20101008

JOHN LENNON'S 70TH BIRTHDAY - OCTOBER 9TH

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TOMORROW - OCTOBER 9TH would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday. To those of us who grew up on The Beatles (we were called Beatlemaniacs) this is a big day. It must be a big day for everyone else too - Google is celebrating it with their first ever animated Google Doodle - check it out below. If you go to Google.com you will have to press the little red play button on the doodle and the animation will play along with a clip of the song "Imagine".



This unique Google Doodle is a wonderful tribute to someone who was so much a part of our lives - a legend in his own time and after his time as well. What you may not be aware of is the artwork is actually inspired and part of it actually is John Lennon's art! The portrait sketch of John that comprises the two "o's" in Google in the animation is a well known self-portrait.

John was quite an artist, having published a number of books which included doodles, drawings and artwork he created. I actually own the original editions of several of these including Spaniard in the Works and In His Own Write. They are filled with his wonderful and whimsical doodles and sketches.

He also created a book of drawings for his son, Sean, called Real Love. John Lennon had an interest in art his whole live - he was even encouraged by a teacher to go to art school because he didn't get good grades in anything else. To quote one of his instructors, Lennon was "Hopeless. Rather a clown in class. A shocking report. He is wasting other pupils' time."

Lennon met Stuart Sutcliffe (the original bass player for The Quarrymen) in art college, by the way, so you can credit John's artist skills with giving rise to The Beatles! John did not graduate from the Liverpool College of Art - he continued his rebelliousness, disliking the structure of a formal art education and dropped out before his final year. His art school experience did not stifle his love of drawing and John created his wonderful, quirky and totally unique art the rest of his life.

It's hard to Imagine John Lennon being seventy years old. Because he was taken from us he remains in our minds as he was when we lost him. He left behind a legacy of great music and creativity for all to enjoy. Imagine how he would have loved that.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN
You live on in our hearts.




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