Leo


All this proves nothing, of course, it could be pure coincidence. I chose the 6 cartoonists because I like them, and they are well known. I wonder, though, could the early degrees of all zodiac signs carry some qualities of Aries, first sign of the zodiac.....a childlike, fun-loving flavour, which might lead an artist towards cartooning ?



How about Gary Larson, of "The Far Side" fame? He was born on 14 August 1950, Tacoma, Washington. Sun and Mercury are not in early degrees here. But Mars at 2 Scorpio, Jupiter at 3 Pisces, Uranus at 7 Cancer, the Nodes at 00 Aries/Libra. The Moon is more than likely to be in early degrees

Female cartoonists? There are a few, but none as well known as their masculine colleagues.

An early female cartoonist was Dahlia (Dale) Messick, originator of the "Brenda Starr" comic strip about a glamorous red-headed a reporter who has a taste for fashion, romance and intrigue. I've written a full post about her, with natal chart, here. She was born 11 April 1906 in South Bend Indiana. Talented and witty as she was though, her work doesn't have the same whimsical quality as that of, say Charles Schulz. It's a different style entirely. Even so, she had 3 planets in those early degrees, which might possibly be a kind of signature for cartoonists -Venus 4*Taurus, Jupiter 5* Gemini and Uranus 8* Capricorn.



Another female cartoonist, with birth data available, is Cathy Guisewite. Her  focus is mainly on feminist or feminine issues. Cathy Guisewite was born 5 September 1950 in Dayton,Ohio. Early degrees as follows: Mercury 2* Libra. Jupiter 1* Pisces, Uranus 8* Cancer.




Different - yet similar:
The 2006 movie "Idiocracy" was written, produced and directed by Mike Judge. A satirical, somewhat twisted, illogical yet funny look at what the world (or more accurately, the USA) might be like after 500 years have passed. The premise is that the USA is becoming more and more dumbed down as years go by. The brainy intelligentsia do not breed at nearly the same rate as yo-yos. Therefore, in time, the yo-yos will take over. Mike Judge was acting as a kind of cartoonist here, doing a similar thing, using a different medium.

Mike Judge was born on 17 October 1962 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. No birth time available. There are several planets in early degrees of their signs: Mercury 6* Libra, Mars 2* Leo, Jupiter 3* Pisces, Saturn 4* Aquarius. Also Moon's nodes @ 4 Leo/Aquarius.






Is it time to rest my case for the early degrees often playing a significant part in cartoonists' birth charts? It's interesting, anyway, to notice this phenomenon popping up.