Drawn From Abbey Road to Lake Avenue

Beatles Cartoonist at Prove Gallery

DULUTH, Minn.- A figure of musical history was celebrated at the Prove Art Gallery in Duluth on Friday.

The works of Ron Campbell were up on display. Campbell is the original artist for the Beatles’ tenth studio album: yellow submarine, the musical film spin-off and the Beatles’ Saturday morning cartoon.

Each of his paintings jump off the canvas with bright, popping color.

The eye-catching shades are more than a style choice.

“I’m trying to reproduce the way cartoons look up on the screen,” said Campbell. “But up on the screen they have the advantage of brilliant light projecting the color.”

While never getting to meet the iconic band, Campbell got to know each of their personalities through his art.

“Each of the Beatles had their own personality which we exaggerated in the films,” he said.

“There was the wise guy or smart leader, there was the pretty boy that the girls all loved, there was the jocular Ringo and there was the mystical, intellectual George. So we followed that line.”

Though, some choices were more deliberate on his part.

“We made Ringo the idiot. That was a sad thing for Ringo.”

Campbell will be at Prove on Saturday and Sunday as well, meet-and-greeting, as well as painting personalized autographs.

At the end of the day, Campbell is most fulfilled when the bright colors of his paintings shine a light on peoples’ day.

“Bright colors tend to make people feel sunny and bright and happy. And people who have bought my paintings frequently tell me that when they walk into a room with my paintings hanging there, they look at it and smile to themselves.”