Some of my favorite images come from inspired amateurs. Not because of the lack of pretense or because the work is somehow more pure than that of professionals, I think the ground is pretty level for most of us in that area, but the kind of care that amateurism often affords. In this case, I’m thinking specifically of the rare illustration work of Ray Topping, a British connoisseur of American roots music. And even more specifically, I’m thinking of this watercolor he did for a compilation of the music of Rakotozafy.

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