Jim Phillips was born October 24, 1944 in San Jose, California, but has lived most of his life in Santa Cruz. His first published work was in the spring issue of Surfer Quarterly in 1962; his "Woody" drawing was a winner of a Surf Car Cartoon Contest. His work has appeared in many surfing publications since. After attending California College of Arts and Crafts on scholarship in the mid sixties, he painted murals, psychedelic cars and surfboards, traveled and exhibited in Mexico.
In February 1967, Phillips' work appeared in the San Francisco Oracle, including "Dr. Mota's Medicine Show" which was later published as a large 4-color poster, along with the Straight Theater's "Next Supper" poster.
He spent the summer of 1967 in Boston, working in the art department of the Crosstown Bus, a psychedelic rock concert hall, where he created posters for Lothar and the Hand People, the Doors, the Beatles, and others.
Phillips' free lance career included such various products as motorcycles, skateboards, local magazine covers, Cracked Magazine, posters, t-shirts, and decals, with 8 million decals sold in a two year period.
The Santa Cruz Pacific Garden Mall blossomed into a musical renaissance in 1977 that Phillips helped when he created a series of rock posters for the Tubes, Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Moby Grape, Maria Muldaur, Jesse Colin Young, Bonnie Raitt, Mary McCaslin, Country Joe, and of course, What on Earth, and other local rockers.
His work, including many recent rock posters is on exhibit each year at Rock Art Expo in San Francisco, or available from the artist at (408) 475-2067.
