Jim Franklin (artist)

Jim Franklin (born 1943) is an artist best known for his poster art created for the Armadillo World Headquarters, a former Austin, Texas music hall.

Franklin was born in Galveston, Texas and studied at the San Francisco Art Institute. Returning to Texas, he teamed with musicians and artists to open a psychedelic music hall in Austin, called the Vulcan Gas Company. [cite web | title =Jim Franklin (jfkln)| work = | publisher =South Austin Museum of Popular Culture | url =http://www.samopc.com/jfkln/ | accessdate =2007-01-15] Franklin lived in the club and was its primary poster artist for bands such as Shiva's Headband, 13th Floor Elevators, Conqueroo, and Canned Heat. [cite web | last =Simon | first =Cheryl L | title =VULCAN GAS COMPANY | work =The Handbook of Texas Online | publisher =The Texas State Historical Association | url =http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/VV/xdv1.html | accessdate = 2007-01-15] At the Vulcan, Franklin and Gilbert Shelton worked together for the first time.

Franklin began drawing armadillos in 1968 and it became a symbol of the hippie counterculture movement in Texas. [cite web | last =Moser | first =Margaret | title =A Lot of Cojones and a Little Faith: The art of Micael Priest| work = | publisher =The Austin Chronicle | url =http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A408173 | date =October 6, 2006 | accessdate =2007-01-15] He used this armadillo motif when creating the album art for Shiva's Headband's first record, "Take Me to the Mountains" and poster art for the Armadillo World Headquarters. Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen live recording, Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas features Franklin's armadillo art, as does the Freddie King albums, "Texas Cannonball" and "Woman Across the River".

Franklin also wrote Underground comix and created "Armadillo Comics". Franklin's armadillo paintings earned him the nickname, the "Michelangelo of armadillo art." [cite web | last =Smith | first =Larry L | title =ARMADILLO | work =The Handbook of Texas Online | publisher =The Texas State Historical Association | url =http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/AA/tca2.html | accessdate = 2007-01-15]

Many of Franklin's paintings and posters are signed with the initials, JFKLN. He continues to paint and is often seen on opening nights at the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture.

See also

* Armadillo World Headquarters
* Music of Austin
* Shiva's Headband

References

External links

* [http://www.samopc.com/jfkln/ South Austin Museum of Popular Culture]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/planet/bozotexino Photos of Franklin at the Ritz, 1975]