From Deseret News archives:

It was 40 years ago today ...

Local artist Jann Haworth helped shape the Beatles' iconic 'Sgt. Pepper' cover

Published: Sunday, July 22, 2007 12:05 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
As luck would have it, Haworth's father was in London at the time, working on the film "Half a Sixpence," and she visited him on the movie set. However, her father's advice on making a background piece for the album was "too Hollywood" and too expensive for the budget.

So Haworth resorted to blue paper for the sky, and black-and-white cut-out photographs for the heads and bodies. "I hand-tinted all the photographs for color and nailed them to batons on the back wall," said Haworth. "Then put the front row in 3-D. That's an old movie trick."

Eventually, Madame Tussaud's wax museum offered some figures, but Haworth's old lady and Shirley Temple dolls remained part of the final scene.

While she's adamant about her contribution to "Sgt. Pepper," Haworth also is gracious enough to acknowledge that Blake's vision was very important. "Full credit to Peter for the idea of the crowd, and full credit for the idea of the heroes for the Beatles. It was something that he used in art school a lot, and it was very much his language, and that was a very important aspect of the cover.

"But if you break the cover down as to what our contributions were, I think it is absolutely fair to say that it was a 50/50 creation."

· · · · ·

Story continues below
A project that helped Haworth put the "Sgt. Pepper" credit issue in perspective took place in downtown Salt Lake City in 2005: the "SLC Pepper" — a 38-by-48 foot 2-D and 3-D mural depicting individuals that Salt Lake residents believed to be heroes. (The mural is on a parking-lot wall, located at 400 West, between 200 South and 300 South on the West side of the street. To see a complete list of participating artists and the individuals they painted, visit www.slcpepper.org.)

Thirty artists participated in the 2004-05 collaborative project, including individuals who were not artists, filling in stenciled areas of the wall.

"That was one of the best — if not the best — artistic experiences I've ever had working in a public situation," said Haworth, and she still believes it was a wonderful way of upgrading the images and ideas of "Sgt. Pepper." "To make such a big picture and actually review history, to say we have come so far since 1967; we talk a different language, we appreciate different things and the cultural diversity is in such a better state. We've traveled in that time and that was thrilling. To correct 'Sgt. Pepper' was very important to me."

· · · · ·

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

The Beatles' 1967 "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover.

previousnext

Latest comments

Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing

and they are correct. Good grief.

Utah's Wynn healing up

In the wake of a great, competitive game all people can talk about is Max...

For those who keep saying there are other places where you can go "to...

Boozer is just doing and showing what he has always had, Talent! As long as...

Pedestrian is hit in crosswalk, dies

Condolences to the LeBaron family! He was the mission Pres in South Africa...

I've enjoyed reading Dick Harmon's articles through the years. An enduring...

Jazz outrun Pacers

I think we have found our stride. But we need to bring in one more player to...

Jazz outrun Pacers

to make a move until nearer the deadline. You can't get the best player until...

"If this team had an interior Defense for 48 minutes they would contend. "...

What have you done for me lately, Boozer? Well, lately Boozer has been...

Advertisements