Photo of one recipient: Whoop Dee Doo
Book awarded to art educators
Jeff London loved people who immerse young people in creative experiences. Inspired by their imaginative audacity—he wanted to recognize their talent by giving them each a free book of art and activities.
Thanks to Jeff's students, we have made this curated edition for the next generation of outstanding artists and educators.
When they get their books in the mail, here's what they will find on pages 10 and 11, along with 360 pages of nudges for a creative life.
Limited Edition
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200 editions
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Full color, high quality prints
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Never seen before archives
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Stony Creek arts scene 1960-80
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Studio shots from Connecticut to Tennessee and his road trips
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360 pages of art & stories
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8 downloadable art exercises
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Awards to art educators made possible by book sales & sponsors
Jeff & Jeffer London explain the book
being made with your help
Free Art
Activities
Downloadable art activities—for all ages and stages of artists. We expect you have you own ways of doing things, and hope you will simply add these into your mix.
Each chapter of the book has a QR code that links the content to an art activity—but if you can't wait, click the purple button!
Jeff London & Friends
Welcome to the world of Jeff London, where Caustic Merriment is the norm. This loving tribute from son to father paints a picture of a man who made his own art and encouraged others to do so as well. He had no lesson plans, no grades, no formal pedagogy… just audacity and the belief that everyone can make art.
Shocking, seductive, curious, you may not know if you like it, or are a bit afraid of it. This was the tension that Jeff London enjoyed. If it made you feel curious, nervous, or awkward, he felt the art was a success. Why not turn a page and see what’s possible for you?
Artist, Inventor or Loony Bird?
Both. Certainly. Jeff London has been called a lot of things, not all glamorous. But the most endearing term is inspiring. We’ve been collecting anecdotes from Jeff’s students, peers and family – and have been so touched, we had to make this book. So many people's destinies were changed thanks to Jeff London's “caustic merriment.” That’s why we are putting it in writing – to keep his creative stimulus alive, and to make it available for everyone.
Made with Love
Making this book has been a team effort, with more than a hundred people playing a role. Besides documenting Jeff London's archives, we also collected stories from his friends, students and collaborators. Together, we shaped a book that does what Jeff always did: Inspire our creativity.
Like so many good ideas, this book has been a work-in-progress for years. The project was actually relegated to Jeff’s massive pile of unfinished projects—until a few people said, this story must be told, and asked Jeff's son Jeffer to tell it. We are forever grateful to Anne Appleby, David Beecher, Elena Lazarova, George Shaw, Jesse Dean, Rita London and Tina London for providing their encouragement, and the $8,500 in seed money, with which we launched this endeavor.
Knowing Jeff had a profound impact on his entourage, we launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. This brought even more images and testimonials to the surface and made one of Jeff's dreams come true: to offer the book to remarkable art educators. We raised $6,634 in pre-orders which includes 72 books for friends and 31 books for art educators, who will receive the book as a gift.
We’ve mobilized a lot of volunteers, and are now at the part of book making that has hard costs… graphic design, editing, printing & delivery. It all adds up to $28,000. We are short $10,974 to complete the job, so if you are in the position to top up the budget, we would appreciate your sponsorship, as it will make a direct impact on how many people we can reach—and let some kid out there get a creative nudge.
