U.S. #5315

2018 50¢ John Lennon Blue – Music Icons Series

 

John Lennon was a 20th century Renaissance man.  He wrote, sang, and played piano and guitar in the Beatles.  But he was also a talented author and artist.  Long before he picked up a guitar, Lennon was an artist.  He loved to draw from a young age and produced a newspaper filled with original stories, poems, and drawings as a teen.  He was so committed he attended the prestigious Liverpool College of Art.

 

Lennon never graduated, though.  Instead, he dedicated time to co-writing and performing what would become some of the most beloved songs in history.  In his spare time, Lennon continued to write and draw.  He did not take writing too seriously, until a journalist saw his work and encouraged him to publish it.  Lennon published three books in his lifetime, filled with entertaining stories, poems, plays, and drawings.  All of Lennon's books were widely acclaimed, praising them for their comedy, nonsense, and "pure fantasy."

 

As Lennon grew older and settled down with his family, his work matured and took on a new theme – human love and communication.  Lennon's simple line drawings whimsically captured the joy of their home life, creating poetic portraits of the family's happiness.

 

Lennon's art, writing, and music give fans a window into his world, helping us to better understand one of the most creative minds of the 20th century.