John Tebeau started drawing as a kid in Michigan and hasn’t stopped yet. He helped start an alt-comic monthly in Chicago, designed and printed thousands of wacky T-shirts in an old factory, and showed his original art and prints in New Orleans, San Francisco, and New York. He recently wrote and illustrated the book Bars, Taverns, and Dives New Yorkers Love (Rizzoli, 2018) and lives the good life in Brooklyn with his wife Colleen.

The Book

This book Bars, Taverns, and Dives New Yorkers Love came to be in a sort of round about, lucky way.

It all goes back to an art project I started back in 2013 drawing and making silkscreen prints of some of my favorite bars in Brooklyn. I was inspired to do this by my artsy colleague Molly Morlock and urban artists like Eric Rewitzer, Paul Madonna, James Michalopoulos and the late, great Milton Kemnitz.

I completed a limited series of these pieces and showed them in Brooklyn at Fort Defiance in Red Hook (thanks to the boss, St. John Frizell) and the Long Island Bar in Cobble Hill (hats off to owners Toby Cecchini and Joel Tompkins).

After these shows, the idea to do a book was bandied about by both Eric Schmid and Tony Biancosino. Skeptical, I checked in with Susanna Einstein, the agent of my friend, author Lara Zielin. Susanna introduced me to her partner Meg Thompson, who handled nonfiction. I schlepped a portfolio of prints and a few of the wall labels from my shows down to their office, Meg signed me as a client, then landed me a book deal with the fabulous Rizzoli Publications of New York. Simple.

Upcoming Events

Look here soon for upcoming book signing events at joints all over the five boroughs!