Jim Franklin is an artist and illustrator that became well known for the poster art he created for the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin. His famous armadillo sketched became a symbol of the hippie movement in Austin in the 60s and have been used on albums, records, posters and in newspapers over the years.
In 1975, Jim drew the poster art that Willie Nelson used to promote his 3rd annual 4th of July picnic that was held right here in Liberty Hill. Today, Jim Franklin, along with his camera crew and fellow artist Nathan Nordstrom (known in the Austin grafitti scene as “Sloke One”) stopped by downtown Liberty Hill to film part of a documentary that is being created about his life. The film is early in development and is scheduled to be finished in approximately a year and a half.
Stay tuned for info on some possible collaborations between the city, Jim Franklin, and Nathan Nordstrom to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Willie’s picnic in Liberty Hill.