Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend Celebration.

Back in 1970, while I was still in the Art Department of Philly's KYW-TV3, I was asked to design sets for a "Special" we were doing about the recent history of the Civil Rights Movement.

This is the image I did depicting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mahatma Gandhi.

Last year I did this drawing at the Zion Baptist Church, in Ardmore, PA during a rousing and rocking
"Unity Day Service," shared by the church, and two local Jewish Temples; Beth Am Israel and Main Line Reform. This year I joined my friend Nancy and her daughter Rachel, singing in the choir. Although a long ago lapsed Catholic, I do consider myself very spiritual, and I do love to sing, which we did on Friday evening and Sunday morning. I'll be looking forward to doing it again, this time next year.

Here are more images from the set designs done for the History of the Civil Rights Special, in 1970.
I used the profile of the young Black man as a recurring theme throughout the series.

Police dogs and Billy Cubs used on protesters.

Stokely Charmicael, Black Power, James Meridith shooting.

The murders of Medgar Evers and Emmett Till in Mississippi.

Hymn 4 Her's Three Month Tour.

If you have been following my blog since its' inception, by now you might have the feeling my branch of the Ternay clan is a bunch of Gypsies.

...and you would be right. It is especially true of my son Pierce and his mate in the band, and in life, sweet Maggi Jane...and of course, their daughter, Diver.

On January 5th they all piled into their van, with friend Gret as resident Nanny, and Pokey the Band Dog...to embark on a three month tour of the U.S., in true Gypsy style.

But before they left, they had one final fun local gig, at the "Grape Room," in Philly's Manayunk section.
This drawing is from my sketchbook.

Opening for Maggi and Pierce was a very talented and animated performer, " Le Roy Montana."
Great head, flowing mane and scarves; how could I resist?! Too bad I was working in pen and ink, 'cause
this guy was very "colorful."

As usual, I delighted in attempting to capture the variety of wonderful fellow fans at the bar, including my
hero, Batman. OK, so it's not really the man, himself.

I got so caught up drawing the performers and patrons across the bar that I didn't notice this beautiful
and so talented and famous Philly Rapper, "Schooly D," sitting next to me, waiting to go on.  

And here are Maggi and Pierce, as they were playing their final gig in Philly, for quite awhile.
Happily, they are getting RAVE REVIEWS on the tour, and tonight they play in New Orleans,  then
they head for Texas, and New Mexico, etc. Check out their website for their whole tour schedule.
They will return just before Diver's Birthday, on April 4th.
You can see them performing a few nights ago, in Nashville, below. ENJOY!



Hymn for Her 2011 01 11 Basement Sea from Kevin Kaz on Vimeo.

Holiday Traditions.

When I was a young South Jersey farm boy, one of our favorite annual traditions and adventures was to head
out to the woods with my brothers, Bob and Frank, to find and chop down our Christmas tree.

Two weeks ago my son Will and I drove down to those same woods, to look for this past year's tree.

I just wanted a little one, of modest dimensions. We soon settled on a lone Cedar, at the edge of the field.
I liked its' "Charlie-Brownish" demeanor.

One of the other traditions our family of artists and musicians has had, is to make as many of the gifts, as possible. Here I am working on an oil portrait of Stevie Nicks, my brother Frank's favorite singer.

He loved it.

For our sweet Maggi, son Pierce's partner, I finally fulfilled a promise to repair, and repaint, an old Japanese
folding screen that she'd grown up seeing, in her Grandmother's bedroom.

She loved it.

And for my dear friend and Muse, Nancy, I Photoshopped, enlarged, and framed a favorite picture of her
with her sister Robin.

She also loved it.

For my three sons, Will, Pierce, and Mason, I cleaned up some old family photos, including this one of
their mom, Louise, twirling her fire baton.
We all loved it, especially  the graphic color and pixellation.

And finally; since Christmas is for kids...no matter what the age, here's my granddaughter Diver, helping her
Daddy, Pierce, trim our little South Jersey Christmas tree. It was a great holiday.

Happy New Year to you, one and all!