The Paul Butterfield Blues Band Poster
Conklin's plump puffs, a departure from his usual lettering, lulled the reader into finding Butterfield Blues Band and Santana in the clouds, then challenged him to discover Iron Butterfly, Initial Shock and Canned Heat in the landscape. Pointing fingers and that eyeball may come from the artist's "mission to translate my psychedelic experience onto paper."
The 1st printing poster was printed before the concert. It measures 14" x 21".
The 2nd printing is on uncoated matte stock and has "W 2021" in the lower right hand margin. It was printed in 2021 by Wolfgang's in a 100 copy run. This reprint measures 14" x 21".
Lee Conklin's early influences were pen and ink masters Heinrich Kley and Saul Steinberg.After seeing articles featuring Wes Wilson's poster art, Conklin was inspired to visit San Francisco and show his art to Bill Graham. Conklin was soon commissioned to do posters and produced 31 original designs for the Fillmore between 1968 and 1969. Conklin rendered both graphics and calligraphy in intricate detail. What began as a personal challenge to disguise images within images and lettering soon turned into a concerted effort to turn every single letter and figure into another form, stretching the imagination to new limits.