This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)2005 Remaster

Hello from a completely random bout of Dept Q fan art. Because when a randomly motivated drawing hyperfocus comes out of nowhere, I won't say no.

The colours are weird because I have a whole lot of alcohol based markers (Sharpies and other stuff) that I don't use and I don't like, but I should use them up anyway - well... none of them dried out in the making of these, so lol... joke's on me!

At the beginning of the 70s in the USA a series of homosexual artists stood out in the world of design and illustration.One of the most notable was George Stavrinos (1948-1990). A fashion illustrator, Stavrinos was also a very successful photographer and filmmaker.

untitled 1980 Perhaps a design for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympiad

DNR Magazine 1986

Stavrinos was considered more of a photographer or illustrator than a fashion designer, although later he has been known more for this aspect of his work. The son of Greek immigrants, he studied graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design. With more ideas than fortune, he established himself in New York in 1973, and soon his talent was recognized and he worked with the best New York firms. In 1979, Stavrinos was hired for the retailer Bergdorf Goodman, which promoted him to world fashion. He has also taught at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

Left: "Black Male", 1988 Right: "The Naked Messenger" 1978

Left: "The Bather" 1977 Right: "Man Exercising" undated

Stravinos was known for his "representative" style". He created a new aspect of attention that set the pace of his contemporaries and still remains an important influence. He was a great admirer of J.C. Leyendecker, yet his work transcended the world of fashion.

His work has an important place in gay history. He designed and illustrated the covers of different novels, poetry books, and gay magazines of the time. The male nude appears prominently in his work. His publications in different magazines aimed at a gay demographic contain unmistakable homoerotic content.

Left: "Hustling" 1978 Right: "Portrait of Bobby" 1987