Jonathon Blake is a native Virginia artist who primarily creates live, improvisational pieces of abstract and psychedelic art all across the country. Completely self taught, Blake started with art at an early age, quickly pulled into vortex worlds of space men, spaceships, aliens, ray guns and frenetic moving epics of intergalactic mayhem. After completing general studies with a psychology major a...t the University of Virginia, Blake assumed the stage name Crazyredbeard (due to his generally striking and sometimes unkempt facial hair) and started painting in front of audiences at rock, reggae, jazz, jam and electronic shows. Driven by a passion for live music and influenced by his years as an improv comedian with college group The Whethermen, Blake began combining his favorite elements of creation in an organic and ever changing environment. His work mirrors this with striking color, movement and shimmering psychedelia.

With a dogged DIY and somewhat outsider attitude, Blake has built up a tremendous supporting fan base over the past six years. From the base of the Shenandoah Valley in Charlottesville, CRB Productions (short for Crazyredbeard Productions, and Blake's artistic baby) began what, at this point, could arguably called a legitimate painting epic (ask him about the trip to a huge music festival in Maine with paintings and a door strapped to the roof of the car). Blake has created all over the country and to countless bands and acts, including members of Phish, the Grateful Dead and the Jefferson Airplane, just to name a few (the full list would prove daunting). He strives to create increasingly complex works of whimsy and fantasy....a cross between organic playfulness, technological precision and imaginative oddity. He tries to surrender to every creative moment in an attempt to channel a collective audience experience in the live setting while allowing the music to shape and change his creations. He has been described by fans as "Salvador Dali and graffiti in a blender" and "Picasso on acid" amongst other colorful remarks. With more and more live shows on the horizon, charity efforts, t-shirts, collectible pins, murals and large scale public displays of art, Blake is systematically making the privation of creating art public...demystifying the process and sharing in the joy of creation. He believes in the joy of life and living...and loves it when the circus comes to town.