Where would psychedelic music be without the art that accompanied the sound of visual experiences that represented the spirit of the times from then until now and into the future, forever!

When you think about psychedelic music do you not automatically think about the art that accompanied and enhanced the experience?  It is probably the time around 1966 to 1971 when the San Francisco Music Poster had its impact in the arena of graphic art.  This resulted in all sorts of posters, handbills and flyers advertising rock concerts

Bill Graham,  who promoted concerts at the Fillmore Auditorium,  Winterland and a dance hall he renamed The Fillmore West  along with Chet Helms, who headed  an organization called The Family Dog, were influential in having art posters that “rocked the world” to help promote their shows.

At this time there were a handful of San Francisco artists that were commissioned to produce much of this art work.  The had become known as THE BIG FIVE.  They included Wes Wilson, Alton Kelly, Stanley Mouse, Victor Moscoso, Rick Griffin.  Their influences were that of the masters in the Art Nouveau moment  In addition, Mouse and Kelly had some expertise in advertising art.They founded the Berkely-Bonaparte distribution agency to produce and sell psychedelic poster art.

Outside of Moscoso, who taught lithography, the artists had no formal training in printing techniques   and it was the wonderful pressmen of firms like Tea Lautrec Lito and West Coast Litho  that helped to produce the art work we have come to love and recognize.

Further Blogs are being written about each of the artists…keep in touch