The Drawn Blank series by Bob Dylan

Few people would not have heard of Bob Dylan, and that is due to his outstanding work ethic and his works alone.  He is a song-writer, lyricist, writer, poet, visual artist, singer and a musician who can play no less than 11 instruments.  He has been working at his craft for over 50 years, and some lucky people will be seeing him play at the 2011 Byron Bay Blues, Roots and Grass (resin) Festival where he will be headlining with other greats.  To have him play at a festival in Northern NSW is amazing and I imagine the atmosphere will be wildly enthusiastic in a very hep way.

Bob Dylan is also a respected visual artist.  Beginning on February 13, 2011, a special exhibition will feature work based on drawings from his 'Drawn Blank Series' from the 1990s at London's Halcyon Gallery.

"I just draw what's interesting to me, and then I paint it," Dylan said about his art. "I'm not trying to make social comment or fulfil somebody's vision and I can find subject matter anywhere. I guess in some way that comes out of the folk world that I came up in."

A lesser known early Self Portrait, by Bob Dylan. The Drawn Blank series of artworks by Bob Dylan

The show will feature nearly 100 artworks from the musician, including the world premiere of 30 large paintings.

Dylan, who painted the cover of his 1970 album 'Self Portrait', has also included his drawings in the books Writings And Drawings and Lyrics 1962-1985.

'backyard' by Bob Dylan, taken from his "The Drawn Blank Series"

While Bob has a massive back catalogue that he could easily rest upon, he doesn't.  The persona Bob Dylan has become so mythologised it can be forgotten he is like us, a working artist, with a life.  Recently he worked with Daniel Lanois creating a whole new Bob Dylan Sound, starting with his album Time Out Of Mind.  He is famed for his Never Ending World Tour, he hosts a radio show, has written what may be the first of his life Chronicles and we've still got our tongues out for more.  The following interview with Time Magazine shows Bob Dylan fencing with his unwitting partner.  Pity the fool.