This is the "Helen Avakian Cartoon Guitar Ensemble". Of Helen's many students and guitar playing friends, and husbands, and peers, only 4 of us so far have taken the leap to become 'toons. We're hopeful the toon ensemble will grow with more of Helen's pals.
Helen's 'toon (upper left) was used as the cover of her former demo tape before her "Vanishing Point" CD was completed.
Ed Levin's 'toon (upper right) was created in a minute or so at a company dinner party. It's amazing how just a few strokes captured the essence of Ed. Once Ed came face to face with his essence, a great change came over him. He knew his old company could never contain the vast creativity he saw within himself, so he left and founded "The Lexington Four" classical quartet pictured elsewhere in the gallery. There is also a great gallery pic of Helen N'Ed Boogie'ing.
TerryToon is lower left. Terry Champlin is Helen's favorite husband. He is a masterful composer and arranger of classical music. He has also written a number of popular style tunes (TerryToon's Tunes?). Helen covers one of them, "Bird Flying" on her first CD "Live At The Rosendale Street Festival". It's a GREAT song, but I heard Terry almost tossed it out. Helen really brought it to life though, and the tragically never recorded Helen and Terry duet is, well... tragically unrecorded! You have to hear it sometime!
Helen says Terry will see a piece of music on the kitchen table and rearrange it over coffee. He arranges music the way some people do crossword puzzles. Then after effortlessly making some great changes, he'll say "goodbye dear" and leave for the day, and not have any idea later what he did, unless of course he sees it again. Ya know, just like we mere mortals don't remember our crossword puzzles. Damn, I wish I could do that!
PoozToon - lower right. That would be I - or me. I had this done in Sea World in San Diego. My party kept yelling "come on, you're missing the show!", but I was glad I stayed. I mean, how often do you get to be a 'toon? I was fortunate the artist also was a guitar player because he knew the details of drawing an acoustic guitar. I sure didn't bring one with me to Sea World.
Helen's own homepage: www.HelenAvakian.com