Oliver Evans in the Arctic

Inspired by three books I am reading at the moment- Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez, Tracks Across America, and American Railroads. Oliver Evans was an American inventor who pushed for railroads and steam engine carriages in America as early as the 1700's. He was also the inventor of the Oruktor Amphibilos, the world's first self powered amphibious vehicle.

Me and an Animation on Art Zone

Seattle Channel Video can be played in Flash Player 9 and up

It already played on the Seattle Channel and you can watch it on KCTS 9 (PBS) or right here.

The Westernized Ainu Settlement

The Ainu are an indigenous ethnic group of Japan and Russia. They are believed to have settled on Hokkaido before the Japanese and have what can be described as Caucasian features, including facial and body hair. They play a stringed instrument called the Tonkori that sounds mysterious and lovely.

Kris Kristofferson Limted Edition Poster and Album

Light in the Attic Records just released the much praised (by NPR, The Guardian, Mojo and others) and never before released publishing demos of Kris Kristofferson. I created a linocut for the limited edition poster-which was also used as the sticker on the album wrapping. Go here to pre-order the poster and here to buy the album, cd, mp3 or lp.

Strange Trees

Train TRacks for My Dream

Fence for My Dream Had No Name

Audio accompaniment provided by Joe Bussard singing what I believe to be his own composition "The Flight Of Astronaut John Glenn". From the amazing collection Fonotone Records 1956-69- recordings of Joe Bussard and his friends and colleagues. Plus, John Glenn is great.

Indian Steel Guitar

Inspired by the cd of BOLLYWOOD STEEL GUITAR put out by the awesome Sublime Frequencies record company.

The Tool Shed

Inspired by our day trip to Everett, WA. Soundtrack is Tennessee Ernie Ford singing (a song that I used to think was written by Michael Hurley) Cry of the Wild Goose.

Watercolors inspired by Foxfire Books

Thanks to my Uncle Al for letting me borrow two of his Foxfire books. The two I grabbed have sections on banjo and dulcimer making as well as violin making, knife making, hide tanning, animal care and wood carving. Not only are the books focused on the most interesting aspects of American rural life, they are beautifully designed books/manuals/artifacts. Foxfire was started as a high school project in the 1960's and ended up becoming a popular how to/interview series on simple living. Soundtrack provided by Curt Bouterse- his albums are available here.

End Pages for Nonexistent Books

Some possible titles for these books could be American Hemlocks, The Seahorse In English Literature, American Tallships of the 18th Century, The Reindeer Mailmen, Song of the Sami: The Laplanders in Music, The Athabascan Snow Shoe, and Tugboats of the Pacific Northwest.

Russian Ladder House

Initially inspired by a wooden Russian church whose name now escapes me. Also inspired by Brodsky and Utkin-The paper architects. Soundtrack is from an album whose only english in the title says: Unique Music of Old Russia.

Crocodile Pattern

The Legend of the Jet-Ski Crocodiles...they learned how to drive jet -skis and motor boats. A guy tried to stop them but they drove over his head and killed him. The ruled the lake for a thousand years with their jet-ski technology.

Harry S. Treeman

Fire, Fire, I Heard The Cry (A Linocut Animation)

Fire Fire I Heard The Cry from Drew Christie on Vimeo.

Finally, A linocut animation.

Wallace, Idaho

Audio Accompaniment provided by Jimmy Driftwood playing the fiddle in C minor tuning. The song is called Goin' To Hunt The Buffalo. You can download the whole album over at Allen's Archive.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Inspired by the book Timber by Ralph W. Andrews. Soundtrack provided by Buzz Martin, the fantastic logger/country singer and songwriter from Oregon's coast range. He was born in a tent and died in a hunting accident in Alaska in the early 80's. I was told about Buzz by Lelan at M&L rare records and models in Ravenna. Thanks Lelan!

Monks with Guns

I was recently at the Vatican and while strolling through one of the Pope's libraries I stumbled upon this picture. I believe these monks were a vigilante sub-sect of the Benedectine order of monks. They stockpiled weapons and artillery well up into the 1970's.

The Continuing Adventures of the Bishop Perry Tillis Episode One: In which Bishop Tillis gets a boombox.

Inspired by the Mississippi Records release In Times Like These by Bishop Perry Tillis. Listen to the first track from the album right here.

The Parade

Snapping Turtle

Audio accompaniment.

My Dream Had No Name (Raiding of Baranov's Castle)

A new scene from My Dream Had No Name. Wherein something ancient and strange is stolen from Baranov's Castle in Russian Amerika. Soundtrack provided by myself finger picking the dulcimer to the archaic tune Nine Hundred Miles (a relative of Rueben's Train and Train 45). This tune will be on the limited edition vinyl lp soundtrack to accompany the book.