From The Desk Of Chuck Prophet: Travis Somerville, Painter

On his 10th studio album, Temple Beautiful (Yep Roc), Chuck Prophet found his muse in the city he’s called home for 30 years. Exploring the local landmarks and myths with friend and poet klipschutz, Prophet winds his way through San Francisco, stretching tales even taller along the way. But this guided tour isn’t a detailed and prefabricated concept album, so much as it’s the product of spontaneous inspiration, and it’s not a document of the city’s past as much as it is of its present. Prophet will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new Q&A with him.

Prophet: I root for the home team; it’s how I’m wired. This isn’t exactly a disclaimer—I don’t know what it is—but here comes another friend of mine I want to pimp a little.

His grist is the mythical South. On canvas he mixes it up: part litho, part collage, part oil paint, part found photographs. His name is Travis Somerville. Here’s the thing: Everybody comes to San Francisco from somewhere else. And Travis, a preachers kid from Atlanta, is no exception.

In this world of one-percenters and 99-percenters, you don’t have to stare long at his paintings to see Travis knows that oppression and greed is nothing new. Meanwhile, Travis keeps one eye on the road ahead and one on the rear view mirror for juicy road kill. Like Malcolm X in Nike shoes. One of my favorites Somerville titles is The Raft Of The Grand Wizard.

When the Catherine Clark Gallery had the good taste to pick up Travis back in 1995 or so, I was there. Since then, the rest of the world—as the rest of the world will—has slowly caught on. He’s picked up some deep-pockets collectors along the way too, Whoopi Goldberg among them. Could Ted Danson be next?

If you’re in S.F., pay Travis a visit at his studio. He’s out there in the toxic wasteland of Hunters Point. I’ve hung out with him in his studio and I can tell you one thing: He’s always got great music playing.

Rock out with your brushes out!

Video after the jump.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FoTrDirFDs